REPORT: EDINBURGH v POOLE - BSN SEMI FINAL

The 'Wessex Marine' Pirates just fell short of a seventh successive victory, but left themselves in a strong position after a 44-46 defeat at Edinburgh in the BSN Series semi final.

EDINBURGH 46
Chris Harris 0,2,2',1=5+1 (4)
Jonatan Grahn 3,0,3,3=9 (4)
Justin Sedgmen 2,2,2,3,3=12 (5)
Michele Castagna 0,0,1',1=2+1 (4)
Kye Thomson 3,0,3,0,2'=8+1 (5)
Mitchell Cluff 2,2,1,0,3=8 (5)
Jordy Loftus 1',1,0,RS=2+1 (3)

POOLE 44
Richard Lawson 1',3,2,3,0=9+1 (5)
Tate Zischke 2,1,1',0=4+1 (4)
Lewis Kerr 3,3,FD,2=8 (4)
Kyle Newman 1,1,1,2=5 (4)
Zach Cook 2,3,3,2',1=11+1 (5)
William Cairns 3,1,0,1'=5+1 (4)
Cooper Rushen 0,FD,2,0=2 (4)

Ht 1:  J.Grahn, T.Zischke, R.Lawson, C.Harris 3-3 3-3 [56.44]
Ht 2:  W.Cairns, M.Cluff, J.Loftus, C.Rushen 3-3 6-6 [56.59]
Ht 3:  L.Kerr, J.Sedgmen, K.Newman, M.Castagna 2-4 8-10 [56.34]
Ht 4:  K.Thomson, Z.Cook, J.Loftus, C.Rushen [fell exc] 4-2 12-12 [56.1]
Ht 5:  R.Lawson, J.Sedgmen, T.Zischke, M.Castagna 2-4 14-16 [56.85]
Ht 6:  Z.Cook, C.Harris, W.Cairns, J.Grahn 2-4 16-20 [57.01]
Ht 7:  L.Kerr, M.Cluff, K.Newman, K.Thomson 2-4 18-24 [57.32]
Ht 8:  J.Grahn, C.Rushen, T.Zischke, J.Loftus 3-3 21-27 [57.62]
Ht 9:  Z.Cook, J.Sedgmen, M.Castagna, W.Cairns 3-3 24-30 [58.15]
Ht 10:  J.Grahn, C.Harris, K.Newman, L.Kerr [fell exc] 5-1 29-31 [57.61]
Ht 11:  K.Thomson, R.Lawson, M.Cluff, T.Zischke 4-2 33-33 [57.66]
Ht 12:  J.Sedgmen, L.Kerr, W.Cairns, M.Cluff 3-3 36-36 [58.95]
Ht 13:  R.Lawson, Z.Cook, C.Harris, K.Thomson 1-5 37-41 [58.12]
Ht 14:  M.Cluff, K.Newman, M.Castagna, C.Rushen 4-2 41-43 [59.24]
Ht 15:  J.Sedgmen, K.Thomson, Z.Cook, R.Lawson 5-1 46-44 [58.77]

SGB Referee Mr Willie Dishington 

Jonatan Grahn might have been enjoying the open view ahead of him as he gated sharply in heat one, but the action was unfolding behind him. Richard Lawson drifted fractionally wide as he fought turn two, and that rapidly relegated him to last place heading down the back straight. Poole’s guest Tate Zischke made a good move on Edinburgh’s guest Chris Harris to slot into second place, and as the third lap reached its conclusion Lawson passed Harris to ensure a shared heat.

Will Cairns went from third to first off the second turn in heat two, but Cooper Rushen was unable to make any ground from the back. Poole’s early breakthrough came in heat three when Kyle Newman was rewarded for his determination to get by Paco Castagna off the final turn of the opening lap, supporting Lewi Kerr’s headway from the start. Newman then made the Pirates sweat a little as he lifted on the second lap—virtually at the same place he had made that all‑important pass—but he wrestled with his machine and had things under control by the time he started a more comfortable second half to the heat.

Rushen earned himself an exclusion as he collided with Jordy Loftus out of the first turn, and with Kye Thomson making good early pace in the re‑run, Poole were grateful that Zach Cook made his move early on Loftus as the meeting scores levelled. Lawson then delivered some superb moves to round Justin Sedgmen in heat five, with Zischke backing up with an unchallenged third place to restore Poole’s advantage. (14–16)

The winner from heat one, Grahn, was quickly seen off as the meeting moved into its second phase. Cairns recovered from a slightly sluggish start, and with Cook too good for Harris, the lead was doubled for the Pirates. More intense effort came from Newman in his second ride as he battled furiously to try to get by Mitchell Cluff, a move that—had it come off—would have converted Kerr’s second win of the night into a 5–1. But Cluff proved too stubborn, helped somewhat by Newman having to be mindful of Thomson challenging just ahead. It was a close‑run thing in the end, with the Pirates settling for a third straight 4–2.

Grahn returned to winning ways in heat eight, the race in which Rushen opened his account. Although Zischke was not looking too convincing back in third, he was unchallenged, allowing Poole to protect their six‑point advantage. Cook was firm in the opening exchanges of heat nine and resisted the efforts of Sedgmen and Castagna, the heat concluding in another share of the spoils as Cairns was left playing catch‑up.

A turning point came in heat ten as Kerr spun out on the second lap at the pits bend. Harris reacted swiftly but was still unable to avoid hitting the deck himself. With Kerr disqualified, it left a lot on Newman’s shoulders and, despite his characteristic enthusiasm, he unfortunately lost out in an intense battle with Harris. The first 5–1 of the evening went in Edinburgh’s favour. (29–31)

In heat eleven Cluff went down at the first turn, with an all‑four‑back decision quickly ruled. Thomson got away from Lawson, and the shaken Cluff was happy with third place as Zischke failed to mount a challenge, the result squaring the meeting again. Other than a reserve change in heat twelve, nothing altered the status of the meeting as Sedgmen gated from Kerr and Cairns, and that’s how they finished.

Poole re‑established their lead courtesy of last year’s league run‑off pairing Lawson and Cook, coincidentally with Harris beaten in third. Newman made some great exits from turn four on each of the five laps that heat fourteen ran for, but he couldn’t deny Cluff the win. His second place, however, kept Poole marginally ahead going into the last heat of the first leg.

The damage was done with Edinburgh having gate choices, and Sedgmen and Thomson capitalised on the advantage of gates two and four. Cook managed to get between them, but on the second lap Thomson—sticking to the cause—was able to get by Cook, not only snatching a 5–1 but also protecting Edinburgh’s unbeaten home record this season while giving them a two‑point advantage to defend at Wimborne Road on June 10th.

Meeting Reaction