Lakeside Hammers 43, Poole Pirates 46
by COLIN MUNFORD
ON a night of thrilling action the Hammers were just nudged out by a strong Poole performance in front of the Sky TV cameras on Monday.
Lakeside were up against it from the start and were always behind in the meeting.
Team manager Jon Cook admitted changes will be made to his side as he looks to cement the club’s play-off place after poor performances from Daniel Davidsson and Paul Hurry.
The duo only got one point between them and much more is required from the pair if Lakeside are to be in with a realistic chance opf the end of season title.
After a shared first heat, the hardworking Stuart Robson was excluded for bringing down Jason Doyle after passing him and Poole earned a heat maximum.
And the deficit increased in the following heat after Daniel Davidsson could only ride a last place despite his brother Jonas’ efforts.
In their next heat Jonas was able to find a way past young Aussie Darcy Ward to keep the Hammers only two points down at 19-17.
In a bizarre heat seven, with both Paul Hurry and the visitors’ Artur Mroczka were excluded in separate racing incidents leaving skipper Adam Shields and Bjarne Pedersen to fight it out with Shields getting the better of the Dane to reduce the deficit to just a point.
Then came a great heat for the Hammers as Stuart Robson produced the ride of the night to come from the back and pass both Doyle and Ward, passing the latter on the line.
The Pirates gated on a 5-1 in heat nine but Jonas Davidsson and Robson were able to pass Poole’s skipper Davey Watt but Leon Madsen was able to hold out for the win.
Lee Richardson failed to find a way a past Mroczka in the next, but were thankful for Kauko Nieminen’s heat win.
But in the next two heats were Hurry and Daniel Davidsson, and it was no surprise this lead to twp heat advantages in Poole’s favour leaving the Hammers five points back with only three heats left at 33-38.
But Richardson and Shields stepped up to the plate in a thrilling heat 13 as they held on despite Chris Holder’s best efforts and the lead was down to one again.
The Hammers needed something out of the penultimate but did not count on a superb ride from Jason Doyle who went right round the Hammers pair of Robson and Jonas Davidsson to hold on for a vital heat win.
Shields and Richardson tried to repeat their heat 13 heroics but Chris Holder and Darcy Ward between them were just too strong and held on for the heat advantage and leave the Hammers to reflect to what might have been.
Lakeside Hammers 43: Lee Richardson 8+2, Kauko Nieminen 8, Daniel Davidsson 0, Jonas Davidsson 8+1, Adam Shields 9+1, Paul Hurry 1, Stuart Robson 9+2.
Poole Pirates 46: Chris Holder 8+1, Darcy Ward 9, Bjarne Pedersen 10, Artur Mroczka 2+1, Davey Watt 3, Leon Madsen 7, Jason Doyle 7+2.