Report: Poole Pirates 52 (93) v Plymouth Gladiators 38 (87) KO Cup Quarter Final

Poole secured their place in the MAXiCab Knockout cup semi-final, after being pushed to the sword by the Plynouth Gladiators.

Facing a first leg deficit of eight points, the Pirates needed to make a strong start as possible in this MAXiCab Knockout cup quarter final tie and Richard Lawson delivered in style, claiming his first heat one home win of the season and with Tobias Thomsen passing Alfie Bowtell for third place Poole had already trimmed a quarter of that defict. The random starts appeared to catch out Ben Trigger as he pulled back as the tapes remained down for longer than expected but his partner Mitchell Cluff was more patient and rewarded with a super start, leading home Paul Starke and Darryl Ritchings in the process. Anders Rowe was electric from gate four and once Lewi Kerr passed Lasse Fredriksen the heat three result was never in doubt and Poole had secured their first 5-1 of the evening.

No chance of a repeat though in heat four. Zach Cook reared at the pit gate turn whilst in third place. As his bike left his grasp the race was stopped and Darryl Ritchings became an instant hero when he nipped out the start in the rerun. His early lead was checked by Ben Barker but defiantly Ritchings held on for what was to prove, ultimately, a crucial two points. Nicolai Klindt secured a tapes to flag win in heat five to protect Plymouth's aggregate lead of four points (62-58). Heat six was simply sublime speedway! Both Lawson and Thomsen produced excellent moves to go by shock early leader Trigger and the heat was heading for a massive Poole 5-1, until Barker managed to get himself on the far outside line of the track and reel in the Pirates due, snatching victory off the final turn. (20-16 on night, 61-65 agg).

Joe Thompson, who had been a distant backmarker first time out, looked much sharper in heat seven and he continued to defy the attempts from Cook to pass, the heat finishing as a 3-3, Lasse Fredriksen suffering a fall when out of the points mix. Mitchell Cluff was a faller in heat eight, forcing a re-start without him and Thomsen, with partner Ritchings were on their way to maximum points, until the gremlins slowed Thomsen's machine. He had the foresight to keep battling for a point whilst Ritchings secured his first win for Poole. Cluff was on the deck again in heat nine, this time put there inadvertently by teammate Barker. No disqualifications this time, the incident happening at the entry to the first turn. In the restart Rowe and Kerr collected maximum points, Barker unable to repeat his earlier exploits. (32-22; 73-71 agg).

Lawson and Thomsen widened the margin in Poole's favour with a comfortable 5-1 in heat ten but the Gladiators had the perfect response in eleven through Klindt and Bowtell. Another fine win for Rowe (his third of the meeting) and a valuable third place from Ritchings inched Poole closer to the fifty target they needed. (42-30; agg 83-79)

That prize shone even brighter when Cook produced his best ride of the night and was joined on a 5-1 by Lawson, leaving Poole needing just three points from two heats. Only one of those was banked in heat fourteen as Trigger and Thompson gave the Gladiators the glimmer of a superheat, if a similar result were to follow in heat fifteen. But Rowe was determined to extinguish those hopes and he took a brave run by Klindt to finish his night with just one dropped point, although undoubtedly it was the paid eight from reserve Ritchings which was the real game changer.

POOLE 52
Richard Lawson 3,2,3,2',1=11+1 (5)
Tobias Thomsen 1,1',1,2'=5+2 (4)
Anders Rowe 3,1',3,3,3=13+1 (5)
Lewis Kerr 2',2,2',1=7+2 (4)
Zach Cook FD,2,1,3=6 (4)
Paul Starke 2,1',0,RS=3+1 (3)
Darryl Ritchings 1',2,3,1,0=7+1 (5)
.
PLYMOUTH 38
Nicolai Klindt 2,3,3,R,2=10 (5)
Alfie Bowtell 0,0,RS,2'=2+1 (3)
Lasse Fredriksen 1,F,0,2=3 (4)
Joe Thompson 0,3,1,2'=6+1 (4)
Ben Barker 3,3,1,1,0=8 (5)
Mitchell Cluff 3,1,RS,FD,0,0=4 (5)
Ben Trigger 0,RS,0,2,3=5 (4)
.
Ht 1: R.Lawson, N.Klindt, T.Thomsen, A.Bowtell 4-2 4-2 [60]
Ht 2: M.Cluff, P.Starke, D.Ritchings, B.Trigger 3-3 7-5 [62.1]
Ht 3: A.Rowe, L.Kerr, L.Fredriksen, J.Thompson 5-1 12-6 [60.61]
Ht 4: B.Barker, D.Ritchings, M.Cluff, Z.Cook [fell exc] 2-4 14-10 [61.86]
Ht 5: N.Klindt, L.Kerr, A.Rowe, A.Bowtell 3-3 17-13 [60.02]
Ht 6: B.Barker, R.Lawson, T.Thomsen, B.Trigger 3-3 20-16 [61.34]
Ht 7: J.Thompson, Z.Cook, P.Starke, L.Fredriksen [fell] 3-3 23-19 [61.82]
Ht 8: D.Ritchings, B.Trigger, T.Thomsen, M.Cluff [fell exc] 4-2 27-21 [62.23]
Ht 9: A.Rowe, L.Kerr, B.Barker, M.Cluff 5-1 32-22 [60.58]
Ht 10: R.Lawson, T.Thomsen, J.Thompson, L.Fredriksen 5-1 37-23 [61.44]
Ht 11: N.Klindt, A.Bowtell, Z.Cook, P.Starke 1-5 38-28 [61.87]
Ht 12: A.Rowe, L.Fredriksen, D.Ritchings, M.Cluff 4-2 42-30 [61.28]
Ht 13: Z.Cook, R.Lawson, B.Barker, N.Klindt [rtd] 5-1 47-31 [60.99]
Ht 14: B.Trigger, J.Thompson, L.Kerr, D.Ritchings 1-5 48-36 [62.68]
Ht 15: A.Rowe, N.Klindt, R.Lawson, B.Barker 4-2 52-38 [60.86]

SGB Referee Gary Allan
PLYMOUTH won toss and chose gates 1&3 | POOLE choose gates 1&3 in heat 15
Poole win 93-87 on aggregate

Photo credit: Tony Hartmann

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