REPORT: PLYMOUTH V POOLE PLAY OFF QUARTER FINAL

The Pirates secured their place in the play-off semi-finals following up their 60-30 home win with a ten point victory at Plymouth to win the tie 110-70 on aggregate.

PLYMOUTH  40
Scott Nicholls,1,3,2,3,3,2=14 (6)
Ben Morley,0,0,0,RS,RS=0 (3)
Rider Replacement
Aaron Summers,2,0,2,1,1',0=6+1 (6)
Adam Roynon,1,1',1',R,0=3+2 (5)
Lee Complin,3,3,2,3,1,1,2=15 (7)
Connor Coles,2',RS,FD,0=2+1 (3)
.
Poole 50
Danny King,3,2,3,1'=9+1 (4)
Ben Cook,2',1',2,2'=7+3 (4)
Steve Worrall,3,3,2,3,1=12 (5)
Drew Kemp,1,0,0,3=4 (4)
Richard Lawson,2,3,3,2,3=13 (5)
Zach Cook,1,1,0,2'=4+1 (4)
Nathan Ablitt,0,0,1',0=1+1 (4)
.
Ht 1:  D.King, B.Cook, S.Nicholls, B.Morley 1-5 1-5 [50.75]
Ht 2:  L.Complin, C.Coles, Z.Cook, N.Ablitt 5-1 6-6 [52.35]
Ht 3:  S.Worrall, A.Summers, D.Kemp, B.Morley 2-4 8-10 [52.31]
Ht 4:  L.Complin, R.Lawson, A.Roynon, N.Ablitt 4-2 12-12 [51.66]
Ht 5:  S.Nicholls, D.King, B.Cook, A.Summers 3-3 15-15 [50.81]
Ht 6:  R.Lawson, S.Nicholls, Z.Cook, B.Morley 2-4 17-19 [50.44]
Ht 7:  S.Worrall, L.Complin, A.Roynon, D.Kemp 3-3 20-22 [51.19]
Ht 8:  L.Complin, B.Cook, N.Ablitt, C.Coles [fell exc] 3-3 23-25 [awd]
Ht 9:  R.Lawson, A.Summers, A.Roynon, Z.Cook 3-3 26-28 [51.97]
Ht 10:  S.Nicholls, S.Worrall, L.Complin, D.Kemp 4-2 30-30 [51.22]
Ht 11:  D.King, B.Cook, L.Complin, A.Roynon [rtd] 1-5 31-35 [51.94]
Ht 12:  S.Worrall, Z.Cook, A.Summers, C.Coles 1-5 32-40 [52.41]
Ht 13:  S.Nicholls, R.Lawson, D.King, A.Roynon 3-3 35-43 [61.66]
Ht 14:  D.Kemp, L.Complin, A.Summers, N.Ablitt 3-3 38-46 [52.09]
Ht 15:  R.Lawson, S.Nicholls, S.Worrall, A.Summers 2-4 40-50 []
REFEREE: Chris Gay 
Poole won toss and chose gates 1&3 | PLYMOUTH  choose gates 1&3 in heat 15 
Poole win 110-70 on aggregate 

With the Gladiators facing a tough task, that was made even tougher when Hans Andersen withdrew on the day of the meeting, the Pirates knew an impressive start would act as a major blow and when Ben Cook held off Scott Nicholls, it was a perfect way for the Pirates to launch the meeting for Cook only had Danny King ahead of him. 

However, the home side instantly hit back with a Lee Complin inspired 5-1, partnered by Connor Coles to level the meeting. Poole were back ahead after Drew Kemp eventually managed to grind Ben Morley down to convert Steve Worrall's fine win into a 4-2 advantage, but again Plymouth responded with a matching 4-2 when the inspired reserve switch to bring in Complin worked perfectly as he stunned the crowd by beating Richard Lawson. In the fifth heat Nicholls defiantly held off King's pressures whilst Aaron Summers' challenge on Ben Cook came too late as far as the Gladiators were concerned as with a third of the meeting gone, they had failed to gnaw away at any of that huge deficit.

Lawson made a much better and characteristic start in heat six to get clear of Nicholls, the Gladiators guest having to attend to an attempted move from Zach Cook early doors before the race settled into a Poole advantage. A seamless sweep round the first arc from Steve Worrall set him up for win number two as he passed Adam Roynon, whilst in his wings Complin was following, another heat gone, this time shared and time really against the Gladiators now. Heat eight saw Ben Cook challenge Coles at the third turn on lap three and the Plymouth reserve went down with the consequence of the result awarded to the leader, Complin at the time and Coles' disqualified . A moment of sheer brilliance had to be admired by supporters of both sets of fans as Lawson squeezed past the shoulder of Summers down the back straight, with absolutely no room for error but executed perfectly, offering up yet another drawn heat with Zach Cook out of the reckoning at the rear. 

Having been dealt out a start warning at the first time of asking in heat ten, Scott Nicholls made no errors in the re-run and with Complin muscling his way by Kemp at the back the Gladiators levelled the evening scores up as the meeting went into the interval all square and the Pirates absolutely guaranteed of a semi-final appearance. 

That however had no effect on the determination of the Poole side, as King and Ben Cook showed immediately after the break and romping to their second maximum heat combination of the night, whilst a similar score from Worrall and Zach Cook "brought the hundred up" after twenty seven heats of this quarter final. 

A sublime move by Nicholls in heat thirteen to pass Lawson arrested the run of heat defeats for the home side, who still wanted to try and gain some respect by winning the leg. Kemp though had a different agenda and looked a vastly different rider as he roared from the start and defied every move the ever-chasing Complin attempted. Holding on for the win and the shared heat ensured Poole would do the 'double', making the 4-2 from Lawson and Worrall in the final heat somewhat academic.