RESULT: POOLE 53 V BELLE VUE 40

Dakota North powered the Ready Power Pirates to the top of the Elite league table as the Pirates claimed a 53-40 win over play-off rivals, Belle Vue Aces. 

The 24 year old Aussie flier produced a magnficent paid maximum performance, his third unbeaten score as a Pirate and eclipsed an excellent night's work from Poole reserve Kyle Newman.

The Pirates' victory meant they 'completed the set' of recording at least one victory against each of their seven Elite league rivals and demonstrated their intent to do so with an excellent start to proceedings. North was fast way in the opener and was rapidly joined by partner Chris Holder who sped round the outside and shrugged off fellow Aussie Max Fricke.
Kyle Newman was in sparkling form as he cleverly switched from outside to in to complete a double pass in heat two before Dave Watt and Maciej Janowski combined for maximum points to shoot Poole 10 points clear.
Former Pirate Josh Grajczonek weighed in with a win of his own in heat 4 but the verdict for heat 5 fell into the hands of referee Graham Reeve who had to adjudge on a very tight call once North made the inside line work to his advantage to pick of Worrall early on and then draw upsides of leader Fricke.
As they crossed the line it was North's wheel deemed to be ahead and the shared points enabled Aces boss Mark Lemon to call on Zagar for double points.

Fears were high in the Poole camp as it was Zagar and Nicholls who effectively undid the Pirates back in June after the Dorset side had begun so well up in Manchester. But back on home shale, whilst having no answer to Zagar, Dave Watt held up Scott Nicholls long enough to prevent the visitors claiming maximum points.
Craig Cook became the Aces third race winner when he got the better of a tight run with Holder to the first turn of heat 7 but with the Pirates top two banking the minor placings their lead was unaffected.
Gomolski and a battling Newman extended it further in a superb display of speedway racing as positions changed throughout before the Poole pair came out on top.
Steve Worrall and Max Fricke can both consider themselves a little unfortunate to have gained such little reward from a truly exciting heat.

North was more than a little ruthless on Josh Grajczonek, explaining afterwards that he "picked up some unwanted drive that took him further across than intended" but was quick to apologise to Grajczonek after the heat 9 incident but with the Aces dropping thirteen points behind they had bigger concerns to attend to.
Janowski stormed by Zagar with Watt backing up in third as Poole continued to stamp their authority on the meeting. North completed his four ride unbeaten sequence with a splendid drive round the outside of Cook to win heat 11, with Holder having to settle for third place after Cook fended him off.
Newman's split of the Aces reserves in heat 12 meant just one more finisher was need across the final four heats for the Pirates to achieve their goal and with Janowski dashing by Zagar early in heat 13 the Pirates were home and dry despite Nicholls' only win of the night.
The two sides shared 4-2's over the final two heats, Cook picking off Gomolski in heat 14 for the win and Janowski holding firm in the final heat under early pressure from Cook.

POOLE 53
C. Holder 3,1',1,0=5+1
D. North 2',3,2',3=10+2
D. Watt 3,0,1,R=4
K. Gomolski 2,2,3,2,1=10
M. Janowski 2',2,3,2,3=12+1
P. Starke 1,0,0=1
K. Newman 3,1',2',3,2=11+2
Belle Vue 40
M. Zagar 1,6,2,1,R=10
M. Fricke 0,2,0,R=2
C. Cook 1,3,2,3,2=11
J. Grajczonek 3,0,R,1=4
S. Nicholls 0,1,0,3=4
S. Worrall 2,1',1,1=5+1
S. Nielsen 0,0,1,3=4

Ht 1 C. Holder D. North M. Zagar M. Fricke 5-1 (5-1) (59.84)
Ht 2 K. Newman S. Worrall P. Starke S. Nielsen 4-2 (9-3) (61.28)
Ht 3 D. Watt M. Janowski C. Cook S. Nicholls 5-1 (14-4) (59.57)
Ht 4 J. Grajczonek K. Gomolski K. Newman S. Nielsen 3-3 (17-7) (60.97)
Ht 5 D. North M. Fricke S. Worrall P. Starke 3-3 (20-10) (60.28)
Ht 6 M. Zagar (TR) K. Gomolski S. Nicholls D. Watt 2-7 (22-17) (59.87)
Ht 7 C. Cook M. Janowski C. Holder J. Grajczonek 3-3 (25-20) (59.56)
Ht 8 K. Gomolski K. Newman S. Worrall M. Fricke 5-1 (30-21) (61.81)
Ht 9 K. Newman D. North S. Nielsen J. Grajczonek (Rtd) 5-1 (35-22) (61.63)
Ht 10 M. Janowski M. Zagar D. Watt M. Fricke (Rtd) 4-2 (39-24) (60.81)
Ht 11 D. North C. Cook C. Holder S. Nicholls 4-2 (43-26) (60.5)
Ht 12 S. Nielsen K. Newman S. Worrall P. Starke 2-4 (45-30) (61.03)
Ht 13 S. Nicholls M. Janowski M. Zagar C. Holder 2-4 (47-34) (60)
Ht 14 C. Cook K. Gomolski J. Grajczonek D. Watt (Rtd) 2-4 (49-38) (60.84)
Ht 15 M. Janowski C. Cook K. Gomolski M. Zagar (Rtd) 4-2 (53-40) (60.09)

Referee Graham Reeve
Gates: Belle Vue win toss and defer choice to heat 15 (2&4). Poole take gates 1&3

More photographs can be viewed here