PIRATES LOSE A MAN AND END UP POINTLESS IN TIGHT PERRY BARR AFFAIR

For only the second time this season the Pirates failed to pick up at least one league point on their travels when they went down fighting at Birmingham, losing 41-49. But, just as happened at Glasgow earlier in the season they lost a rider within the first heat, Stefan Nielsen crashing out and sustaining chest, rib and collarbone damage.

Already operating rider replacement for Ben Basso, who was helping his Danish side, Team Fjelsted secure a place in the Metal Speedway League play-off final, the Pirates found themselves well short on numbers with Danyon Hume undertaking a full seven ride programme and Poole unable to field a second representative in three of the heats. But such was the spirit of the remaining five riders they were still able to go into the final race of the night with the opportunity of earning a consolation league point.

As promoter Dan Ford said "once we lost Stefan we knew we faced a steep uphill battle but I was proud of the way the lads dug in and kept us in the match all the way through. In the end we couldn't quite get the reward I felt we deserved but right now our thoughts are with, and best wishes go to, Stefan. He was in a considerable amount of discomfort and we fear that he has sustained a punctured lung, broken ribs and a suspected collarbone break too. 
"It is really unfortunate for Stefan as he was really beginning to blossom this season, both with us and for Sheffield and he will be a massive loss to the team, I can assure you of that."

Poole skipper Danny King was unbeaten from his four programmed rides and he and Steve Worrall (11pts) were automatic choices for heat 15, from which the Pirates required a shared heat to salvage that point, the victory having escaped the visitors when Michele Castagna and Ashley Morris delivered a heat 14 maximum to extend the Brummies lead to six points. But in that final heat, the man that has broken Poole hearts before, Chris Harris, sprung from the traps with partner Erik Riss equally as quick and whilst King was able to work his passage by the German he couldn't land a blow on 'Bomber' to complete the Pirates disappointment.

Scorers:
BIRMINGHAM 49, C.Harris 9 (2,2,2,R,3), V.Grobauer 2+2 (1',1',0), J.Shanes 5+3 (1,2',1',1'), A.Morris 7+1 (0,3,2,2'), E.Riss 11 (2,3,3,2,1), M.Castagna 11+1 (3,1,2',2,3), J.Thomas 4 (1,0,3,R)
POOLE 41, R.Schlein 5 (3,0,1,1), S.Worrall 11 (3,2,3,3,0), B.Cook 6+1 (2',0,2,1,1), D.King 14 (3,3,3,3,2), S.Nielsen  0 (XD,NS,NS), D.Hume 5+1 (2,1,1,1',F,0,0)