BELLE VUE 49 PIRATES 44

Poole Ready Power Pirates had to be content with a solitary league point from their first visit of the season to Belle Vue despite opening strongly and leading for much of the meeting.

But a crucial pass by Scott Nicholls in heat 7 to join tactical rider Matej Zagar began to turn things round for the home side as the resulting 8-1 reduced Poole's lead to just 3 points, a margin that they were unable to increase over the remaining heats,

Indeed it was the Aces who had the stronger finish, Zagar and Nicholls being split by Chris Holder in heat 13 edging them  into the lead by a solitary point. Poole manager Neil Middleditch pulled the struggling Gomolski out of heat 14 in favour of the adventurous Kyle Newman but the Pirate reserve had no answers to Josh Grajczonek and Craig Cook and with Dakota North struggling at the rear the Aces put themselves five points up to deny the Pirates a victory that they had looked to be cruising too over the first 6 heats.

Dave Watt had kicked things off perfectly with a tremendous win over Zagar and then the Pirates fired in back to back 5-1 advantages to silence the Aces faithful.

The home side's response though was a 5-1 from Grajczonek and Stefan Nielsen in heat 4 but although Max Fricke won heat 5 the Poole duo of Watt and Starke were too good for Worrall and Poole remained 6 points to the good. That margin went into double figures as Holder and Janowski claimed a rare heat 6 away maximum and the Aces response was to give the black and white helmet to Zagar and suddenly, with the 8-1 reward,  it was game on with the scores 21-24.

Watt and Starke preciously protected that slender three point lead despite Grajczonek's win but then Fricke and Worrall delivered a crucial 5-1 to give the Aces the lead for the first time (29-28)

Poole's reply was a Holder and Watt maximum score and then Zagar produced a great cut back to deny Janowski the win in heat 11 and with North at the back the one point difference between the two sides was back, this time in Poole's favour.

Holder and Nicholls had a superb race in heat 13 whilst Zagar was setting the pace, Holder getting the better of the ex-Pirate but the pendulum had swung back in the Aces favour at 41-40 just before that hammer blow in heat 14.

With a league point still up for grabs for the Pirates it was Zagar who appeared the most nervy, making a leap at the tapes in heat 15 but somehow avoiding a penalty as the race was called back with all four riders - Nicholls, Holder and Janowski alongside him.

Second time of asking Janowski and Grajczonek were exchanging positions when Holder fell on the second lap causing the race to be stopped and earning him a disqualification.

 So all the burden was on the captain's shoulder and on a track where in the past he has struggled to score, Janowski made a terrific gate and was far too strong even for the Kirkmanshulme Lane points machine Matej Zagar.

BELLE VUE 49

M. Zagar 2,6,3,3,2=16

M. Fricke 0,3,2',1=6+1

C. Cook 0,1,1,2'=4+1

J. Grajczonek 3,0,3,3,1'=10+1

S. Nicholls 1,2',FD,1=4+1

S. Worrall FD,0,3,1'=4+1

S. Nielsen 1,2',0,2=5+1

POOLE 44

C. Holder 1,2',3,2,FD=8+1

D. Watt 3,2,2,2'=9+1

D. North 3,1,0,R=4

K. Gomolski 0,0,F=0

M. Janowski 2',3,2,0,3=10+1

P. Starke 2',1',1',0=4+3

K. Newman 3,1,1,3,1=9

Ht 1 D. Watt M. Zagar C. Holder M. Fricke 2-4 (2-4) (58.6)

Ht 2 K. Newman P. Starke S. Nielsen S. Worrall (Fell d/q) 1-5 (3-9) (60.9)

Ht 3 D. North M. Janowski S. Nicholls C. Cook 1-5 (4-14) (59.7)

Ht 4 J. Grajczonek S. Nielsen K. Newman K. Gomolski 5-1 (9-15) (60.6)

Ht 5 M. Fricke D. Watt P. Starke S. Worrall 3-3 (12-18) (60.9)

Ht 6 M. Janowski C. Holder C. Cook J. Grajczonek 1-5 (13-23) (59.5)

Ht 7 M. Zagar (TR) S. Nicholls D. North K. Gomolski 8-1 (21-24) (59.4)

Ht 8 J. Grajczonek D. Watt P. Starke S. Nielsen 3-3 (24-27) (60.8)

Ht 9 S. Worrall M. Fricke K. Newman K. Gomolski (Fell) 5-1 (29-28) (61.3)

Ht 10 C. Holder D. Watt C. Cook S. Nicholls (Fell d/q) 1-5 (30-33) (61)

Ht 11 M. Zagar M. Janowski M. Fricke D. North 4-2 (34-35) (59.5)

Ht 12 K. Newman S. Nielsen S. Worrall P. Starke 3-3 (37-38) (61.3)

Ht 13 M. Zagar C. Holder S. Nicholls M. Janowski 4-2 (41-40) (59)

Ht 14 J. Grajczonek C. Cook K. Newman D. North (Rtd) 5-1 (46-41) (61.8)

Ht 15 M. Janowski M. Zagar J. Grajczonek C. Holder (Fell d/q) 3-3 (49-44) ()

Referee

Gates: Poole  won the toss and chose 1&3. Coventry take 1&3 in heat 15

BELLE VUE 3 league point POOLE 1 league point