Pirates take KO Cup first leg

The Gladiators suffered a frustrating defeat on Tuesday night losing by 6 points to the Holders the Poole Pirates.

Things had looked very promising for the Westcolour Gladiators to cause a major shock when they led by 6 points after 7 races.

However a surprise 5-1 to the Visitors over the previous home race winners Ben Barker and Henry Atkins in the 8th Heat seemed to stop the Gladiators momentum and although they stretched the lead back to 4 points after home reserve Dan Gilkes stormed to one of four hugely impressive wins in a 16 point haul in the ninth race, their fortunes were to suffer a huge blow in Heat 10.

Ben Barker was controversially excluded by Referee Chris Gay when making what appeared to be a clean inside pass on the Pirates Richard Lawson, and in the re-run Edward Kennett who has suffered what initially looked to be an innocous fall in his first ride trailed home last. 

Kennett had to subsequently retire from the meeting on the instructions of the Track Paramedic having suffered a nasty injury to his arm and a metal plate that he has had since a terrifying crash in a French Grasstrack Meeting some years ago. The metal plate had broken through the skin in several places and distorted and the injury also caused nerve and tendon damage to his hand and shoulder.

The Pirates, as champions always seem to do, took full advantage winning the remaining 5 heats by a total of 6 points to claim what to many seasoned independent observers felt like a slightly fortunate win that belied the efforts of the Westcolour Gladiators and especially young Gilkes who was outstanding.

Scores & Heat Results.

Plymouth Gladiators = 42

1. Edward Kennett – F, 1, 1, Withdrawn  = 2

2. Ben Barker –  2, 3, 1, Ex, 0 = 6

3. Alfie Bowtell – 1′, 0, RS, 2 = 3+1

4. Michael Palm Toft – 2, T, 1, 2 = 5

5. Hans Andersen – 2′, 1′, 1′, 1, 1 = 6+3

6. Dan Gilkes – 3, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, Ex = 16

7. Henry Atkins – 1, 3, 0, 0, 0 = 4

Poole Pirates = 48

1. Steve Worrall – 3, 2, 3, 2, 3 = 13

2. Zach Cook – 1, 1′, 2′, 0 = 4+2

3. Richard Lawson – 3, 3, 2′, 3, 2′ = 13+2

4. Ben Cook –  0, 0, T, 3 = 3

5. Danny King – 1, 2, 2, 0 = 5

6. Drew Kemp – 2, 0, 3, 0. 3, 1 = 9

7. Nathan Ablitt – 0, 0, RS, 1 = 1

Plymouth win the toss and defer so Poole chose gates 1& 3

Heat Results

Heat 01: Worrall, Barker, Z Cook, Kennett(F)  2-4, 2-4  52.26

Heat 02: Gilkes, Kemp, Atkins, Ablitt  4-2, 6-6  52.56

Heat 03: Lawson, Palm Toft, Bowtell, B.Cook  3-3,  9-9  51.97

Heat 04: Atkins, Andersen, King, Ablitt  5-1,  14-10, 52.06

Heat 05:  Gilkes, Worrall, Z.Cook, Bowtell  3-3,  17-13  51.87

Heat 06: Barker, King, Kennett, Kemp  4-2,  21-15  50.80

Heat 07: Lawson, Gilkes, Andersen, B.Cook  3-3, 24-18,  53.72

Heat 08: Kemp, Z.Cook, Barker, Atkins  1-5,  25-23,  52.59

Heat 09: Gilkes, King, Palm Toft, Kemp  42,  29-25  52.68

Heat 10: Kemp, Lawson, Kennett, Barker(Ex)  1-5,  30-30  52.9

Heat 11: Worrall, Gilkes, Andersen, Cook  3-3, 33-33, 52.88

Heat 12: Lawson, Bowtell, Kemp, Atkins  2-4  35-37  52.56

Heat 13: Gilkes, Worrall, Andersen, King  4-2m   39-39  54.81

Heat 14: Cook, Palm Toft, Ablitt, Atkins.  2-4,  41-43  56.8

Heat 15: Worrall, Lawson,Andersen, Barker.  1-5,  42-48  54.22

Credit: Speedway Updates

Image credit: Helen Charlesworth / Peter Gilkes.