REACTION: PIRATES RESPOND TO FORD'S DEMANDS

"It is crucial we bounce back" was Dan Ford's rally cry ahead of the Poole 'Wessex Marine' Pirates BSN Series semi-final home leg against Workington Comets and to a number the response was emphatic.

Building a 28 point first leg lead the Pirates had no fewer than four riders going into their final rides unbeaten by an opponent, although only Zach Cook was able to preserve his maximum, collecting his one outright win in heat fourteen to go with his three paid wins achieved when riding with his brother Ben.
Celebrating his first maximum for Poole, Zach claimed "this was in contrast to last week. It was an up and down night but, no, I was making some good starts, I wasn't too good early on but no, a good night and solid team performance and real good to bounce back."
Zach literally had to 'bounce back' after hitting the deck in heat five when a collision between him and Comets' reserve Sam McGurk had them both sprawled out on the pit turn. Reflecting on that incident Zach admitted "it was a bit of a funny one that , but it is what it is. I got back up and got the paid win anyway so it doesn't really matter now."
The maximum aspirations for brother Ben went on the starting line in heat twelve, but the Pirates still managed to protect their lead as Tobias Thomsen stunned the Poole crowd with a super move on Troy Batchelor to share the heat.

Although costly for Ben himself, his efforts three heats earlier served to give Richard Lawson a key indicator as "the Rocketman", himself admitted "Having seen Ben take it tight on turn four in one heat I thought that was the line to try and it worked superbly for me in heat thirteen when I went under Craig Cook and thankfully Tom (Brennan) followed me through."

But it was Craig Cook's winning ride in heat fifteen that denied both Lawson and Brennan their bumps, although again, the Comets weren't able to chip away at the 28 point advantage Poole held, a margin that they will take to Cumbria a week on Saturday where they will seek to confirm their place in the final.

POOLE 59 - Tom Brennan 13+1 (3,3,3,2',2) ,Richard Lawson 13+1 (3,3,3,3,1') ,Zach Cook 9+3 (2',2',2',3) ,Tobias Thomsen 9+1 (2,1,1,3,2') ,Ben Cook 9 (3,3,3,R) ,Ben Trigger 3+1 (1',1,1,RS) ,Sam Hagon 3+1 (0,2',0,1) ,
WORKINGTON 31 - Paul Starke 7+1 (3,0,0,3,1',0) ,Jason Edwards 6+2 (1',1,2',2) ,Antti Vuolas 6 (0,2,2,2,0) ,Craig Cook 6 (2,N2,R,1,3) ,Troy Batchelor 4 (2,1,1,0) ,Drew Kemp 2 (1,XD,0,1) ,Sam McGurk 0 (0,0,RS,0,RS)
 

Full heat details and meeting report

Photo credit Tony Hartmann