LAKESIDE 40 PIRATES 50

Poole claimed a vital four point league haul in their penultimate away league fixture of the regular season at Lakeside, as they strengthened their position at the top of the Elite league table on a night when Coventry were heavily beaten at home by Swindon.

The Pirates' match winner was undoubtedly reserve Kyle Newman. The local lad putting the perils of heavy M25 traffic behind him to score paid 17 from a full quota of 7 rides, eclipsling a determined performance from second string Kacper Gomolski who endured something of a nightmare on his previous Lakeside visit, but looked far more composed this time out and produced some vital team centric rides on his way to a paid 8 haul.

There was little to choose between the two sides for the first half of the meeting, nothing than more than a four point swing in the scores after the Hammers took an opening 4-2 before the Poole reserves, Ben Morley standing in more than ably for Paul Starke, replying with a maximum 5-1 in heat 2.
Poole saw several opportunities to build on their lead slip them by, having to go with just one rider after Morley was disqualified in heat 5 for falling and then Chris Holder packing up in heat 6 when heading towards a Poole 5-1 with skipper Maciej Janowski.

Neil Middleditch sensibly applied his options by drafting in the hungry Newman, who did a three on the trot stint between heats eight and ten inclusive playing his role in two shared heats and a lead-taking 4-2 (heat 9). He was then at the fore of a second reserve heat maximum which gave the visitors something of a cushion heading into the final three heats.

Drama ensued in the big heat 13 with Hammers' number one Andreas Jonsson riding into Pirate captain Janowski and sending him through the fence on the second lap. It signalled the end of a troubled night for the below par Pole, withdrawing with shoulder and chest injuries which could make him a doubtful starter for the Pirates' crucial home fixture against the in-form Swindon Robins on Monday.

Newman deputised in the re-run supporting Holder home for a valuable 5-1 which put ten points between the two sides and with Poole doing enough to share the final two heats they completed the four point haul and edge five points clear of Coventry.

Lakeside 40
A. Jonsson 3,3,2,Dq,3=11
M. Fricke 1,3,2,1'=7+1
E. Kennett 3,2,3,0=8
R. Lawson 2,1',3,3,0=9+1
K. Nilsson 1,0,0,1=2
K. Hughes 1,1,FD,0=2
L. Bowen 0,0,0,1=1
POOLE 50
C. Holder 2,R,2,3,2=9
D. North 0,2,1'=3+1
D. Watt 2,2,3,2,1'=10+1
K. Gomolski 3,1',1,1'=6+2
M. Janowski 0,3,0=3
B. Morley 2',FD,2'=4+2
K. Newman 3,1,2,3,1',3,2'=15+2

Ht 1 A. Jonsson C. Holder M. Fricke D. North 4-2 (4-2) (58.3)
Ht 2 K. Newman B. Morley K. Hughes L. Bowen 1-5 (5-7) (59.9)
Ht 3 E. Kennett D. Watt K. Nilsson M. Janowski 4-2 (9-9) (59)
Ht 4 K. Gomolski R. Lawson K. Newman L. Bowen 2-4 (11-13) (59.9)
Ht 5 M. Fricke D. North K. Hughes B. Morley (Fell d/q) 4-2 (15-15) (59.3)
Ht 6 M. Janowski E. Kennett R. Lawson C. Holder (Rtd) 3-3 (18-18) (59.5)
Ht 7 A. Jonsson D. Watt K. Gomolski K. Nilsson 3-3 (21-21) (58.4)
Ht 8 R. Lawson K. Newman D. North L. Bowen 3-3 (24-24) (60)
Ht 9 K. Newman M. Fricke K. Gomolski K. Hughes (Fell d/q) 2-4 (26-28) (60.2)
Ht 10 E. Kennett C. Holder K. Newman K. Nilsson 3-3 (29-31) (58.9)
Ht 11 D. Watt A. Jonsson M. Fricke M. Janowski 3-3 (32-34) (59.6)
Ht 12 K. Newman B. Morley L. Bowen K. Hughes 1-5 (33-39) (61.3)
Ht 13 C. Holder K. Newman K. Nilsson A. Jonsson(D/Q) 1-5 (34-44) (59.6)
Ht 14 R. Lawson D. Watt K. Gomolski E. Kennett 3-3 (37-47) (59.7)
Ht 15 A. Jonsson C. Holder D. Watt R. Lawson 3-3 (40-50) ()

Referee Ronnie Allan
Gates: Poole won the toss and took gates 1&3. Lakeside took 1&3 in heat 15 
Lakeside 0 league points POOLE 4 league points