BELLE VUE 46 POOLE 46

LEICESTER REVISITED! For the second time in a week the VOLVO CARS POOLE PIRATES had victory snatched from their grasp to limit them to just a draw after going into the final heat two points to the good.

This performance however was highly commendable as the Pirates clawed their way back from a 10 point deficit and near certain defeat, to maintain the proud record of yielding league points from all their away league encounters so far.

Overseeing the recovery pit-side was club owner Matt Ford deputising for the absent regular team manager Neil Middleditch and afterwards Matt admitted "the winner in me really wanted us to hold on for the victory but to be honest I think anyone would have taken the draw had it been offered to us prior to the nightmare of a journey we made in getting here."

It took two good overtakes by the Aces duo of Kenneth Bjerre and Max Fricke to prevent Poole from returning to Dorset with the league victory under their belt as the Dane managed to find his way by Poole's impressive guest Troy Batchelor just prior to Fricke working a passage by a hard working Brady Kurtz in the final heat.

Batchelor had opened the meeting with a victory as Poole began with a 4-2 but somewhat rapidly the Aces overturned that deficit and had established a 10 point lead after 6 heats. Ford wasted no time in using the tactical option nominating Kurtz for double points but outgated by Cook the Aussie could only muster a second place. Dan Bewley ensured that was not too damaging for the Aces as he steered his way by Newman who was consistently showing too much room for the home reserve to exploit.

With Ford manipulating his reserves around, replacing Shanes, who had made a real fist of trying to get by Steve Worrall two heats previously, with Josh Bates the Pirates again ensured a share of the spoils although Holder had to work overtime to get by Jack Smith on the opening lap. With half the match gone and the Pirates facing a double digit deficit things looked bleak but a positive gate by Andersen, who had instantly made himself available for the meeting once his Danish fixture had been postponed, was backed up with a defiant Bates ride, pushing Sedgmen to the hilt and holding off an inspired final lap chase from Bjerre.

Having surrendered points too easily in his previous ride Newman really applied himself in heat 10, storming by both his opponents and ably defending his position immediately behind Kurtz for a Poole 5-1. Fabulous team riding from Aussies Batchelor and Holder squared the meeting up after 11 heats and all of a sudden the Aces were looking over their shoulder.

Out went Smith, in came Bewley, but Poole looked strong as Bates and Newman were the first to show until Bjerre produced a great ride to sweep by the pair of them to maintain the status quo.

Batchelor was quick away for Poole in heat 13 and skipper Andersen played a key part by giving Fricke plenty to think about whilst danger man Cook never really got into the action. The resulting 4-2 put Poole ahead again and they looked set to extend that as heat 14 unfolded. But Bewley's persistence paid off as he worked the outside line well to ease by Bates to share the spoils.

It was a case of Poole needing to avoid last place to seal the victory in heat 15 but to the credit of Max Fricke he did well to catch Kurtz unawares on lap 3, a move that the home fans celebrated as though they had actually won the meeting!

BELLE VUE 46
M. Fricke 2,3,1,2,1=9
S. Worrall 0,1,3,0=4
K. Bjerre 3,3,0,3,3=12
J. Sedgmen 2',0,2,2=6+1
C. Cook 3,3,1,0=7
D. Bewley 3,1,0,0,1'=5+1
J. Smith 1,2',0=3+1
POOLE 46
T. Batchelor 3,1',3,3,2=12+1
J. Holder 1,2,1',2'=6+2
K. Newman F,0,2',1'=3+2
B. Kurtz 1,4,3,3,0=11
H. Andersen 1,2,3,1=7
J. Bates 2,2,1,2,0=7
J. Shanes 0,0,0=0

Ht 1 T. Batchelor M. Fricke J. Holder S. Worrall 2-4 (2-4) (60.91)
Ht 2 D. Bewley J. Bates J. Smith J. Shanes 4-2 (6-6) (60.28)
Ht 3 K. Bjerre J. Sedgmen B. Kurtz K. Newman (Fell) 5-1 (11-7) (60.4)
Ht 4 C. Cook J. Smith H. Andersen J. Shanes 5-1 (16-8) (61.94)
Ht 5 K. Bjerre J. Holder T. Batchelor J. Sedgmen 3-3 (19-11) (60.18)
Ht 6 M. Fricke H. Andersen S. Worrall J. Shanes 4-2 (23-13) (60.42)
Ht 7 C. Cook B. Kurtz (TR) D. Bewley K. Newman 4-4 (27-17) (60.72)
Ht 8 S. Worrall J. Bates J. Holder J. Smith 3-3 (30-20) (61.12)
Ht 9 H. Andersen J. Sedgmen J. Bates K. Bjerre 2-4 (32-24) (61.44)
Ht 10 B. Kurtz K. Newman M. Fricke S. Worrall 1-5 (33-29) (61.62)
Ht 11 T. Batchelor J. Holder C. Cook D. Bewley 1-5 (34-34) (62.19)
Ht 12 K. Bjerre J. Bates K. Newman D. Bewley 3-3 (37-37) (62.09)
Ht 13 T. Batchelor M. Fricke H. Andersen C. Cook 2-4 (39-41) (61.6)
Ht 14 B. Kurtz J. Sedgmen D. Bewley J. Bates 3-3 (42-44) (62.28)
Ht 15 K. Bjerre T. Batchelor M. Fricke B. Kurtz 4-2 (46-46) (61.91)

Referee D.Hartley
Gates: BELLE VUE won toss and chose gates 1&3 in heat 1. POOLE took gates 1&3 in heat 15
BELLE VUE 1 league point POOLE 2 league points

Rider of the Night: Troy Batchelor

Picture: IAN CHARLES