RESULT - PIRATES V WOLVES

The 'Volvo Cars' Poole Pirates salvaged a last gasp draw from but will reflect on it being two points dropped rather than one point gained.

Having hauled themselves back into the meeting after trailing through back to back maximum heat defeats in races three and four, the Pirates then squandered the opportunity to seal victory and went into the final heat needing a heat advantage to be able to gain some league bounty.
Heat 5 proved to be a great speedway race with captain Josh Grajczonek leading throughout and Kacper Woryna doing well to force himself into third place. The skipper sensed that the young Pole could do with some assistance and tried to block out second placed Kyle Howarth but the Wolves rider second guessed Grajczonek's plan and found a turn of speed that took him to the front as the chequered flag appeared, consequently sharing the heat.
Sam Masters was next to break the Poole fans hearts as he reeled Richie Worrall in on the final lap of heat 7 to extend the visitors lead to 8 points but another high-octane thriller followed as Sundstrom led proceedings in the eighth heat but had Howarth pestering. This time the home rider held on and with Nielsen picking up an entertaining third place the Pirates sensed renewed hope.
Aussies Grajczonek and Kurtz further closed the deficit, the latter taking a tactical substitute outing , with maximum points over previously unbeaten Schlein, who in his opening race had taken an awkward fall and looked to have knocked his hand but showed no ill-effects for the rest of the meeting.
Sundstrom held off Masters well to square the meeting as Kurtz picked up third place, Heeps falling but sportingly clearing the track to the appreciation of the Poole fans (and referee).
Plenty of place-trading in the second staging of heat 11 - re-run after Szczepaniak had been squeezed out on the opening turn first time of asking. It concluded with Worrall keeping Howarth at bay and Szczepaniak passing Thorssell for a Poole 4-2 (34-32).
The comeback was temporary however as Nielsen reared awkwardly on the fourth turn of the opening lap of heat 12 and hurtled into the fence alongside the start/finish line, sustaining a heavy knock to the ankle. Grajczonek, who had been leading at the point of the stoppage, allowed Greaves to get clear in the re-run and it was the visitors turn to square the proceedings.
Kurtz surrendered the lead to a pestering Schlein in heat 13 as Wolves edged two ahead again whilst heat 14 was heart-in-the-mouth time as Woryna, having been sat out since heat 5, went scraping the boards as he tried to reel in the fast gating Masters, both having been issued warnings for moving at the start. Woryna may well have been able to catch his prey had he not clouted the barrier at the pit turn on the final circuit but Masters' victory took the visitors into the final heat still two points to the good.
Kurtz quickly pulled clear of Masters in that all-important final heat and Sundstrom was able to manouevre into third place, going by Schlein to level the scores on the night.

POOLE 45
B. Kurtz 1',2,2',1,2,3=11+2
L. Sundstrom 2,1',3,3,1=10+1
J. Grajczonek 0,2,3,2=7
K. Woryna 1,1',2=4+1
R. Worrall 1,2,3,0=6
M. Szczepaniak 3,0,1,1'=5+1
S. Nielsen 1,0,1,FD=2

WOLVERHAMPTON 45
J. Thorssell 3,0,0,1=4
K. Howarth 0,3,2,2=7
C. Heeps 2',1,F,1=4+1
S. Masters 3,3,2,3,2=13
R. Schlein 3,3,1,3,0=10
N. Greaves 0,0,3,0=3
A. Morris 2,2',0,0=4+1

Ht 1:  J. Thorssell,  L. Sundstrom,  B. Kurtz,  K. Howarth  3-3 3-3 [60.16]
Ht 2:  M. Szczepaniak,  A. Morris,  S. Nielsen,  N. Greaves 4-2 7-5 [60.5]
Ht 3:  S. Masters,  C. Heeps,  K. Woryna,  J. Grajczonek 1-5  8-12 [60.93]
Ht 4:  R. Schlein,  A. Morris,  R. Worrall,  S. Nielsen 1-5  9-15 [60.69]
Ht 5:  K. Howarth,  J. Grajczonek,  K. Woryna,  J. Thorssell  3-3 12-18 [62.03]
Ht 6:  R. Schlein,  B. Kurtz,  L. Sundstrom,  N. Greaves  3-3  15-21 [61]
Ht 7:  S. Masters,  R. Worrall,  C. Heeps,  M. Szczepaniak  2-4  17-25 [61.72]
Ht 8:  L. Sundstrom,  K. Howarth,  S. Nielsen,  A. Morris  4-2  21-27 [61.47]
Ht 9:  J. Grajczonek,  B. Kurtz  (TS),  R. Schlein,  A. Morris  5-1  26-28 [61.56]
Ht 10:  L. Sundstrom,  S. Masters,  B. Kurtz,  C. Heeps  (Fell)  4-2  30-30 [61.47]
Ht 11:  R. Worrall,  K. Howarth,  M. Szczepaniak,  J. Thorssell  4-2  34-32 [62]
Ht 12:  N. Greaves,  J. Grajczonek,  C. Heeps,  S. Nielsen  (Fell d/q)  2-4  36-36 [62.38]
Ht 13:  R. Schlein,  B. Kurtz,  J. Thorssell,  R. Worrall 2-4 38-40 [61.63]
Ht 14: Masters,  K. Woryna,  M. Szczepaniak,  N. Greaves 3-341-43 [61.62]
Ht 15:  B. Kurtz,  S. Masters,  L. Sundstrom,  R. Schlein 4-2 45-45 [61.79] 

League Points POOLE 1 WOLVERHAMPTON 2

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Referee: Christina Turnbull
Gates: WOLVERHAMPTON won toss and chose gates 1&3 | Poole take 1&3 in heat 15
League Points: Poole 1 Wolverhampton 2

Rider of the Night: Linus Sundstrom