PIRATES FOUR SHORT FOR THIRD TIME THIS MONTH

For the third time this month and third successive away trip the Poole 'Wessex Marine' Pirates came up marginally short of victory. The mini-sequence of defeats by the same score of 43-47 continued at Armadale, a meeting in which Poole suffered a couple of early mishaps before pushing the Edinburgh Monarchs all they way.
 

Looking back at the meeting, skipper Zach Cook said,

"Unfortunately we let a fair bit slip at the start of the meeting and we just weren't making starts and I think they were vital tonight. Everyone seemed to take a little bit longer to get themselves sorted than we would have liked and Edinburgh took advantage of it. We had a couple of retirements early on and the gates were so crucial. Rich (Richard Lawson) and I both made good gates in heat fifteen but not in 13 when we really needed it. It would have been nice to have done it then but it would also have been better to have had a bit more comfort early on. But yeah, it is what it is. They are good round here but I believe that over two legs  we can be confident of beating them if we come up against them in the play-offs. Personally, I have got a bit of a less hectic time coming up now. A bit of a break from Poland and nothing now until Wednesday so there's a chance for me to catch up on some sleep and be fresh for Oxford."

One of the early retirees, Slater Lightcap, revealed that in heat two when leading the cap of the spark plug came off and cost him dearly. He had fellow reserve, guest Edward Kennett right behind him and had they held on for that 5-1 the scores would have been level. Slater, who had Dan Bewley in his support team, commented,

"I had an up and down meeting but overall it was good. I had a difficult time in heat two with that mechanical lead but apart from that it was good fun. I was able to use heat one as something of a practice session, trying to figure out which line to run and I learnt a lot about the track with that. I should be getting my Swedish engines over real soon and that will be better for me. I am grateful to Matt Ford for the loan of one the club's engines to get me going, but once mine are over here I will feel better."

Poole's bonus point moves them on to 23 points, with three matches remaining and they hold a three point lead at the top of the table with both Edinburgh and Glasgow - who came from behind to beat Redcar - in second and third respectively, whilst Scunthorpe occupy the fourth play-off spot on 18 points, four clear of Redcar and Berwick.

Scorers: 
EDINBURGH 47 -Dan Thompson 8+2 (2',1,1',3,1) ,Kye Thomson 8 (3,3,2,0,0) ,Justin Sedgmen 8 (3,2,0,3) ,Jonatan Grahn 8 (3,0,3,2) ,Michele Castagna 7+2 (2',1',1,3) ,Mitchell Cluff 6+2 (2,RS,2',0,2',0) ,Darryl Ritchings 2+1 (1',1,0,RS,RS)
POOLE 43 -Richard Lawson 13+2 (1,3,3,3,1',2') ,Zach Cook 12+1 (2,3,2',2,3) ,Edward Kennett 7 (3,R,1,1,2) ,Lewis Kerr 6 (1,2,3,0) ,Slater Lightcap 3+1 (0,R,2',0,TS,1) ,Cooper Rushen 2+2 (0,0,1',0,1')
 

Full Heat details and report

Photo Credit: Tony Hartmann