Disappointing long trip for the Diamonds

POOLE PIRATES NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS

THE Newcastle Advance Fire and Security Diamonds in association with SecuriCorp made the long trek to the South Coast to take on the Poole Pirates in the SGB Championship, again bolstered by utilising Kyle Howarth but were in a position to welcome back George Congreve at number seven.

Up against a former Newcastle number one in Danny King, Howarth showed again why he is the favourite Diamonds’ guest by taking Heat One well for three points while Matthew Wethers took a good third place in an unexpected Diamonds’ 2-4.

The Pirates neutralised that with a 4-2 of their own in Heat Two won by Drew Kemp to level the match at 6-6, before another former Newcastle star, Steve Worrall roared away for the win followed by Ben Cook to push the home side into an 11-7 lead.

The four-point advantage doubled to eight after a Heat Four home maximum from Richard Lawson and Poole reserve Nathan Ablitt ahead of Congreve, as Paul Starke suffered a retirement when aiming for points.

After King and Zach Cook hit home another home maximum in Heat Six, Wright and Howarth pulled off an amazing 1-5 over Lawson to haul Newcastle back by four points, to 26-16.

Worrall and Ben Cook kept Starke in third place for another Poole maximum, restoring the 14-point lead, but Howarth and Wethers excelled in Heat 11 with Kemp in third and Lawson at the back of the field to again bring the teams to 10-points apart, 38-28.

Poole switched their reserves, Kemp in for Ablitt in the 12th race, and it worked a treat for the home lads, combining with Worrall for a 5-1 ahead of Wright and Complin. With the score now 43-29, and only three heats left, the match was mathematically in Poole’s hands.

Heat 13 logged another home 5-1 into the records, from a revived Lawson and King over Howarth and Starke while Heat 14 needed to be re-run when Clegg was deemed for moving at the tapes and warned, but Ben Cook and Kemp took the five points from Clegg and Complin before Heat 15 ended in another 5-1, ending the match at 58-32.

Individual Riders’ Scores

Poole: Danny King 13+1, Zach Cook 5+1, Steve Worrall 13+2, Ben Cook 8+2, Richard Lawson 7, Drew Kemp 9+1, Nathan Ablitt 3+1

Newcastle: Kyle Howarth (guest) 12+1, Matthew Wethers 4+2, James Wright 7, Max Clegg 2+1, Paul Starke 1, Lee Complin 5, George Congreve 1