REACTION: ROWE RUES GATE ONE AS PIRATES GO DOWN BY TWO

Anders Rowe came close to completing a perfect night at the Coliseum, Plymouth going unbeaten in his four programmed rides, but missing out in the last heat decider, with Poole needing a 5-1 heat advantage to force a nip and tuck meeting into a superheat addition.

Lining up with Richard Lawson and in opposition to Joe Thompson and Nicolai Klindt, Rowe threw everything he had as he attempted to pass Thompson whilst Lawson led proceedings in heat fifteen and admitted afterwards, "I didn't make the best of starts because I got gate one and I really would have liked three but I got one and beggars can't be choosers. I tried to make it work and was prepared to line up a dive bomb up the inside going into bend three but he [Joe Thompson] had it covered too well and if I'd have done it then we both would have ended up in a pile and that would have been no good. So I just tried to stick in there and hope a chance would come. I ended up with third and that wasn't enough, unfortunately we didn't get it done, but we are still in with a good chance of getting through the group and that is where we want to be. It's important for us as it means more meetings, more time on the bikes and more money. I am glad I made the move back to Poole. It was the right decision at the right time and I'm enjoying it. I was a bit annoyed with myself on Wednesday at Poole. Even though I only dropped two points I felt I was a bit slow and so today we were trying a new engine and it worked pretty well"

Poole found themselves four points behind going into that heat fifteen after guest Zaine Kennedy and Thompson conspired for a surprise 5-1 over the ever-pressing Paul Starke and heat fourteen specialist Zach Cook, who recorded a last place for the first time for Poole this season.

Plymouth, lost the services of Ben Barker who had to withdraw on medical grounds suffering the pain of a dislocated shoulder, the consequence of a spectacular heat four second lap, first turn crash that saw him career over the air barrier and fall into the neutral zone, but they refused to allow that to affect their battling spirits and the Gladiators never allowed Poole to get a foothold in the meeting. Three times Poole fought back from being behind but the tenacious Thompson held firm to prevent a fourth comeback in that closing heat.
Poole could reflect on a huge slice of misfortune when Lewi Kerr shed a chain as he headed, with the advantage, into the first turn in heat nine. It was crucial as he had Paul Starke in support at the time and what might well have been a match-levelling 5-1 finished as a 3-3, leaving Rowe and Cook to do the squaring up in heat ten.

Despite the loss Poole still earned a point from the meeting, gaining the bonus point through their 102-78 aggregate victory. A win against Oxford on May 7th will be enough to see them qualify for the knockout stages (semi-final).

PLYMOUTH 46 ,Joe Thompson 14+1 (2,3,2,3,2',2) ,Zaine Kennedy 9 (3,1,0,2,3) ,Nicolai Klindt 8 (2,3,1,2,0) ,Alfie Bowtell 7+3 (1',2',3,0,1') ,Ben Trigger 7+2 (1,3,2',1') ,Mitchell Cluff 1+1 (0,0,1',RS) ,Ben Barker 0 (FD,0,NS,NS)
POOLE 44 ,Anders Rowe 13 (3,3,3,3,1) ,Richard Lawson 12+1 (3,2,1',3,3) ,Paul Starke 8 (2,1,1,3,RS,1) ,Zach Cook 5+2 (1,2',2',0) ,Tobias Thomsen 3+1 (0,1',0,2) ,Lewis Kerr 2 (2,0,R,0) ,Matt Marson 1+1 (0,1',RS,0,RS)

Full heat details