Powerful Pirates topple Bears
REDCAR fell to their first league defeat of the season as Poole took a deserved 51-39 victory at Wimborne Road.
The Pirates were especially strong in the first half of the meeting as they fired a warning to the rest of the Cab Direct Championship with a strong team display securing victory. Richard Lawson top scored with 13+1 for Poole whilst Danny King hit an impressive 14 for Redcar.
The Pirates started the meeting in fine form as Tobias Thomsen and Lawson combined for a fairly comfortable 5-1 in the opening heat, with Charles Wright unable to recover from a tight opening second bend.
Poole then doubled their advantage with another maximum as Paul Starke and Darryl Ritchings led from tapes to flag to give the current league champions early breathing space on home shale.
Heat three saw superb action as Danny King used his Wimborne Road knowledge to great effect as he stormed past both Zach Cook and Lewi Kerr to take the win, but with the Bears guest Joe Thompson at the back, Redcar remained eight behind.
Heat four saw more superb action as Erik Riss gated for the lead, but with Anders Rowe hot on his tail, Riss never had breathing space, and on the final bend, Rowe swooped around the outside of Riss to take the win, and with Ritchings 3rd, Redcar were in trouble at 17-7.
After a shared heat five won by the Bears skipper Charles Wright, Poole stretched their advantage to 10 points in heat six, but not before some bike drama for Erik Riss. Riss was suffering with electrical problems with the Bears star eventually using Wright’s bike for the race.
Lawson took his tally to paid six from his two outings with the win, and with Thomsen third ahead of Redcar’s young guest Sonny Springer, the hosts were in command at Wimborne Road.
Heat seven saw Redcar hit back as King took another win, and with Thompson making amends for his opening ride with an impressive 2nd, the Bears were back within eight of the Pirates.
However, Poole regained their double digit advantage in heat eight as Thomsen passed Jake Mulford on bend two of the opening lap for the win, and with Ritchings 3rd, the Pirates were still in control.
Redcar boss Gavin Parr played his tactical card in heat nine as he sent King out to partner Riss, but the Pirates pairing of Kerr and Cook ripped up the form book to bank a huge 5-1 for the hosts to stretch their advantage to 14, leaving Redcar with a mountain to climb.
Heat 10 saw Lawson continue his winning run as he passed King on the opening bends for the three points, but with Thomsen at the back, Poole’s advantage remained at 14 points.
After a shared heat 11 won by Wright, Poole struck their 7th heat advantage in heat 12 as Kerr gated and won well, and with Ritchings holding off a determined Springer for 3rd, Poole had officially secured the two Cab Direct Championship league points.
Heat 13 saw Starke join Lawson at the tapes with ex-Bear Anders Rowe withdrawing from the closing stages of the meeting with a groin complaint. The race saw Lawson streak past both Bears on bend two of the opening lap for the win, but with Starke at the back, Poole could not record an 8th heat advantage.
Heat 14 saw Redcar take a deserved heat advantage as King won, and with Ace Pijper picking up a confidence boosting 3rd place, the travelling Redcar fans had something to cheer. The final heat saw King lower the colours of an extremely determined Lawson, and with Wright 3rd, Redcar ended proceedings with back to back heat advantages.
Poole Pirates : 51
1. Richard Lawson = 13+1
2. Tobias Thomsen = 7
3. Lewis Kerr = 10
4. Zach Cook = 6+3
5. Anders Rowe = 6
6. Paul Starke = 4+1
7. Darryl Ritchings = 5+1
Redcar Bears : 39
1. Charles Wright = 8+1
2. Jake Mulford = 2
3. Joe Thompson (G) = 5+2
4. Danny King = 14
5. Erik Riss = 8
6. Sonny Springer (G) = 0
7. Ace Pijper = 2