Poole Pirates v Kent Kings

Maximum heat points from Steve Worrall and Stefan Nielsen in heat three broke the early deadlock after two shared heats had opened the meeting.

 Scott Nicholls had flown from the start in heat one and Ben Morley made it two Kent race winners in two heats as he withstood a late flourish from Ben Cook, but with that third heat breaktrhough the Pirates were never anything but meeting winners, despite the brilliant efforts of the ever youthful 43-year-old former Pirate Nicholls.

A Danny King gate and a good ride from Danyon Hume combined in heat four to accelerate the Pirates into an eight-point lead and it took Nicholls to arrest the charging Pirates in heat five, although he was given a helping hand when Nielsen momentarily lifted offering up room for the Kent captain to exploit. Nevertheless, the resulting 4-2 enabled Poole to build on that lead although they needed a bit of patience as Rory Schlein ensured no slippage but Zane Keleher was too far adfrit to provide any back-up as heat six was shared. An entertaining, vintage ride from Nicholls, up against his old adversary King set the visitors up for their solo heat advantage, as Cook couldn't pressurise Paul Starke for the minor places of the seventh heat.

A first bend collision between Keleher and Dan Gilkes forced a re-start to heat eight and both Hume and Keleher made the better starts to set Poole back on their way again, leading 30-18 with over half the meeting completed. That was followed by an accomplished 5-1 from the reliable partnership of Worrall and Nielsen, that being their seventh maximum heat advantage together of the season. Rory Schlein, in his first home meeting since signing for Poole made the running in heat 10 but he was separated from Keleher by a pass by Paul Starke to restrict Poole to a 4-2, extending their lead to 39-21.

Nicholls was on the money with a last lap capture of King in heat 11 to share the heat, but Poole edged further clear when Worrall made it four from four, his partner this time, Danyon Hume collecting a much deserved third place for his pass on Morley in the twelfth.  A similar heat score followed in heat 13 as Schlein again set the pace whilst behind him Nicholls and King put on a show with the Kent man conquering yet again. Nielsen partnered up with Cook for Poole's ninth heat advantage of the meeting, heat 14 effectively won because of their sharp starting. Nicholls, who had been a threat all night chose the final heat to show his true best as he hauled in both Schlein and Worrall . His win taking him onto 16 points, exactly half of Kent's total!

POOLE 58
R.Schlein 2,3,3,3,1'=12+1
Z.Keleher 1',0,2',1=4+2
S.Worrall 3,3,3,3,2=14
S.Nielsen 2',1,2',3=8+2
D.King 3,2,2,1=8
B.Cook 2,0,1',2'=5+2
D.Hume 1',2',3,1=7+2

KENT 32
S.Nicholls 3,2,3,3,2,3=16
P.Hurry 0,0,0
P.Starke 1,1,2,2,0=6
R.Replacement 
C.Heeps 0,2,R,0=2
B.Morley 3,0,1',1,0,0,1=6+1
D.Gilkes 0,1,1,0,0=2

Ht 1:  S.Nicholls,  R.Schlein,  Z.Keleher,  P.Hurry 3-3  3-3 |61.12]
Ht 2:  B.Morley,  B.Cook,  D.Hume,  D.Gilkes 3-3  6-6 [61.59]
Ht 3:  S.Worrall,  S.Nielsen,  P.Starke,  B.Morley 5-1  11-7 [60.84]
Ht 4:  D.King,  D.Hume,  D.Gilkes,  C.Heeps 5-1  16-8 [61.22]
Ht 5:  S.Worrall,  S.Nicholls,  S.Nielsen,  P.Hurry 4-2  20-10 [60.81]
Ht 6:  R.Schlein,  C.Heeps,  B.Morley,  Z.Keleher 3-3  23-13 [61]
Ht 7:  S.Nicholls,  D.King,  P.Starke,  B.Cook 2-4  25-17 [60.44]
Ht 8:  D.Hume,  Z.Keleher,  D.Gilkes,  P.Hurry 5-1 30-18 [60.65]
Ht 9:  S.Worrall,  S.Nielsen,  B.Morley,  C.Heeps  (Rtd) 5-1  35-19 [61.18]
Ht 10:  R.Schlein,  P.Starke,  Z.Keleher,  D.Gilkes 4-2  39-21 [60.56]
Ht 11:  S.Nicholls,  D.King,  B.Cook,  B.Morley 3-3  42-24 [60.87]
Ht 12:  S.Worrall,  P.Starke,  D.Hume,  B.Morley 4-2  46-26 [60.75]
Ht 13:  R.Schlein,  S.Nicholls,  D.King,  C.Heeps 4-2  50-28 [60.56]
Ht 14:  S.Nielsen,  B.Cook,  B.Morley,  D.Gilkes 5-1  55-29 [61.91]
Ht 15:  S.Nicholls,  S.Worrall,  R.Schlein,  P.Starke 3-3  58-32 [60.88]
Gates: KENT won toss and chose gates 1&3 | POOLE took gates 1&3 in heat 15
Referee D.Robinson