SOMERSET 51 PIRATES 39

The 'Volvo Cars' Poole Pirates couldn't extend their run of yielding league points from 13 straight SGB Premiership fixtures as they were defeated by Somerset at the Oaktree Arena on Monday (20th) night.

The 12 point deficit also saw the Pirates drop from top spot with the Rebels, spearheaded by a Jason Doyle five-ride maximum,  moving above them. The Pirates struggled to keep on level terms having first overcoming a string of Somerset 4-2's in the opening three heats. But a tenacious ride from Chris Harris against Jack Holder in heat four, which had referee Christina Turnbull reaching for the TV monitor to confirm the allocation of third place helped Poole close the gap and Kurtz and Grajczonek levelled the scores with a 5-1 in heat 5.

But that proved the extent of the Pirates true competitiveness as the home side responded perfectly through Doyle and Summers in heat 6 and Poole struggled to find race winners. Woryna did a fine job in heat 8 but had no support from Grajczonek who was frozen out by Wilson-Dean and a tactical ride for Brady Kurtz in heat 12 was trumped by Nico Covatti to put Poole facing a forlorn task.

When Doyle and Holder blasted in a heat 13 5-1 the Rebels win was assured and it was just a question as to whether the Pirates could halve the deficit to salvage a league point. Klindt played his part in heat 14 but the busy Woryna, taking his fourth successive ride, was caught by Wilson-Dean and that left the Pirates needing a maximum from heat 15.

Kurtz tried to anticipate the start in an attempt to get the drop on the unbeaten Doyle but it backfired and he was disqualified, for the second time of the night, for a tapes offence and the Rebels finished the Pirates off as the world champion completed his maximum

SOMERSET 51
J.Doyle 3,3,3,3,3=15
A.Summers 1,2',2,0=5+1
N.Covatti 1,0,2',3=6+1
R.Lawson 3,1,3,0=7
J.Holder 0,3,3,2',1=9+1
J.Allen 3,0,0=3
B.Wilson-Dean 1,2,1',0,2=6+1

POOLE 39
B.Kurtz 0,3,2,1=6
J.Grajczonek 2,2',0,2=6+1
R.Worrall 0,1',1'=2+2
N.Klindt 2,2,2,3,2=11
C.Harris 1,1,0=2
F.Jakobsen 2,0,1,0=3
K.Woryna 0,3,3,1',1',R,1=9+2

Ht 1:  J.Doyle,  J.Grajczonek,  A.Summers,  B.Kurtz 4-2  4-2 [57.25]
Ht 2:  J.Allen,  F.Jakobsen,  B.Wilson-Dean,  K.Woryna 4-2  8-4 [57.88]
Ht 3:  R.Lawson,  N.Klindt,  N.Covatti,  R.Worrall 4-2  12-6 [57.75]
Ht 4:  K.Woryna,  B.Wilson-Dean,  C.Harris,  J.Holder 2-4  14-10 [58]
Ht 5:  B.Kurtz,  J.Grajczonek,  R.Lawson,  N.Covatti 1-5  15-15 [57.18]
Ht 6:  J.Doyle,  A.Summers,  C.Harris,  F.Jakobsen 5-1  20-16 [57.97]
Ht 7:  J.Holder,  N.Klindt,  R.Worrall,  J.Allen 3-3  23-19 [58.38]
Ht 8:  K.Woryna,  A.Summers,  B.Wilson-Dean,  J.Grajczonek 3-3  26-22 [59.63]
Ht 9:  R.Lawson,  N.Covatti,  F.Jakobsen,  C.Harris 5-1  31-23 [58.98]
Ht 10:  J.Doyle,  N.Klindt,  R.Worrall,  A.Summers 3-3  34-26 [58.81]
Ht 11:  J.Holder,  J.Grajczonek,  K.Woryna,  J.Allen 3-3  37-29 [58.82]
Ht 12:  N.Covatti,  B.Kurtz  (TS),  K.Woryna (RS),  B.Wilson-Dean 3-3  40-32 [58.81]
Ht 13:  J.Doyle,  J.Holder,  B.Kurtz,  K.Woryna  (Rtd) 5-1  45-33 [58.59]
Ht 14:  N.Klindt,  B.Wilson-Dean,  K.Woryna,  R.Lawson 2-4  47-37 [59.19]
Ht 15:  J.Doyle,  N.Klindt,  J.Holder,  F.Jakobsen 4-2  51-39 [59.06]
League Points SOMERSET 3 POOLE 0
Referee Christina Turnbull
Gates: SOMERSET won toss and chose gates 1&3  8 took gates 1&3 in heat 15