REACTION: PIRATES GO TOP AS LEAGUE RUN-IN HOTS UP

Poole 'Wessex Marine' Pirates moved back to the top of the table after picking up all three league points from their league hosting of the Glasgow Tigers. 
 

Registering a 53-37 victory in a meeting that had plenty of incident, if not jeopardy, the Pirates extended their unbeaten run to six consecutive matches and had skipper Steve Worrall praising the team "It's a nice feeling to be back on top and now we want to stay that. We have put a  lot of pressure on ourselves to get where we are and we just have to keep going over the next couple of meetings. Once the play-offs start it is a clean slate all round and all what has happened before is forgotten and that is when it all gets interesting. From a personal perspective I didn't have a bad night. I knew I needed to make a good start in heat fifteen even though I was off gate four and its never easy from there and when you are up against such good gaters you just have to find something special, But then poor Ben [Cook] got sucked in by a bit of movement on the line and that meant he had to move to the outside and so I was on two. I got out and salvaged the three-all from it."

Poole wasted little time in taking control of the meeting, picking up heat advantages in the first six races and providing the first nine race winners. There was controversy in heat two when Lee Complin arrived at the tapes donning the yellow helmet cover he had used in the opening race when nominated as the rider replacement, and with no time left on the clock he was disqualified. Being the reserves race there was no option other than a handicap start in the re-run. He was out again covering that vacancy left by the unavailable Marcin Nowak, who had been recalled to Poland, in heat five and so was offered up a reprise in heat six. But his fellow reserve, Ace Pijper fell at the first turn, adjudged to have been an unsatisfactory start with all four riders eligible. Sadly for Pijper, an arm and wrist injury prevented him from taking any further part in the meeting and so Complin had to take the ride after all. Complin was, once more,  the focal point when, in heat eight, he was again late on track and was set to go off the back mark for a second time. But it was apparent that the timer in the pits had malfunctioned and so was allowed to start off the line. He was maxed out on rides by heat twelve, but had failed to trouble the scorers in any of his seven. 
Claus Vissing didn't win too many fans after a post-race consultation with the Poole starting official in his opening ride, but for the Pirates it was a positive night's work with good scores throughout the team. 

With just two regular league matches remaining they can achieve a maximum of 35 points, with wins at Edinburgh on Friday and back at Wimborne Road next Wednesday against Birmingham. Oxford have three matches to fulfill and could achieve a total of 36 points with three victories whilst Glasgow also have three matches left and so, like Poole, could hit 35. Included in the outstanding matches however is a crucial fixture on September 8th when the Tigers entertain Oxford.

Remaining fixtures for top three sides

• Poole - Friday 25th August - Edinburgh (Away - plus 28); Wednesday 30th August - Birmingham (Home - plus 18)
• Oxford: Friday 25th August - Plymouth (Home - plus 5); Tuesday 5th September - Scunthorpe (Home - Nil difference); Friday 8th September - Glasgow (Away - plus 14)
• Glasgow: Friday 25th August - Scunthorpe (Away - plus 10); Friday 8th September - Oxford (Home - minus 14); Sunday 10th September - Redcar (Away - plus 12)
• Scorers:

POOLE 53 ,Steve Worrall 13 (3,3,3,1,3) ,Ben Cook 11 (3,3,3,2,0EH) ,Richard Lawson 8 (3,3,2,R) ,Zach Cook 6+1 (2',1,1,2) ,Joe Thompson 5+2 (2',1,1,1') ,Anders Rowe 5+1 (3,0,1,1') ,Kyle Newman 5 (1,1,3,R)
GLASGOW 37 ,Chris Harris 12+2 (2,2,2,2',3,1') ,Tom Brennan 9+1 (0,1',3,3,2) ,Richie Worrall 9 (2,2,2,3) ,Claus Vissing 6 (1,2,2,1,0,0) ,Ace Pijper 1 (1,0,FN,NS,TS) ,Lee Complin 0 (R,0EH,0,0,0,0,0)