A luckless Swindon were defeated by fourteen points on a night of action packed speedway at Poole's Wimborne Road stadium. The Robins stayed in contention for the majority of the meeting but were unable to halt the Pirates charge in the latter stages.
Leigh Adams top scored for the Robins with fifteen points and was the only Swindon rider to register a double points haul.
In front of the Sky Sports cameras the Robins were unable to replicate their impressive recent away performances as they crashed to a fourteen point defeat at the hands of a resurgent Poole side.
It was a meeting in which Swindon were struck with mechanical gremlins, falls and perhaps most uncharacteristically, a tapes touching offence for Leigh Adams. That misfortune, combined with a determined and tenacious Poole outfit proved too much for the Robins whose challenge began to falter in the latter stages.
The Pirates score chart was headed by the excellent Chris Holder whose season continues to go from strength to strength and also Polish thrill merchant Adam Skornicki whose flamboyant performance resulted in a bumper paid fourteen point haul.
Leigh Adams top scored for Swindon with a solid fifteen points whilst Seb Alden’s impressive form continued with a paid eight points.
The meeting began in characteristic fashion as Leigh Adams executed a magnificent cut back on bend two of lap one to dissect the Poole pairing of Kasprzak and Eriksson and subsequently eased to victory. James Wright was unable to stamp his authority on the race and had to settle for fourth spot which resulted in a heat one points share.
In form Swindon reserve Seb Alden made the most of a productive gate number three and eased to a tapes to flag victory in race two. The Swede showed good composure as he pulled away from the Pirates pairing of Skornicki and Watson who filled the minor placings to ensure a second successive 3-3.
Australian wonder kid Chris Holder repelled a spirited early challenge from Mads Korneliussen to collect an impressive win in heat four. The youngster demonstrated breathtaking speed as he pulled away from the Swindon duo who were able to comfortably fill the minor placings.
Controversy followed in a heat four that saw Troy Batchelor excluded for a first bend, second lap fall whilst tussling with Poole’s Adam Skornicki. Theo Pijper was the sole Swindon representative in the re-run and was unable to prevent the home side notching up a comfortable tapes to flag 5-1 heat advantage.
Leigh Adams was out paced into the first corner by Chris Holder in heat five but the Swindon captain exploited the narrowest of gaps on the back straight of lap one to take the lead. It was a phenomenal passing manoeuvre from Adams demonstrated his electric pace to pull away from the chasing pack.
The Pirates collected their second 5-1 of the evening in heat six courtesy of a tapes to flag victory from Kasprzak and Eriksson. Troy Batchelor conjured a decent start but found himself phased out in the early stages and unable to challenge the Poole pairing out front.
Davey Watt collected his second win of the night in a drawn heat seven before Swindon struck back sensationally in heat eight with an unlikely 5-1 from the youthful pairing of Seb Alden and James Wright, both of whom showed great composure to keep the Poole duo at bay. In particular Wright, who repelled intense pressure from Skornicki throughout to collect the 5-1 which propelled Swindon back into contention.
However, Poole countered the Swindon charge in heat nine as Holder and Skornicki collected a 5-1 of their own. The Pirates duo roared underneath the fast starting Troy Batchelor on the back straight of lap one and were untroubled from that point on.
The Robins conceded a 4-2 heat advantage in an entertaining heat ten that saw Krystof Kasprzak romp to victory in front of a hard charging Mads Korneliussen. At the back Freddie Eriksson nipped passed Travis McGowan in the dying stages to hand Poole a ten point lead.
Leigh Adams was nominated for a tactical ride in an action packed heat eleven. In an untidy start line scene, with all four riders moving, the Swindon captain was adjudged by meeting referee Tony Steele to have touched the tapes. Adams opted to start the re-run from fifteen metres and wasted no time charging past Craig Watson and joining team partner James Wright. The resultant 5-3 in the Robins favour cut the Poole lead to seven points before a points share ensued in heat twelve.
Heat thirteen brought more misery for Swindon as Troy Batchelor suffered an engine failiure on bend four, lap four whilst comfortably holding third position. It concluded a miserable night for the Queenslander who trudged across the Wimborne road centre green back to the pits.
Travis McGowan was out muscled by the lively Poole pairing of Eriksson and Skornicki in heat fourteen, both of who passed the Australian in the latter stages of the race. The resultant 5-1 in the Pirates favour handed the home side victory before Chris Holder rounded his evening off in style by defeating Leigh Adams in heat fifteen.
