LEICESTER 34 PIRATES 56

A maiden maximum from a different class Brady Kurtz ensured the Volvo Cars Poole Pirates brushed off the disappointment of their early KO cup exit by yielding the full quota of league points from their first ever SGB Premiership fixture.

Sharp gating and single-minded determination was Kurtz's means to an end and he had no respect for reputation as he brushed British champion Danny King aside in heat 7 as the Pirates began to take a stranglehold on this meeting.

Poole had seen Krzysztof Kasprzak in form more akin to his reputation as he powered to victory in heat 1 and then back to back 5-1 advantages gave the Pirates some breathing space, Klindt and Shanes doing their job in heat 2 and Kerr playing a valuable supporting role to Kurtz.
Leicester claimed the next three race winners but Poole lost no ground at all, although the result of heat 5 might have been a different issue had Gomolski not mistaken a camera in the crowd red light for a stop notification. Guest Rory Schlein mitigated the damage as he fought back well to pass Kasprzak but Poole still led by 8 points.

The Lions had to wait until heat 8 before they could boast their first heat advantage - and to be their only one - as Auty and Ayres were "A"-class from the tapes. Team manager Jim Lynch probably regretting the fact that he delayed the opportunity to go for double points.

Poole's response was instant even though it earned a warning to skipper Hans Andersen to remain still at the first attempt to get heat 9 underway. But second time of asking he did things perfectly and comprehensively say off Rory Schlein who was to be the sole finisher for the home side after Gomolski again had an early finish to his race, this time mechanical gremlins the cause.

After Kurtz had left Nilsson standing in heat 10 Klindt and Kasprzak gave Lynch a final chance to pull out the black and white and Gomolski was handed it. But Klindt, this time with Kerr, put the meeting beyond all reasonable doubt, the back to back 5-1 advantages extending Poole's lead to 16.

Poole finished the job off in serious fashion to bank the full four points to conclude a perfect start to their Premiership.

LEICESTER 34
K. Nilsson 2,3,2,3,1=11
J. Auty 1',0,3,1'=5+2
K. Gomolski 1,R,R,1=2
R. Schlein F,3,2,2=7
D. King 3,2,1,0,R=6
J. Graversen 1,0,0=1
D. Ayres Dq,0,2',0,0=2+1
Poole 56
K. Kasprzak 3,2,2',2,2'=11+2
J. Holder R,1',1=2+1
L. Kerr 2',1,0,2'=5+2
B. Kurtz 3,3,3,3=12
H. Andersen 2,2,3,1',3=11+1
N. Klindt 3,1',1,3,3=11+1
J. Shanes 2',1',0,1=4+2

Ht 1 K. Kasprzak K. Nilsson J. Auty J. Holder (Rtd) 3-3 (3-3) (61.75)
Ht 2 N. Klindt J. Shanes J. Graversen D. Ayres(D/Q) 1-5 (4-8) ()
Ht 3 B. Kurtz L. Kerr K. Gomolski R. Schlein (Fell) 1-5 (5-13) (62.25)
Ht 4 D. King H. Andersen J. Shanes D. Ayres 3-3 (8-16) (62.26)
Ht 5 R. Schlein K. Kasprzak J. Holder K. Gomolski (Rtd) 3-3 (11-19) (62.81)
Ht 6 K. Nilsson H. Andersen N. Klindt J. Auty 3-3 (14-22) (62.12)
Ht 7 B. Kurtz D. King L. Kerr J. Graversen 2-4 (16-26) (63)
Ht 8 J. Auty D. Ayres J. Holder J. Shanes 5-1 (21-27) (62.94)
Ht 9 H. Andersen R. Schlein N. Klindt K. Gomolski (Rtd) 2-4 (23-31) (62.94)
Ht 10 B. Kurtz K. Nilsson J. Auty L. Kerr 3-3 (26-34) (62.38)
Ht 11 N. Klindt K. Kasprzak D. King D. Ayres 1-5 (27-39) (63.18)
Ht 12 N. Klindt L. Kerr K. Gomolski (TR) D. Ayres 1-5 (28-44) (63.5)
Ht 13 K. Nilsson K. Kasprzak H. Andersen D. King 3-3 (31-47) (62.44)
Ht 14 B. Kurtz R. Schlein J. Shanes J. Graversen 2-4 (33-51) (62.94)
Ht 15 H. Andersen K. Kasprzak K. Nilsson D. King (Rtd) 1-5 (34-56) (62.69)

Referee Dave Watters
Gates: Leicester won toss and took 1&3. Poole took 1&3 in heat 15
Leicester 0 league points Poole 4 league points

Rider of the Night: Brady Kurtz