Powerful Pirates too strong for Redcar
Poole inflicted Redcar’s first home defeat of the season as they charged to a 40-50 win on Teesside. Drew Kemp reminded the Redcar faithful of his likeness for the Ecco Arena circuit with 10+2 whilst Charles Wright battled to 13 for the hosts.
The Pirates started the meeting as they meant to go on with Danny King making an electric start to take the win from Wright in second and with Zach Cook in third Poole took a lead they never relinquished.
Kemp took his first win of an impressive evening in heat 2 as the Bears reserves settled for second and third. Poole then stamped their authority on proceedings with a damaging heat three 5-1 as the new pairing of Kasper Andersen and Erik Riss were left trailing at the back with Kemp winning yet again.
Remarkably 6 shared heats followed with a Redcar rider finally taking the chequered flag for the first time in heat 5 as Erik Riss took a tapes to flag win.
Jade Mudgway used his tactical substitute in heat 6 in the shape of Riss but the German and Wright could not get the better of the former Bears number 1 Richard Lawson which kept the Pirates 6 ahead.
Ultimately, heat winners were proving hard to come by for the hosts and Redcar took until heat 10 to register their second heat win, and their first heat advantage of the evening. Wright won from the gate and Adam Roynon rode the white line to hold off Steve Worrall to give the home faithful some hope.
Heat 11 was won by Lewis Kerr as he held off a hard charging Danny King but with Jordan Jenkins at the rear the Bears could not make any further inroads as they remained 4 behind.
Worrall bounced back from his heat 10 4th place to take the win and with Kemp passing Riss to secure second the Bears were 8 behind. A glimmer of hope came in heat 13 as Wright won and with Kerr in third the Bears remained in the meeting.
The glimmer of hope was quickly crushed in heat 14 as Ben Cook took an impressive win and with Kerr smartly holding off a determined Kasper Andersen the Pirates ended Redcar’s undefeated home run.
Although the Bears had lost the meeting Charles Wright provided one of the moves of the season with a fence scraping outside move at the climax of lap 1 to take a superb win whilst King and Lawson packed the minor placings to ensure the Pirates returned to Wimborne Road with all 4 league points.
Redcar boss Jade Mudgway was understandably disappointed with the result, “We knew it was going to be a tough meeting, Poole were the better side and they deserved the victory, it was as simple as that.”
The Kiwi knows his side must eradicate recent slow starts, “Maybe Poole smelt blood after our last home fixture against Oxford who took an early lead. Starting slowly is something we must clamp down on and that’s where we lost the match.”
Mudgway spoke candidly about the side, “I need to look at myself to see if I can help the side in any way to improve at the start of matches. We are a better side than what we produced tonight but we need to show that out on track.”
Redcar Bears = 40
1. Charles Wright = 13
2. Adam Roynon = 2+1
3. Erik Riss = 6+2
4. Kasper Andersen = 4
5. Lewis Kerr = 8
6. Jordan Jenkins = 2+2
7. Jason Edwards = 5+1
Poole Pirates = 50
1. Danny King = 10+1
2. Zach Cook = 7+1
3. Steve Worrall = 8+1
4. Ben Cook = 5
5. Richard Lawson = 10+1
6. Drew Kemp = 10+2
7. Nathan Ablitt = 0