Gladiators go close

The Poole Pirates progressed through to the MaxiCab KO Cup Semi-Final with a 52-38 Quarter Final, Second leg victory over the Plymouth Gladiators, to take the tie 93-87 on aggregate.

The Gladiators delivered a spirited performance, and were only four points down after heat 7 at Wimborne Road, but the Pirates increased the pressure with a 4-2 in the eighth, followed by two maximum heat advantages in heats 9 and 10.

Nicolai Klindt and Alfie Bowtell responded with a maximum 5-1 of their own in heat 11, before the Pirates extended their lead to 16 by heat 13.  Ben Trigger and Lasse Fredrikson teamed up for a 5-1 in the 14th, before the Pirates took a 4-2 victory in the nominated heat 15 to win by 6 points on aggregate

Nicolai Klindt top scored for the Gladiators with 10, backed by Ben Barker (8) and Joe Thompson (6+1)

Poole Pirates : 52 (93)

1. Richard Lawson – 3, 2, 3, 2′, 1 = 11+1

2. Tobias Thomsen – 1, 1′, 1, 2′ = 5+2

3. Anders Rowe – 3, 1′, 3, 3, 3 = 13+1

4. Lewis Kerr – 2′, 2, 2′, 1 = 7+2

5. Zach Cook – Fx, 2, 1, 3 = 6

6. Paul Starke – 2, 1′, 0 = 3+1

7. Darryl Ritchings – 1′, 2, 3, 1, 0 = 7+1

Plymouth Gladiators : 38 (87)

1. Nicolai Klindt – 2, 3, 3, R, 2 = 10

2. Alfie Bowtell – 0, 0, 2′ = 2+1

3. Lasse Fredriksen – 1, F, 0, 2 = 3

4. Joe Thompson – 0, 3, 1, 2′ = 6+1

5. Ben Barker – 3, 3, 1, 1, 0 = 8

6. Mitchell Cluff – 3, 1, Fx, 0, 0 = 4

7. Ben Trigger – 0, 0, 2, 3 = 5

Heat Results

Plymouth win toss and choose gates 1 & 3.

Heat 01: Lawson, Klindt, Thomsen, Bowtell 4-2 (4-2)

Heat 02: Cluff, Starke, Ritchings, Trigger 3-3 (7-5)

Heat 03: Rowe, Kerr, Fredriksen, Thompson 5-1 (12-6)

Heat 04: Barker, Ritchings, Cluff, Cook (Fx) 2-4 (14-10)

Heat 06: Barker, Lawson, Thomsen, Trigger 3-3 (20-16)

Heat 07: Thompson, Cook, Starke, Fredriksen (F) 3-3 (23-19)

Heat 08: Ritchings, Trigger, Thomsen, Cluff (Fx) 4-2 (27-21)

Heat 09: Rowe, Kerr, Barker, Cluff 5-1 (32-22)

Heat 10: Lawson, Thomsen, Thompson, Fredriksen 5-1 (37-23)

Heat 11: Klindt, Bowtell, Cook, Starke 1-5 (38-28)

Heat 12: Rowe, Fredriksen, Ritchings, Cluff 4-2 (42-30)

Heat 13: Cook, Lawson, Barker, Klindt (R) 5-1 (47-31)

Heat 14: Trigger, Thompson, Kerr, Ritchings 1-5 (48-36)

Heat 15: Rowe, Klindt, Lawson, Barker 4-2 (52-38)

Courtesy of Speedway Updates

Image Credit: UK Weather Chase.