SWINDON 33 PIRATES 47

Poole opened their league title defence with maximum points against a Swindon side thwarted by injury. The Robins lost the services of the three riders during the course of the evening and the Bank Holiday Monday fixture was abandoned after 13 completed heats due to lack of emergency cover.

Providing the winners of the opening two heats things began to fall away for the Robins as first Nick Morris caused heat 3 to be called back when he fell.

Frustrating for the Swindon fans as skipper Troy Batchelor had shown a good turn of pace off the start but in the re-start he became caught up in Maciej Janowski's machine as both skippers headed for the first turn. Batchelor was thrown over his handlebars and was instantly withdrawn from the meeting complaining of pain in the ribs and suffering mild concussion.

The home side invoked the Immediate Rider Replacement facility and in the second re-run former Pirate Kyle Howarth, who had impressively won heat one,  deputised but a flat motor hampered his chances and Janowski and North steered the Pirates ahead 10-8. Gomolski gained the better of his compatriot Grzegorz Zengota in heat 4 and with Newman heading home Charles Wright the Pirates extended their advantage.

After stalking Howarth for three laps Grajczonek produced a telling pass in heat 5 to maintain that margin but the Robins hit back through Zengota and Morris over Pirate's top two Janowski and Holder to level the scores.

But Poole struck right back, North and Gomolski enjoying a 5-1 in heat 7 and Kyle Newman, replacing Paul Starke produced an excellent ride to overcome Zengota and hold the Pole at bay and put 8 points between the two sides.

Gomolski tried his best in the opening lap of heat 9 to make room for Newman to join him but Kyle Howarth had other designs and the Poole newboy had to kick on home when Howarth threatened for the lead. With Newman holding third place Poole moved 10 points clear thus enabling Swindon to try and claw some big points back under the sole tactical ride.
Nick Morris was the nominated ride but he had no answers to Holder's pace from the gate but together with Zengota the Robins pair were able to keep Grajczonek at bay and score a slender heat advantage of 5-3 as the scores moved on to 27-35 in favour of the visitors.

Poole restored that double figure advantage through Janowski and Newman finsihing either side of Miedzinski in heat 11 but then things rapidly got worse for the Robins.

In a real tussle for third turn supremacy on lap two of heat 12 Newman and Rose collided and took chasing Paul Starke with them as they hurtled heavily into the air fence. Whilst the Poole boys were able to walk away Rose required on-tack attention complaining of an ankle injury.

For the second time in the evening a County ambulance was called to ferry a rider to the Great Western General Hospital and after a lengthy delay the meeting resumed with Poole firing in another 5-1 in the three man re-start.

Swindon looked set for a 5-1 reply but leader Adrian Miedzinsk pirouetted out of control and crashed heavily, damaging his hand in the process. The race was awarded with Morris declared the winner and Holder and Janowski sharing the heat.

Miedzinksi became the third rider to require hospital attention and as that would have caused yet a further extensive delay the decision was made to call a halt to proceedings and declare the result after those 13 completed heats.

Swindon 33
A. Miedzinski 0,0,2,FD=2
K. Howarth 3,1,2,2,0=8
N. Morris FD,2',4,3=9+1
G. Zengota 2,3,1,1'=7+1
T. Batchelor =0
L. Rose 3,1',1,0,FD=5+1
C. Wright 1,0,0,1=2

POOLE 47
C. Holder 2,0,3,2=7
J. Grajczonek 1',3,3,0=7+1
D. North 2',3=5+1
K. Gomolski 3,2',3=8+1
M. Janowski 3,1,3,1'=8+1
P. Starke 0,0,2'=2+1
K. Newman 2,1,2',1,1,3=10+1

Ht 1 K. Howarth C. Holder J. Grajczonek A. Miedzinski 3-3 (3-3) (67.47)
Ht 2 L. Rose K. Newman C. Wright P. Starke 4-2 (7-5) (67.84)
Ht 3 M. Janowski D. North K. Howarth N. Morris (Fell d/q) 1-5 (8-10) (66.62)
Ht 4 K. Gomolski G. Zengota K. Newman C. Wright 2-4 (10-14) (68.3)
Ht 5 J. Grajczonek K. Howarth L. Rose P. Starke 3-3 (13-17) (67.96)
Ht 6 G. Zengota N. Morris M. Janowski C. Holder 5-1 (18-18) (67.27)
Ht 7 D. North K. Gomolski L. Rose A. Miedzinski 1-5 (19-23) (68.25)
Ht 8 J. Grajczonek K. Newman G. Zengota C. Wright 1-5 (20-28) (68.02)
Ht 9 K. Gomolski K. Howarth K. Newman L. Rose 2-4 (22-32) (68.93)
Ht 10 C. Holder N. Morris (TR) G. Zengota J. Grajczonek 5-3 (27-35) (67.58)
Ht 11 M. Janowski A. Miedzinski K. Newman K. Howarth 2-4 (29-39) (67.89)
Ht 12 K. Newman P. Starke C. Wright L. Rose (Fell d/q) 1-5 (30-44) (69.99)
Ht 13 N. Morris C. Holder M. Janowski A. Miedzinski (Fell d/q) 3-3 (33-47) (AWD)
Meeting abandoned due to lack of Medical cover - Result Stands
Referee Dave Robinson
Gates:Poole won the toss and took 1&3 in heat 1.
Swindon 0 league points - POOLE 4 league points