Jye and JJ shine in Dorset drubbing

Poole Pirates        60

R.E.D Bandits, powered by STS      30

There was to be no repeat of the KO Cup heroics as Berwick became the second team in as many weeks to concede 60 points at Wimborne Road.

With guest Drew Kemp confined to a solitary race win it was an uphill battle against the fast-starting Pirates and one that only skipper Jye Etheridge and Jordan Jenkins really threatened to halt.

Etheridge raised hopes as he forced his way past Sam Masters to win by some distance, Will Cairns passing Kemp to share the heat.

It set the tone for the evening – any glimmer of hope for the visitors immediately followed by disaster.

Jack Smith ploughed through the tapes and had to start heat two’s rerun 15 metres then back Reid Battye slid off on the third bend with Kyle Newman and Edward Kennett already off into the distance. Lewi Kerr and Cooper Rushen raced to an easy 5-1 before Nick Morris managed to find the line to split Cook and Newman.

Etheridge was again lightning from the gate in five and with Kemp coming around the outside to join him and then head off into the hot Poole night, Kerr and Rushen had no answer and the surprise 5-1 cut the deficit to six points.

Again Poole hit back immediately, Masters clamping Morris on the inside at the start of six and ending any hopes of him challenging the 5-1.

Cook would go on to score an immaculate five-ride maximum but probably his toughest race of the night was in seven as he was passed by Jenkins down the back straight and had to use all his track craft to get past the visiting number four as they crossed the line at the end of lap three. Unfortunately Kennett found it easier to pick of Palovaara at the back.

Poole continued to pile up the points, the first of three consecutive 5-1s, heat eight, seeing Etheridge beaten by a Pirate for the first time on the night. He and Battye performed a perfect pincer manoeuvre to pass either side of Newman down the back straight but the home reserve fought his way back to the front, the Bandits’ skipper sliding off as he tried to get back on terms..

Team manager Stewart Dickson threw Kemp into heat nine as a tactical substitute but could only look on in horror as, already adrift of Kerr and Rushen, Morris picked up drive and clattered into his team-mate who limped home well adrift.

Even Jenkins couldn’t stop another Masters/Cairns maximum before Etheridge slowed the rot in 11, pressing Cook hard but at the back Kemp, caught on the inside line at the start, couldn’t find a way past Kennett despite the guest reserve battling a dangling steel shoe which he eventually kicked off.

Record books were being dusted off before Palovaara surprisingly sprung from the tapes and led, largely untroubled, start to the flag, avoiding the dreaded “Audi” in the process but normal service was resumed in 13 as Morris worked hard for no reward behind Masters and Cook.

Jenkins showed his combative side in 14 when a fussy start marshal tried to move him – as he had done Battye earlier in the meeting – from an already formed rut inside the gate one start box, one made by Poole riders.

He made his point by executing a perfect start – initially joined by Battye before the Aussie overcooked it on the second bend and was relegated to the back for a shared heat, Jenkins taking the opportunity to personally thank the starter on his lap of honour.

Berwick’s big two on the night not surprisingly got the heat 15 call and Etheridge briefly threatened to spoil countryman Cook’s night as he led him briefly but then dropped back to ensure that there was no way past Jenkins for Cairns.

A not unfamiliar Dorset drubbing for the Bandits but they really must dig in at Redcar on Friday night to, at the very least, ensure that and aggregate bonus point is within reach otherwise it’s going to be another “almost but not quite” play-off story.

Pirates: Sam Masters 10+1, Will Cairns 8+4, Lewis Kerr 9, Cooper Rushen 5+3, Zach Cook 15, Edward Kennett 5+1, Kyle Newman 7+2

Bandits: Drew Kemp 3, Jye Etheridge 9+1, Victor Palovaara 3, Jordan Jenkins 8+1, Nick Morris 5, Jack Smith 1, Reid Battye 1

Poole pictures: Tony Hartman