RESULT: POOLE v WOLVERHAMPTON

The VOLVO CARS POOLE PIRATES managed to see off two fierce opponents as they beat both the rain and the league leaders in a grandstand finish at Wimborne Road.

After three successive weeks without any home action the Poole fans  had to wait until the final chequered flag of the night to see their side get the better of Wolverhampton, the visitors having the slight upper hand for most of the meeting.

Despite Brady Kurtz being in phenomenal form and celebrating his first ever top flight 5-ride full maximum the Pirates had to work tirelessly just to try and keep in touch with the table-toppers. In a briskly run meeting, for which the referee, all riders, officials and track staff deserve huge credit for, Poole went behind in heat 2 and it took them until the conclusion of the sixth heat to square the scores again as Jack Holder and Grzegorz Zengota gained a 4-2 advantage. They were denied the full points from the heat as Sam Masters expertly found a way past Zengota but Wolves' response was instant.

Rory Schlein, proving why he was such a good capture by the Black Country side sped clear of skipper Hans Andersen and with Poole's guest Josh Bates being squeezed out at first turn Jacob Thorssell had a comfortable third place. This time the Pirates reduced the deficit with a comeback heat 8, Holder storming round the outside to take command and James Shanes, who earlier in the meeting was gaining no reward for his concerted efforts, managing to  see off his counterpart Nathan Greaves.

Wolves again took control of the meeting with back-to-back 4-2 advantages but they had to work hard for both as Holder in 10 and Andersen in 11 chased frantically but without success. 

Kyle Newman, who had endured an untypical low return evening - no score from his first three outings which included a bike pack up at the start of heat 9, and James Shanes were able to make it a damage limitation heat 12 as Schlein won again, the visitors clinging on to their 4-point lead.

Wolves' guest Josh Grajczonek came to the party, to the Pirates' frustrations as he won heat 13 but Andersen and Zengota were too strong for Masters. Early hopes of going into the final heat all square were scuppered when Thorssell cleverly split Kurtz and Bates in heat 14 but in that final outing Schlein and Howarth had no answers to the speed and determination of Kurtz and Andersen respectively as the Poole pair delivered the match-winning sole 5-1 of the night.

POOLE 46
G. Zengota 2,1,0,1'=4+1
J. Holder 1',3,3,2=9+1
K. Newman 0,0,R,2=2
B. Kurtz 3,3,3,3,3=15
H. Andersen 3,2,2,2,2'=11+1
J. Bates 2,0,0,1=3
J. Shanes 0,0,1,1'=2+1

WOLVERHAMPTON 44
J. Grajczonek 0,1',1,3=5+1
K. Howarth 3,2,2,3,0=10
R. Schlein 1',3,3,3,1=11+1
J. Thorssell 2,1,1,2=6
S. Masters 2,2,2,0=6
M. Riss 3,0,1',F,0=4+1
N. Greaves 1,1',F=2+1

Ht 1 K. Howarth G. Zengota J. Holder J. Grajczonek 3-3 (3-3) (59.59)
Ht 2 M. Riss J. Bates N. Greaves J. Shanes 2-4 (5-7) (61)
Ht 3 B. Kurtz J. Thorssell R. Schlein K. Newman 3-3 (8-10) (60.19)
Ht 4 H. Andersen S. Masters N. Greaves J. Shanes 3-3 (11-13) (60.75)
Ht 5 B. Kurtz K. Howarth J. Grajczonek K. Newman 3-3 (14-16) (60.68)
Ht 6 J. Holder S. Masters G. Zengota M. Riss 4-2 (18-18) (61.1)
Ht 7 R. Schlein H. Andersen J. Thorssell J. Bates 2-4 (20-22) (59.94)
Ht 8 J. Holder K. Howarth J. Shanes N. Greaves (Fell) 4-2 (24-24) (60.08)
Ht 9 B. Kurtz S. Masters M. Riss K. Newman (Rtd) 3-3 (27-27) (61.22)
Ht 10 R. Schlein J. Holder J. Thorssell G. Zengota 2-4 (29-31) (61.38)
Ht 11 K. Howarth H. Andersen J. Grajczonek J. Bates 2-4 (31-35) (60.5)
Ht 12 R. Schlein K. Newman J. Shanes M. Riss (Fell) 3-3 (34-38) (61.13)
Ht 13 J. Grajczonek H. Andersen G. Zengota S. Masters 3-3 (37-41) (60.69)
Ht 14 B. Kurtz J. Thorssell J. Bates M. Riss 4-2 (41-43) (60.75)
Ht 15 B. Kurtz H. Andersen R. Schlein K. Howarth 5-1 (46-44) (60.53)

Referee Peter Clarke
Gates: POOLE won toss and chose gates 1&3 in heat 1. WOLVERHAMPTON took gates 1&3 in heat 15
POOLE 3 league point WOLVERHAMPTON 1 league point