REPORT:Workington 45 (74) Poole 45 (106)- BSN Semi Final

31/08/24

Poole secured their place in their first final for 2024 but missed out on a double win over Workington as the Comets salvaged a second leg draw with a concluding 5-1

After number one Richard Lawson had to dig deep to recover from being squeezed into third place at the first turn of heat one to ultimately pass Comets guest Jye Etheridge and then come within striking distance of pace setter Craig Cook, Poole had reserves Tobias Thomsen and guest Ben Trigger to thank for two very strong starts that edged them ahead at the Northside venue after just two heats. A battling ride from skipper Ben Cook prevented the Comets from immediately wiping out that reserve 5-1 as he picked off Antti Vuolas but had no answer to the Comets' other guest Jason Edwards. Tom Brennan appeared to follow in the problems that the Poole riders were having at the the first turn by trying to hold a mid-track position, but with a bit of effort he was able to pass Paul Starke to again prevent the home team from posting a 5-1.

There were early exchanges of position between Lawson and Vuolas in heat five but catching the eye was an improved outing from Sam Hagon, ending his recent concerning points draught to gain third place to share the heat. Poole boys Brennan and Thomsen were on an early 5-1 when Etheridge went down on the second lap trying to get round the first turn. Buried in the fence he had no chance of clearing the track and the race was stopped. Brennan didn't make quite the same emphatic start as he had done first time of asking but did find the speed to take him by Craig Cook and give Poole the heat share, albeit not as large as they had looked set for. The 'chefs' were in full charge of heat seven, combining for a 5-1 to extend Poole's lead to eight points. Hagon's improvement gained more momentum in heat eight when he passed Starke, but with Etheridge passing Trigger ahead another heat advantage was denied, but with the hard work done in the first leg, Poole were rapidly closing in on booking their BSN Final appearance for 2024.

There was mathematically no doubt of that when Brennan, not with the prettiest of rides took the flag un heat nine, although he nearly wiped out Thomsen inadvertently when he lifted badly mid-race. It finished as a 4-2 in favour of Poole and the odds were shortening rapidly on Poole doing another double over the Comets.

Looking to be the third 'Cook' to taste life out in front during heat ten, Ben's challenge blew as he shed a chain, allowing Craig Cook to complete the win over earlier leader Zach and just four points were now between the sides on the day. Hagon was very much on the pace in heat eleven and was set to move into the lead but Lawson appeared to miscalculate that it was his teammate coming through, knowing that he couldn't allow Batchelor any opportunity to make a move. Hagon had to back out of the move and just be happy to play his part in Poole's fifth heat advantage.

Ben Cook dictated the line he wanted to take on the second lap of heat twelve to pass Vuolas and Poole looked set to score another heat gain, but Starke came on real strong on the final lap and stormed by Thomsen off the final turn. The meeting seemed to be heading Poole's way as Lawson led heat thirteen only for a similar fate to beset as had happed to Cook earlier. In virtually the same place Lawson dropped a chain and that allowed Batchelor to snatch the lead and and let Craig Cook get third place and the margin was trimmed again to four points.

Zach Cook took the honours in heat fourteen by some distance and it was through no lack of effort the ever-battling Trigger couldn't quite get Poole over the line as he was mixing it with Edwards and Starke for all four laps. But the resulting shared heat meant their was glimmer of hope for the home fans to avoid defeat on the day.

Batchelor and Cook responded perfectly, even though in the early stages of the final heat they were staring a 5-1 reverse full in the face. But they progressively went by Lawson then Brennan and turned the exciting heat on its head and salvage the draw, laying down a message to the Pirates that, should, as expected, they meet in the league play-off semi-finals they will certainly be up for the challenge.

WORKINGTON 45
Craig Cook 3,2,3,1=9 (4)
Jye Etheridge 1,FD,3,1=5 (4)
Antti Vuolas 1,3,2,2,2'=10+1 (5)
Jason Edwards 3,0,0,2=5 (4)
Troy Batchelor 3,1,2,3,3=12 (5)
Sam McGurk 1,0,0,RS=1 (3)
Paul Starke 0,1,0,1',1'=3+2 (5)
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POOLE 45
Richard Lawson 2,2,3,0=7 (4)
Sam Hagon 0,1',1',1=3+2 (4)
Ben Cook 2,3,R,3,1=9 (5)
Zach Cook 0,2',2,3=7+1 (4)
Tom Brennan 2,3,3,2,0=10 (5)
Tobias Thomsen 3,1,1,0=5 (4)
Ben Trigger 2',0,2,0=4+1 (4)
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Ht 1: C.Cook, R.Lawson, J.Etheridge, S.Hagon 4-2 4-2 [56.6]
Ht 2: T.Thomsen, B.Trigger, S.McGurk, P.Starke 1-5 5-7 [57]
Ht 3: J.Edwards, B.Cook, A.Vuolas, Z.Cook 4-2 9-9 [55.9]
Ht 4: T.Batchelor, T.Brennan, P.Starke, B.Trigger 4-2 13-11 [56]
Ht 5: A.Vuolas, R.Lawson, S.Hagon, J.Edwards 3-3 16-14 [56.9]
Ht 6: T.Brennan, C.Cook, T.Thomsen, J.Etheridge [fell exc] 2-4 18-18 [57]
Ht 7: B.Cook, Z.Cook, T.Batchelor, S.McGurk 1-5 19-23 [56.1]
Ht 8: J.Etheridge, B.Trigger, S.Hagon, P.Starke 3-3 22-26 [57.5]
Ht 9: T.Brennan, A.Vuolas, T.Thomsen, J.Edwards 2-4 24-30 [57.3]
Ht 10: C.Cook, Z.Cook, J.Etheridge, B.Cook [rtd] 4-2 28-32 [57.3]
Ht 11: R.Lawson, T.Batchelor, S.Hagon, S.McGurk 2-4 30-36 [57]
Ht 12: B.Cook, A.Vuolas, P.Starke, T.Thomsen 3-3 33-39 [57.6]
Ht 13: T.Batchelor, T.Brennan, C.Cook, R.Lawson 4-2 37-41 [58.1]
Ht 14: Z.Cook, J.Edwards, P.Starke, B.Trigger 3-3 40-44 [56.8]
Ht 15: T.Batchelor, A.Vuolas, B.Cook, T.Brennan 5-1 45-45 [57.6]
SGB Referee Mr Matthew Edwards-Wear
POOLE won toss and chose gates 2&4 | WORKINGTON choose gates 2&4 in heat 15 Poole win 106-74 on aggregate