Ford hails Pirates' double triumph as 'perfect' reaction

Promoter Danny Ford hailed his No1 Carpet Cleaning Poole Pirates charges for a perfect response to their Good Friday nightmare.

The Pirates went down 53-37 to Swindon in the Supporters’ Cup over Easter – a second successive Wimborne Road reverse after the Class of 2019’s narrow 46-44 loss to King’s Lynn in the second leg of the Premiership Shield earlier in April.

But after putting Championship side Somerset to the sword 56-34 at the Oaktree Arena on Wednesday, spoiling the Rebels’ 20th anniversary celebrations, Ford’s septet demolished Belle Vue 55-35 in the SGB Premiership last night.

Ford, who watched in-form Brady Kurtz notch 14 points and Dane Nicolai Klindt 10, said: “This was the response I wanted after what happened on Good Friday.

“We were all hugely disappointed with the way that meeting against Swindon panned out – both in terms of the track and our own performance. It simply wasn’t good enough.

“But the boys really did show up to prove a point at Somerset and they carried that on at home last night. It was an extremely ruthless and professional performance and I couldn’t be happier.”

Although Aces spearhead Max Fricke racked up 12 points on away shale, Kurtz stole the limelight from the newly-crowned Australian champion with an imperious display.

The Cowra racer was beaten just once on the night, his heat 11 defeat by Fricke the only blemish on an otherwise perfect scorecard.

Dane Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen, meanwhile, chipped in with paid 11 alongside compatriot Klindt’s contribution.

And those big scores, coupled with 8 from Richie Worrall and 7+2 from Jack Holder, were simply too much for the visitors from Manchester, who managed only two heat advantages on the night.

Full match report here