REACTION: PROFESSIONAL PIRATES PUNISH TIGERS

Poole Pirates performed a perfectly professional job on second-placed Glasgow Tigers to maintain the Pirates hopes of snatching a place in the league's top two, which would allow them to by-pass the play-off quarter finals.

Richard Lawson masterminded an impressive 51-39 victory for the Pirates, dropping just one point to an opponent, but it was the manner in which Ulrich Ostergaard that frustrated Lawson so much. "I just wish he would sit still at the start" claimed Lawson. "He is notorious for it. He did it to me at Glasgow and twice at King's Lynn. I get annoyed when I get beat but when it is like that, for me it is cheating."

Lawson was recalling the start procedure of heat seven, when, the Pirates having built up a six point lead after conceding a 5-1 in the opener, saw their lead trimmed back as Ostergaard flew out the traps, unsettling the other riders on the grid. It resulted in Lawson following him home and 2021 Pirate Ben Basso picking up his first point of the night at the expense of Ben Cook.

Although Poole hit back through Drew Kemp and two-on-the-trot Cook in heat eight, the Tigers bounced back into contention when tactical substitute Craig Cook paired up with Tom Brennan for the visitors second maximum heat score of the night. 

Poole's response came two heats later when Ben Cook and Lawson turned the tables on Craig Cook and Danyon Hume and for the third time in the meeting Poole held a six-point lead. This time, with heats running down, they were able to build on that advantage with a crucial Lawson/Steve Worrall 5-1 in heat thirteen coming either side of two shared heats. 

Going into the final heat the Tigers still had hopes of leaving with a consolation point but Lawson was having none of it and powered his way to his fourth unbeaten ride and although Craig Cook forged his way by Worrall it wasn't enough and that second place is remains very much up for grabs, with Poole needing two win both their two remaining home league matches and hope the Tigers remain pointless from their trips to Plymouth and Redcar.

POOLE 51  - Richard Lawson 13+1 (3,2,2',3,3) ,Danny King 10 (3,3,1,3) ,Steve Worrall 9+1 (0,3,3,2',1) ,Ben Cook 8+1 (3,0,1,3,1') ,Drew Kemp 6+1 (1,2',3,0) ,Zach Cook 3 (1,0,0,2) ,Nathan Ablitt 2 (1,1,RS,0) 

GLASGOW 39 - Craig Cook 9+3 (2',1',2',1,1,2) ,Ulrich Ostergaard 9 (2,3,2,2,0) ,Danyon Hume 7 (3,2,2,0) ,Ben Basso 5+1 (0,1,1',3) ,Tom Brennan 5 (2,0,3,0) ,Broc Nicol 4+1 (2,1,TS,1',0EH) ,Connor Bailey 0 (0,0,0,RS)
Full report and heat details