RESULT: KING'S LYNN 43 POOLE 50

The Volvo Cars Poole Pirates did what they needed to do as they kept themselves in pole position for the final play-off spot.

With Brady Kurtz doing well to overcome Thomas Jorgensen just as Robert Lambert had passed Jack Holder the first heat was shared but Lahti and Shanes did the business for the Pirates in heat 2 after a basic error by Josh Auty, riding across the infield on the way to the start, led to him positioned 15metres behind the start for the infringement.

Edward Kennett scorched to an opening win but Paul Starke failed to make any impression at the back as another heat was shared and it took a superbly timed move by skipper Hans Andersen to steal the victory on the line with Shanes in third place to see Poole extend their lead.

Holder crashed through the tapes in heat 5 with Lahti deputising for him without gain but with Huckenbeck becoming the first Star to win a race it was a vital ride by Kurtz to stave off the ever-pressing Palm-Toft to keep Poole marginally ahead. Lahti was back on his A-game in heat 6 but Robert Lambert was able to pick off Andersen but then a second excellent win by Kennett was backed up with a third place from Starke to restore Poole's six point advantage.

Jorgensen won heat 8 by a huge margin and Lynn trimmed two points of their deficit back but then Lahti and Andersen were too strong for the pressing Huckenbeck to claim Poole's first maximum heat score.

Stepping in to replace Starke, Lahti was again on the pace and fully alert to Jorgensen's persistence ahead of Poole's second  maximum, this time produced by Holder and Kurtz.

Palm-Toft was handed the black and white and duly delivered with an exceptional third to first move but Poole secured the minor places to mitigate the effect, holding a 9-point lead and on course to complete their mission.

A sweet wide sweep by Andersen to split Robert Lambert and Tomas H Jonasson proved to be critical for the Pirates' cause as a nervous conclusion was now on the cards, leading by just 7 points.

Busy Lahti was called upon again and he was magnificent in his quest to fend off Huckenbeck for a full four laps although partner Kennett couldn't maintain his long-time third place, losing out to a mad-dash-for-the-line by Auty which left Poole needing to avoid a heat defeat to bank the four league points they had set out for.

It was an excellent conclusion to the affair with Jorgensen and Andersen battling every inch of the way before Jorgensen took the win, behind the pair though Kurtz was heading home Palm-Toft and the four points secured.

King's Lynn 43
R. Lambert 1',1',1',3=6+3
T. Jorgensen 2,2,3,2,3=12
M. Palm-Toft 1',1,0,6,0=8+1
K. Huckenbeck 2,3,1,2=8
T. Jonasson 2,2,R,1=5
J. Auty 1,0,1,1,1'=4+1
S. Lambert 0,0,0=0

Poole 50
B. Kurtz 3,2,2',0,1'=8+2
J. Holder 0,2,3=5
P. Starke 0,1,1'=2+1
E. Kennett 3,3,0,0=6
H. Andersen 3,0,2',2,2=9+1
T. Lahti 3,0,3,3,3,2,3=17
J. Shanes 2',1,0=3+1

Ht 1 B. Kurtz T. Jorgensen R. Lambert J. Holder 3-3 (3-3) (59.47)
Ht 2 T. Lahti J. Shanes J. Auty(tapes  hcap) S. Lambert 1-5 (4-8) (59.75)
Ht 3 E. Kennett K. Huckenbeck M. Palm-Toft P. Starke 3-3 (7-11) (59.69)
Ht 4 H. Andersen T. Jonasson J. Shanes S. Lambert 2-4 (9-15) (61.1)
Ht 5 K. Huckenbeck B. Kurtz M. Palm-Toft T. Lahti 4-2 (13-17) (60.34)
Ht 6 T. Lahti T. Jorgensen R. Lambert H. Andersen 3-3 (16-20) (59.72)
Ht 7 E. Kennett T. Jonasson P. Starke J. Auty 2-4 (18-24) (61)
Ht 8 T. Jorgensen J. Holder J. Auty J. Shanes 4-2 (22-26) (60.09)
Ht 9 T. Lahti H. Andersen K. Huckenbeck M. Palm-Toft 1-5 (23-31) (61.09)
Ht 10 T. Lahti T. Jorgensen R. Lambert E. Kennett 3-3 (26-34) (61.06)
Ht 11 J. Holder B. Kurtz J. Auty T. Jonasson (Rtd) 1-5 (27-39) (61.13)
Ht 12 M. Palm-Toft (TR) T. Lahti P. Starke S. Lambert 6-3 (33-42) (61.09)
Ht 13 R. Lambert H. Andersen T. Jonasson B. Kurtz 4-2 (37-44) (60.9)
Ht 14 T. Lahti K. Huckenbeck J. Auty E. Kennett 3-3 (40-47) (61.1)
Ht 15 T. Jorgensen H. Andersen B. Kurtz M. Palm-Toft 3-3 (43-50) (61.81)

Referee Mr Dave Watters
Gates: Poole won toss and chose gates 1&3 in heat 1. King's Lynn took gates 2&4 in heat 15
King's Lynn 0 league points Poole 4 league points
Rider of the Night Timo Lahti