2014 ELITE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS - POOLE PIRATES

Poole Coastal Aluminium Pirates claimed their 6th league title since the championship was decided under a play-off scheme 13 years ago. The defending league title holders fended off Coventry Bees 53-37 to win 90-71 on aggregate and finally exorcise the memories of 2010 when the Midland side stole the title after finishing 22 points behind Poole at the end of the regular league campaign.

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Although the Bees quickly pulled back two points from their home defeat on Friday when they claimed a 4-2 in the opening heat to trail the tie by 1 point, that was the closest they came in threatening to wrestle the league crown from the Pirates. The mastermind of that heat one advantage was former Pirate Kyle Howarth who was by far the best Bee on display, finishing his night with three wins out of five rides.

Despite that adverse start, Poole's Polish due had worked hard to hit the front in heat 3 and had the race awarded to them as a 5-1 after it was prematurely stopped on the second lap when Chris Harris, the hero of 2010,  caused his partner, guest Max Fricke to fall. And when Janowski followed partner Troy Batchelor home in a great piece of shadow riding in heat 5 the Pirates really began to believe that the title was theirs for the taking.

A hard fought second place by Pawlicki to split the strong pairing of Chris Harris and Hans Andersen in heat 6 proved valuable for the Pirates and costly for the Bees who from that stage onwards were unable to claim another heat advantage. Poole really turned on the pressure and even when Pawlicki was disqualified for falling in a spectacular crash with partner Janowski, the re-run went their way as Janowski produced a storming ride to pull clear of Andersen into the first turn.

With another solid performance from Kyle Newman and an improving one as the night went on by Vaclav Milik the Pirates just proved far too strong for the Bees and it was a fitting ride by stand-in skipper Janowski to again charge by Andersen in heat 13 to finally seal the 2014 Holy Grail for the Pirates before finishing the Bees off in the second leg with two 5-1 heat advantages to close out the meeting.

A delighted Matt Ford admitted "I am so proud of these guys. Its been a really tough year but the lads have done what has become expected of them when they pull on a Poole race jacket. They have ridden their hearts out and to win back-to-back titles again is a great feeling. I was beginning to think we were jinxed in even number years having missed out in 2012 and 2010 but the lads did an professional job tonight and I can't praise them highly enough. Adding this league title to the world speedway league runners-up has made the last few days something of a dream."

POOLE 53 (90)
T. Batchelor 0,3,3,0=6
N. Morris 2,1,0,2=5
P. Pawlicki 2',2,2',FD,2'=8+3
V. Milik 2,0,3,3=8
M. Janowski 3,2',3,3,3=14+1
B. Compton 1',0,0=1+1
K. Newman 2,3,3,1',2'=11+2
COVENTRY 37 (71)
H. Andersen 1,1,2,2=6
K. Howarth 3,3,0,3,0=9
M. Fricke 1,0,1,1'=3+1
K. Hansen 1,0,1',0=2+1
C. Harris FD,3,2,1',1=7+1
J. Garritty FD,1,2,2,1=6
J. Sarjeant 3,1',0=4+1

Ht 1 K. Howarth N. Morris H. Andersen T. Batchelor 2-4 (2-4) (61.45)
Ht 2 J. Sarjeant K. Newman B. Compton J. Garritty (Fell d/q) 3-3 (5-7) (62.44)
Ht 3 M. Janowski P. Pawlicki M. Fricke C. Harris (Fell d/q) 5-1 (10-8) (AWD)
Ht 4 K. Howarth V. Milik J. Garritty B. Compton 2-4 (12-12) (62.63)
Ht 5 T. Batchelor M. Janowski K. Hansen M. Fricke 5-1 (17-13) (61.94)
Ht 6 C. Harris P. Pawlicki H. Andersen V. Milik 2-4 (19-17) (61.47)
Ht 7 K. Newman J. Garritty N. Morris K. Hansen 4-2 (23-19) (62.44)
Ht 8 V. Milik P. Pawlicki M. Fricke K. Howarth 5-1 (28-20) (61.66)
Ht 9 K. Newman J. Garritty J. Sarjeant B. Compton 3-3 (31-23) (62.47)
Ht 10 T. Batchelor C. Harris M. Fricke N. Morris 3-3 (34-26) (61.75)
Ht 11 M. Janowski H. Andersen K. Hansen P. Pawlicki (Fell d/q) 3-3 (37-29) (61.63)
Ht 12 K. Howarth N. Morris K. Newman J. Sarjeant 3-3 (40-32) (62.44)
Ht 13 M. Janowski H. Andersen C. Harris T. Batchelor 3-3 (43-35) (61.97)
Ht 14 V. Milik K. Newman J. Garritty K. Hansen 5-1 (48-36) (62.60)
Ht 15 M. Janowski P. Pawlicki C. Harris K. Howarth 5-1 (53-37) (62.8)

Referee Mick Bates
Gates: Poole won the toss and took 1&3 in heat 1.Coventry took 2&4 in heat 15