TEAM boss Neil Middleditch insisted Pirates matured into meetings like a “fine wine” after their resounding 49-41 victory at King’s Lynn.

Pirates produced another resounding response to keep alive their hopes of progression to the final of the supporters’ cup.

Trailing by 12 after just six heats against the Stars, Middleditch’s men looked dead and buried at Adrian Flux Arena.

But spearheaded by Brady Kurtz and Jack Holder, who totalled 13 paid 14 and 12 respectively, the visitors rattled off 5-1s in the final three heats to claim a maximum four south group points.

Middleditch told the Daily Echo: “We are like a fine wine – we mature after 10 or 12 heats!

“Once again it’s the comeback kings isn’t it?! Never underestimate a Pirate.

“We just could not get to terms with things to start with but the boys changed a few things and got their heads down.

“I said if we were going to stay in this competition, we were going to have to come away with four points and that’s just what we did.”

The Stars went into the contest without Lewis Kerr at number four, meaning they opted to use rider replacement for the clash.

Both Nicolai Klindt and Kurtz returned to the Poole line-up after riding commitments in Sweden kept them out of Thursday’s defeat at Ipswich.

After Erik Riss demolished the tapes at the start of heat one – in came reserve Michael Palm Toft to take his place for the hosts.

But Stars number one Robert Lambert easily triumphed from the outside gate ahead of Poole’s Jack Holder – Palm Toft sealed third ahead of Richie Worrall to give King’s Lynn an opening-heat 4-2 advantage.

Reserve Palm Toft was back out in heat two to deliver a race victory for the hosts ahead of Nico Covatti and Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen, as the points were shared.

Kurtz then picked up Poole’s first success of the night in the race three, winning from the gate ahead of Riss and Thomas Jorgensen. Poole’s Josh Grajczonek finished last.

Palm Toft continued to hurt the Dorset club as he took the chequered flag for the second time in just four heats.

He passed Klindt on the opening lap with Ty Proctor sealing third to increase to four points the Stars’ lead.

Things then got worse for Poole as Jorgensen dialled in his first race success. He and Palm Toft teamed up to earn a heat-five maximum ahead of Holder and Worrall.

Lambert and Riss then registered another 5-1 for the hosts, seeing off Covatti and Klindt as Poole fell 12 behind.

Pirates then responded with a much-needed 5-1 of their own in heat seven. Kurtz bagged his second race win of the night with Grajczonek backing him up in second.

Worrall hit the front in heat eight for Pirates before being passed by Riss – the Merseysider’s attempt to reclaim the advantage resulted in him falling.

With his sixth ride from nine races, Palm Toft scored another heat win in a level race nine, passing both Klindt and Covatti to leave Poole 10 points behind.

Riss then took a heavy fall on the third bend in heat 10 which left him requiring treatment and excluded from the re-run – which Lambert won from the gate ahead of Kurtz and Grajczonek.

But Pirates pulled within six points following race 11, as Holder and Worrall charged in a 5-1 over Proctor and Kasper Andersen.

Andersen then blitzed through the tapes in heat 12, meaning he started the re-run from 15 metres back. Kurtz and Klindt narrowed the gap to just four – the Aussie charger getting the better of Lambert to take the race win.

And remarkably, Pirates found themselves level with two heats remaining. Holder and Grajczonek recorded a 5-1 over Jorgensen and Proctor to set up a grandstand finale after race 13.

And Klindt and Kurtz charged to a 5-1 to overcome Lambert and Palm Toft in the fan-nominated penultimate heat to turn the contest on its head.

And it got even better for Pirates as they claimed maximum group points by recording another 5-1 in heat 15.

Holder and Grajczonek signed off the night in style having charged to victory over Jorgensen and Proctor.