BELLE VUE 59 PIRATES 31

Title-favourites Belle Vue showed their pedigree with a convincing 28-point victory over the struggling Pirates, restricting their visitors to just one race winner.

That honour went to Poole captain Hans Andersen who took the victory in heat 11 to upset British Champion Craig Cook's unbeaten evening, and whilst Cook revelled in heat 13 to pass Andersen when they next met, his move opening a channel for maximum man Kenneth Bjerre to ease into, Andersen again fended off  Cook to take second place behind Bjerre to prevent the Aces collecting a 7th maximum heat score.

Whilst not winning races the Pirates were keeping the Aces within their sights over the first part of the meeting James Shanes picking up two impressive second places as too did Edward Kennett.

Former Ace Richie Worrall had a disappointing return to Manchester on the night his twin brother Steve was attending the birth of his second daughter and for which Belle Vue ably covered for under the rider replacement facility.

Three maximum heat advantages between heats 8 and 10, were the downfall of the Pirates, the 10th heat particularly damaging as Jack Holder was on a double points ride and Bjerre had no charity in him as he blocked Holder's wide run around the first curve. With just four points from the final three heats the Pirates fell to their biggest defeat of the season.

The two sides meet again on Wednesday night at Wimborne Road when Poole will be looking to avoid a record-breaking fifth consecutive home league defeat.

BELLE VUE 59
K. Bjerre 3,3,3,3,3=15
R. Replacement =0
M. Fricke 3,3,3,3,3=15
R. Tungate 0,2',2',2',3=9+3
C. Cook 3,3,2,2',1=11+1
D. Bewley 1,3,0,2',1',2'=9+3
J. Smith 0,0,0,0=0
.
POOLE 31
H. Andersen 2,1,3,0,2=8
R. Worrall 0,0,1,R=1
J. Holder 1',1',1,2=5+2
E. Kennett 2,2,0,1=5
T. Lahti 1',2,1,1,0=5+1
P. Starke 1',1',0,1'=3+3
J. Shanes 2,2,0,0=4
 
Ht 1 K. Bjerre H. Andersen D. Bewley R. Worrall 4-2 (4-2) (62.28)
Ht 2 D. Bewley J. Shanes P. Starke J. Smith 3-3 (7-5) (61.23)
Ht 3 M. Fricke E. Kennett J. Holder R. Tungate 3-3 (10-8) (61.14)
Ht 4 C. Cook J. Shanes T. Lahti J. Smith 3-3 (13-11) (61.89)
Ht 5 M. Fricke R. Tungate H. Andersen R. Worrall 5-1 (18-12) (61.57)
Ht 6 K. Bjerre T. Lahti P. Starke D. Bewley 3-3 (21-15) (61.66)
Ht 7 C. Cook E. Kennett J. Holder J. Smith 3-3 (24-18) (62.65)
Ht 8 M. Fricke D. Bewley R. Worrall J. Shanes 5-1 (29-19) (62.25)
Ht 9 M. Fricke R. Tungate T. Lahti P. Starke 5-1 (34-20) (62.75)
Ht 10 K. Bjerre R. Tungate J. Holder (TR) E. Kennett 5-1 (39-21) ()
Ht 11 H. Andersen C. Cook D. Bewley R. Worrall (Rtd) 3-3 (42-24) (63.15)
Ht 12 M. Fricke J. Holder P. Starke J. Smith 3-3 (45-27) (62.59)
Ht 13 K. Bjerre C. Cook T. Lahti H. Andersen 5-1 (50-28) (63.33)
Ht 14 R. Tungate D. Bewley E. Kennett J. Shanes 5-1 (55-29) ()
Ht 15 K. Bjerre H. Andersen C. Cook T. Lahti 4-2 (59-31) (63.41)

Referee Stuart Wilson
Gates: POOLE won toss and chose gates 1&3 in heat 1. BELLE VUE took gates 2&4 in heat 15
BELLE VUE 3 league points POOLE 0 league points
Rider of the Night: Hans Andersen