BELLE VUE 47 PIRATES 43

The resilient Pirates secured a valuable away point as Peter Kildemand and Josh Grajczonek held their nerve in a tense heat 15 thriller to bank a 5-1 over previously unbeaten Max Fricke and Aces number one Craig Cook as the meeting closed out 47-43 in favour of the Aces.

The early trading looked one way as the home side built up a 10 point lead after just four races, Fricke looking in unbeatable form and the Pirates far from sharp out the gates. But Kurtz and partner Kacper Woryna showed some fighting spirit as the Pole worked tirelessly to overpower Aces guest Lasse Bjerre whilst Kurtz made the running and that success seemed to ripple its way through the Pirate camp.

 Peter Kildemand rode a cunning race to hold out Cook in heat 6 whilst Szczepaniak was keeping Paul Starke on full alert as he, in vain, sought a point to add to his heat two second place. The pace was all Fricke's in heat 7 but with Gappmaier, guesting for injured Etheridge unable to impress on Grajczonek and Sundstrom the Pirates remained just half a dozen points adrift.

 It was a case of blocking out Starke for Woryna and Shanes in the protected heat as Bewley disappeared off into the sunset leaving Neil Middleditch to go for the squeeze on the Aces by drafting in Kurtz for Szczepaniak in heat 9. But it was Kurtz who was squeezed out by both Tungate and Bjerre before they set about Kildemand. The Pirate stand-in delivered a superb ride to thwart the Aces advances and the visitors were still hanging in there.

 A win from Sundstrom over Cook with the Pirates skipper Grjaczonek supporting in third kept the pressure on the home side and it took a special ride for Fricke to remain unbeaten under increasing pressure from Kurtz with Woryna also nipping at his heels. With the interval reached the Aces led 35-31, and just four crucial rides remained.

 The first of those called for a photo-finish as Mateusz Szczepaniak tried desparately hard to try and steal second place from Bjerre but having under the referee's verdict, to settle for a Poole 4-2. Fricke and Cook both foiled Kurtz in heat 13 to re-establish that six point gap then Bewley ensured the Aces victory on the night as he stormed clear of Szczepaniak leaving Tungate to dispose of Sundstrom.

 In needed something big in the finale and Kildemand and Grajczonek took to the stage, the Poole captain forcefully but fairly winning the battle of the skippers as he shut the door firmly on Fricke's aspirations to at least split the Poole pair. Standing firm and securing the 5-1 the Pirates gained a crucial, and richly deserved point from their first away action of the season.

BELLE VUE 47
C. Cook 3,2,2,2',1=10+1
P. Starke 2',1',0,0=3+2
L. Bjerre 3,1,1',2=7+1
R. Tungate 0,0,2,1=3
M. Fricke 3,3,3,3,0=12
D. Gappmaier 1,0,0=1
D. Bewley 3,2',3,0,3=11+1

POOLE 43
B. Kurtz 1,3,0,1',1=6+1
K. Woryna 0,2',2,2=6+1
J. Grajczonek 2,2,1,3,2'=10+1
L. Sundstrom 1',1',3,0=5+2
P. Kildemand 1,3,3,0,3=10
M. Szczepaniak 2,0,1,2=5
J. Shanes 0,0,1'=1+1

Ht 1 C. Cook P. Starke B. Kurtz K. Woryna 5-1 (5-1) (62.91)
Ht 2 D. Bewley M. Szczepaniak D. Gappmaier J. Shanes 4-2 (9-3) (61.5)
Ht 3 L. Bjerre J. Grajczonek L. Sundstrom R. Tungate 3-3 (12-6) (61.78)
Ht 4 M. Fricke D. Bewley P. Kildemand J. Shanes 5-1 (17-7) (61.47)
Ht 5 B. Kurtz K. Woryna L. Bjerre R. Tungate 1-5 (18-12) (62.47)
Ht 6 P. Kildemand C. Cook P. Starke M. Szczepaniak 3-3 (21-15) (62.31)
Ht 7 M. Fricke J. Grajczonek L. Sundstrom D. Gappmaier 3-3 (24-18) (62.06)
Ht 8 D. Bewley K. Woryna J. Shanes P. Starke 3-3 (27-21) ()
Ht 9 P. Kildemand R. Tungate L. Bjerre B. Kurtz (TS) 3-3 (30-24) ()
Ht 10 L. Sundstrom C. Cook J. Grajczonek P. Starke 2-4 (32-28) ()
Ht 11 M. Fricke K. Woryna B. Kurtz D. Gappmaier 3-3 (35-31) (63.06)
Ht 12 J. Grajczonek L. Bjerre M. Szczepaniak D. Bewley 2-4 (37-35) (63.18)
Ht 13 M. Fricke C. Cook B. Kurtz P. Kildemand 5-1 (42-36) (62.97)
Ht 14 D. Bewley M. Szczepaniak R. Tungate L. Sundstrom 4-2 (46-38) (62.59)
Ht 15 P. Kildemand J. Grajczonek C. Cook M. Fricke 1-5 (47-43) (63.34)

Referee Darren Hartley
Gates: BELLE VUE won toss and deferred choice of gates and POOLE chose 1&3 in heat 1. BELLE VUE took gates 0 in heat 15
BELLE VUE 3 league point POOLE 1 league point
Rider of the Night: Peter Kildemand

Main Picture: EDDIE GARVEY

Others: TAYLOR LANNING