REPORT: Poole Pirates v Birmingham Brummies

A Birmingham side with just one regular and the use of  rider replacement and five guests provided entertaining opposition in the SGB Championship Jubilee League Southern Group meeting, but the Pirates came through it protecting their unbeaten record in the competition and rattling up their highest score of the season.

A lap two pass by Poole guest Connor Coles (in for Nathan Ablitt who was on European U19 duty) secured a shared heat as Justin Sedgmen - that only declared Brummie - stormed ahead making the statement that the Brummies might be battered but were still ready to battle. Further signs of that came when Ben Cook had to force his way by Lee Complin at the first turn in heat two and Ben Morley held off Coles for yet another drawn heat. But the deadlock was broken when skipper Danny King quickly joined the faster gating Zach Cook, but even then Paul Starke came on very strong in the closing stages, further warning that the Pirates were going to have to work for this meeting. It was a second win for Sedgmen when he took the honours in heat four, pulling clear of Lawson who bravely charged the wide line but couldn't quite get round his Aussie rival and with Morley occupying third place, Birmingham achieved something they hadn't managed on home soil 48 hours earlier - a heat advantage!

First turn congestion in heat five say Paul Starke go down and undoubtedly there were a few hearts in mouths in the Birmingham camp as he lay stricken on the track. Thankfully though he only needed time to get his breath back and in the re-run he made an excellent move early on to split King from leader Zach Cook. Starke then went on the prowl and timed his final move to perfection, just catching Cook on the line. Steve Worrall picked up a meeting warning for moving at the start of heat six. Having been called back he and King were quick away second time around but Complin had other ideas, hit the wide line and whistled by Worrall where he remained. Heat seven brought a clever move by Ben Cook on Starke to allow him to join Lawson on a second 5-1 for Poole and doing two on the trot Cook was far from tired as he recorded a personal best 59.46 (as well as the fastest of the night) time around Wimborne Road, but again Birmingham shared the heat and with over half the heats raced Poole only held an eight point advantage.

King set up the chance for Poole to go into a double figure lead, using the outside early on to power by Sedgmen who in turn had the beating of Zach Cook in heat nine and then in the next heat Worrall and Zach Cook left too much room between them and Starke exploited the situation. Cook instantly hit back but Starke was determined to split the Pirates and responded again, with success. 

Poole began to turn on the style. No sooner had Lawson passed Sedgmen in heat eleven then Ben Cook followed suit for the 5-1. King had to work hard in the first turn of heat twelve , but once he sniffed the fresh air he was gone and it proved to be the only non-maximum heat of the final five as the Pirates finished with a hat-trick to achieve their season's highest total.
Heat details

POOLE 59
S.Worrall 2,1,3,2',3=11+1 (5)
R.Replacement
D.King 3,1',3,3,3=13+1 (5)
Z.Cook 2',2,1,1,2'=8+2 (5)
R.Lawson 2,3,3,3,2'=13+1 (5)
B.Cook 3,2',3,2',3=13+2 (5)
C.Coles 1',0,0,0,0=1+1 (5)
.
BIRMINGHAM 31
R.Replacement
D.Verge 0,0,RS,0,0=0 (4)
P.Starke 1,3,1,2,1',1=9+1 (6)
T.Woolley 0,0,0,RS,=0 (4)
J.Sedgmen 3,3,0,2,1,1,0=10 (6)
L.Complin 2,2,2,0,2,1=9 (6)
B.Morley 1',1,1',0=3+2 (4)
.
Ht 1:  J.Sedgmen, S.Worrall, C.Coles, D.Verge 3-3 3-3 [59.87]
Ht 2:  B.Cook, L.Complin, B.Morley, C.Coles 3-3 6-6 [60.56]
Ht 3:  D.King, Z.Cook, P.Starke, T.Woolley 5-1 11-7 [60.43]
Ht 4:  J.Sedgmen, R.Lawson, B.Morley, C.Coles 2-4 13-11 [60.53]
Ht 5:  P.Starke, Z.Cook, D.King, D.Verge 3-3 16-14 [61.07]
Ht 6:  D.King, L.Complin, S.Worrall, J.Sedgmen 4-2 20-16 [59.88]
Ht 7:  R.Lawson, B.Cook, P.Starke, T.Woolley 5-1 25-17 [60.5]
Ht 8:  B.Cook, L.Complin, B.Morley, C.Coles 3-3 28-20 [59.46]
Ht 9:  D.King, J.Sedgmen, Z.Cook, L.Complin 4-2 32-22 [60.18]
Ht 10:  S.Worrall, P.Starke, Z.Cook, T.Woolley 4-2 36-24 [60.59]
Ht 11:  R.Lawson, B.Cook, J.Sedgmen, D.Verge, R.Replacement [Tac Subbed] 5-1 41-25 [61.19]
Ht 12:  D.King, L.Complin, P.Starke, C.Coles 3-3 44-28 [60]
Ht 13:  R.Lawson, S.Worrall, J.Sedgmen, D.Verge 5-1 49-29 [60.88]
Ht 14:  B.Cook, Z.Cook, L.Complin, B.Morley 5-1 54-30 [61.4]
Ht 15:  S.Worrall, R.Lawson, P.Starke, J.Sedgmen 5-1 59-31 []
REFEREE: Wayne Jarvis 
BIRMINGHAM won toss and chose gates 1&3 | POOLE choose gates 1&3 in heat 15  
League Points: POOLE 3 BIRMINGHAM 0