LAKESIDE 42 PIRATES 48

Poole promoter Matt Ford admitted to having been left 'speechless' after his makeshift Poole side claimed yet another Elite league scalp with a 48-42 victory at Lakeside.

And whilst Ford was left for words his counterpart Jon Cook was far from being backward in coming forwards as he publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the Lakeside performance, brandishing it as "a disgraceful night for us".

The Pirates led from the very start of the meeting with their only two regular riders on show, Chris Holder and Adam Ellis pairing up for a 5-1 before star guest Paul Starke, back in the kevlars he proudly wore in 2015, won the first of what was to be four race wins and a paid win. For much of the race it looked as though Starke's regular fellow Friday team-mate Bradley Wilson-Dean (they both represent Somerset in the Premier League) was going to add to the Pirates tally but a fall cost him that chance.

Poole kept their noses in front despite Lewis Bridger becoming the first home race winner of the night with a win over Starke in heat four, before Wilson-Dean was able to open his account after Lewis Kerr was disqualified in heat 5 for losing control and forcing the New Zealander to lay his machine down. With Ellis winning the re-run Poole restored a four point lead that was stretched to six when Starke and Holder clocked another 4-2 in the sixth, with Bridger falling this time.

Lakeside edged closer to their visitors courtesy of a Jonsson/Nilsson maximum in heat 8 but Starke and Ellis gained a minor advantage in the eighth to rebuild their four point lead as the rain began to fall over Purfleet

Little had come from the Pirates other guests - Aaron Summers and Ricky Wells but the latter put an end to that statistic by taking victory in an awarded heat 9 after Starke had suffered an awkward fall from which he thankfully was able to walk away from unscathed but disqualified.

With conditions having worsened somewhat the track underwent some major surgery and TLC before racing resumed, Holder producing a scintillating ride as he looked to have lost control at the first turn. He recovered well and sped off into the distance. He was immediately out again and delivered another excellent ride to add to the frustrations of the home side who just could not find a way to break down the resilient Pirates.  Starke showed no ill-effects from his fall rushing to victory in the 12th, before Lakeside were to squeeze Poole again as Jonsson avenged for his earlier defeat by Holder. Poole's number one did remarkably well though having been slow off the tapes to drive through and split the home pairing, holding off Nilsson to limit the damage.

A 5-1 in heat 14  from Wells and Starke became the matchwinner before Holder picked up win number four from six to sign off the meeting.

Lakeside 42

A. Jonsson 1,3,2,3,2=11

R. Replacement =0

R. Lawson 1',2,2,2,0=7+1

L. Bridger 3,F,R,1',1=5+1

K. Nilsson 2,2',1',1,1'=7+3

L. Kerr 0,2,Dq,2,1',2=7+1

R. Mear 1',1,1'=3+2

B.Morley 2=2

POOLE 48

C. Holder 3,1,3,3,2,3=15

A. Ellis 2,3,3,1,R,0=9

A. Summers 0,0,0=0

R. Wells 0,1,3,R,3=7

R. Replacement =0

B. Wilson Dean F,1,0=1

P. Starke 3,2,3,3,FD,3,2'=16+1

Ht 1 C. Holder A. Ellis A. Jonsson L. Kerr 1-5 (1-5) (57.4)

Ht 2 P. Starke L. Kerr R. Mear B. Wilson Dean (Fell) 3-3 (4-8) (61.8)

Ht 3 A. Ellis K. Nilsson R. Lawson A. Summers 3-3 (7-11) (57.9)

Ht 4 L. Bridger P. Starke R. Mear R. Wells 4-2 (11-13) (58.8)

Ht 5 A. Ellis B.Morley B. Wilson Dean L. Kerr(D/Q) 2-4 (13-17) (59.3)

Ht 6 P. Starke R. Lawson C. Holder L. Bridger (Fell) 2-4 (15-21) (58.3)

Ht 7 A. Jonsson K. Nilsson R. Wells A. Summers 5-1 (20-22) (59.1)

Ht 8 P. Starke L. Kerr A. Ellis L. Bridger (Rtd) 2-4 (22-26) (59.0)

Ht 9 R. Wells R. Lawson L. Kerr P. Starke (Fell d/q) 3-3 (25-29) (AWD)

Ht 10 C. Holder R. Lawson K. Nilsson A. Ellis (Rtd) 3-3 (28-32) (59.4)

Ht 11 C. Holder A. Jonsson L. Bridger A. Summers 3-3 (31-35) (58.9)

Ht 12 P. Starke L. Kerr R. Mear B. Wilson Dean 3-3 (34-38) (60.4)

Ht 13 A. Jonsson C. Holder K. Nilsson R. Wells (Rtd) 4-2 (38-40) (58.3)

Ht 14 R. Wells P. Starke L. Bridger R. Lawson 1-5 (39-45) (59.3)

Ht 15 C. Holder A. Jonsson K. Nilsson A. Ellis 3-3 (42-48) (58.1)

Referee Christina Turnbull

Gates: Poole won the toss and took 1&3. Lakeside took 1&3 in heat 15

Lakeside 0 league points POOLE 3 league points