REACTION: PIRATES BACK ON TOP AFTER STUNNING WIN IN SCOTLAND

Regular team manager Neil Middleditch has always proclaimed that "reserves win matches" and in Edinburgh on Wednesday night his 'northern' deputy Gary Havelock reaped the benefits of two in-form reserves, with Kyle Newman storming to a four ride paid maximum and newest Pirate recruit Joe Thompson weighing in with paid nine for his quartet of rides.

With plenty of points coming from the reserves and top two heat leaders Richard Lawson (13+1) and Steve Worrall (11) the Pirates were too strong for the Monarchs. For once it wasn't the Cook brothers doing all the engine room work for the Pirates who moved back to the top of the table and their final destiny now hinges on the outcome of the Glasgow v Oxford fixture on Friday night. A win for the home side would see Poole finish in top spot whilst a win for the Cheetahs would see them leap frog back over the Pirates. 
Havelock, who has now achieved a fifty per cent win success rate when managing the Pirates, which given that those matches are away from home is an admirable record, admitted after the Pirates' 55-35 triumph "it  was an important win and a difficult win too. We had it in the bag last time we were here, heading for a 26-10 lead and I looked down at the programme after just five heats and we were only two up this time, but the boys smashed it with three five-ones in four heats and that done it. What a fabulous team. You look right through the team and what, we had just four last places all night and apart from Zach's crash (heat fourteen) it was a perfect night really."
On achieving his paid maximum, Kyle Newman said "I felt like I had good speed in my first one and Joe was going brilliantly so I was just happy to sit behind him and get the 5-1. After that I just couldn't make a start and I knew I had loads of speed on track but just couldn't make those starts so it probably made it entertaining for the public but hard work for me. I would rather have had easier rides but to come away with a paid maximum away from home that is mega. I had another four bonus points tonight but I don’t think we will have enough matches for me to break the record of bonus points in a season, so I can only dream about it realistically. But more importantly it was another solid away win for the boys on top of the table and now the pressure is back on Oxford and we have to hope that Glasgow get a result, which is a bit of a strange thing really given the rivalry that has developed between the two sides in recent years , but we will be cheering them on and hope they get the win but if not, it is what it is and we will try and take anybody on. We'll go anywhere and believe in ourselves but obviously the shorter distances would be better. That said it will be a far more enjoyable eight hours home tonight after this result."

Edinburgh 35 ,Josh Pickering 17 (3,2,3,3,2,2,2) ,Michele Castagna 7+2 (2',1',0,1,3,0) ,Kye Thomson 7 (3,2,0,1,1) ,Jacob Hook 3 (1,0,1,F,0,1) ,Lasse Fredriksen 1 (0,1,0,TS) ,Mason Watson 0 (0,0,F,RS) 
POOLE 55 ,Richard Lawson 13+1 (1',3,3,3,3) ,Steve Worrall 11 (3,3,3,1,1) ,Kyle Newman 8+4 (2',2',2',2') ,Joe Thompson 8+1 (3,1,2',2) ,Ben Cook 7+1 (1,1',2,3) ,Anders Rowe 6 (2,0,3,1) ,Zach Cook 2 (0,2,0,FD)
Photo Credit Jack Cupido