REACTION: PIRATES OPEN LEAGUE CAMPAIGN WITH IMPRESSIVE WIN OVER BEARS

A powerful first half performance by defending league champions, Poole, ensured they made a positive defence to their title, mauling the Redcar Bears by 54-36 at Wimborne Road.

A combined contribution of 18 points (paid 20) from reserves Will Cairns (11) and Cooper Rushen (7+2) was only overshadowed by the visiting number one, former Poole rider Nicolai Klindt who banked a personal six ride maximum, with a display of first-class trapping.

Cairns, who dropped just one point to a Bear, that being Klindt himself in heat eleven, suffered the agony of a blown motor on the wind down circuit after his heat fourteen victory.

The teenager explained,

"I blew my engine in the last one and so if there is anyone out there who wants to sponsor me, then sponsorship enquiries are very much open. Hopefully the points I  scored tonight might just cover it and I might just break even, but it's like everyone in the speedway community says, the motors go best just before they blow and it proved that tonight.  I didn't really change anything. I mean, I didn't do great last week and then tonight it's 11. I'm gutted though because I actually wanted a maximum. That is my goal for this season. I showed a bit of lack of experience in the race with Nicolai there but I gave him a run for his money. "

Another rider frustrated to have been beaten by Klindt was Richard Lawson who came out second best on each of the three occasions they met. The Poole number one said,

" I was a bit annoyed with myself. I don't like anyone getting a maximum round here. That's leaving a bit of taste in my mouth. Yeah, you have to swallow it, fair play, he was leading it straight up, so it's where it is and in the end we've got the win. There's not much else I can say. I was either spinning and not getting traction so  I'd adjust the bike and then I'd get too much grip. But I think I still got paid twelve tonight, so I can't grumble too much."

Poole recorded five maximum heat advantages in the first eight heats to establish a mid-point 32-16 lead. Redcar managed to hold their heads over the final seven heats, only being outpointed by two points (22-20) in that last sector,but it was Klindt doing the hard yards with four of his six-on-the-night victories coming in that spell.

The two sides meet again in the return fixture on Friday night, where Poole will be unchanged but the Bears will operate rider replacement for Jake Mulford 

Scorers:

POOLE 54  - Richard Lawson 11+1 (2,3,3,2,1') ,William Cairns 11 (3,3,2,3) ,Zach Cook 9+3 (3,2',1',1',2) ,Lewis Kerr 8 (3,0,2,3) ,Cooper Rushen 7+2 (2',2',3,F) ,Kyle Newman 5+2 (2',1,1',1) ,Fraser Bowes 3+2 (1',0,2',0)

REDCAR 36  - Nicolai Klindt 18 (3,3,3,3,3,3) ,Jake Allen 6 (1,1,2,2,0) ,Ace Pijper 3+1 (FD,1',TS,2,RS) ,Jason Edwards 3 (1,2,0,0) ,Jordan Jenkins 2+2 (0,0,1',1') ,Jake Mulford 2+1 (0,2',0,0) ,Jody Scott 2 (1,0,1,0)"

Full Heat details

Photo Credit: Liam Cockwell