REACTION: PIRATES DIG IN AS 'DOOGIE' SHINES FOR SCORPIONS

Poole moved into second place in the SGB Championship table after extending their unbeaten run to four matches in all competitions, defeating a Scunthorpe side who were heavily reliant on the scoring prowess of their number one Ryan Douglas.
 

It came as no surprise that the Australian was going to be a tough nut to crack, as team manager Neil Middleditch admitted "we came into this must win meeting on the back of a good win at Plymouth last night, but I emphasised on the track walk, as I always do, that we can never under-estimate anybody . We knew Dougie was likely to be a thorn in our side and it proved to be but we got it over the rest of them.  We approached the meeting well, the lads knew what was expected of them and they were all pretty happy with the track. It did dry up very quick which made it just one real racing line and it got harder towards the end  But we are all pretty happy and delighted to be back to winning ways once again." 

Despite his fifteen-point haul from a full quota of seven rides, Douglas failed to score in the opening heat as he made a big error trying to squeeze in to an inside line as he looked to pass Drew Kemp, at the third turn of the third lap, with the Pirates on a 5-1. Douglas had to try and correct his line but caught Kemp and careered into the air fence. 

Speaking after the meeting, Kemp explained "I was happy that I found myself in second place Steve and ahead of Ryan. It was nice to be on a heat advantage as we had said before the meeting we couldn't remember the last time Poole began with a heat advantage. It was a shame though that he went down the way he did. There was a bit of contact and you can see that because I have got his tyre mark down the back of my legs. But it is what it is and we were just pleased to get off to a good start.
From that awarded heat Poole steadily built up their unassailable lead without allowing the Scorpions any heat advantage of their own. Skipper Danny King beat Douglas in heat nine and then again in heat 15 as he and Steve Worrall closed the meeting out with the Pirates' third maximum heat gain of the meeting to secure a 55-35 victory.

Poole hold a two point advantage over Glasgow, the team they displaced in the table, but the Tigers have two matches in hand. Should the Pirates complete their programme next month with a home win over Redcar then the Scottish side - assuming they too win their remaining home fixture (v Birmingham) - would need to collect at least two points from their two remaining away trips (Redcar and Plymouth). The only other side that could reach second place is Plymouth but they would need to go unbeaten in all of their remaining five meetings (three home and two away)

POOLE 55 ,Danny King 14 (3,2,3,3,3) ,Steve Worrall 12+1 (3,2,3,2,2') ,Richard Lawson 8+2 (3,3,1',1') ,Zach Cook 7+2 (2',1',1,3) ,Drew Kemp 7+2 (2',1',3,1) ,Ben Cook 5 (3,0,2,0) ,Nathan Ablitt 2 (1,0,0,1) 
SCUNTHORPE 35 ,Ryan Douglas 15 (FD,3,3,2,3,3,1) ,James Wright 5 (1,2,0,0,2,0) ,Simon Lambert 5 (1,2,0,2,0) ,Adam Roynon 4 (2,0,0,2) ,Zaine Kennedy 3+3 (0,1',1',1') ,Jason Edwards 3+1 (0,1',2,0)
 

Meeting report and heat details