TOM Brennan once again led the way for Pirates as they shook off a sluggish start to defeat Redcar Bears 47-43 at Wimborne Road.

Pirates number three Brennan contributed 13 points as Poole jumped to the top of the Championship league table.

Ahead of the meeting Poole made a switch to one of their reserves, Max Perry making way for Vinnie Foord.

A struggling start for Thomsen during heat one was offset by Pirates number Richard Lawson roaring to a race victory over Redcar duo Charles Wright and Connor Bailey for the points to be split.

Foord made his debut in the following race, with the Redcar reserves Jake Mulford and Ben Trigger storming into an early lead.

Sam Hagon faded but Foord rallied, the debutant chasing down Trigger heading into the final bend of the race.

However, the move proved too ambitious for the youngster, Foord bouncing off his bike. Fortunately, the rider got back to his feet under his own steam.

Heat three also saw the final bend interrupt a Pirate rider. Zach Cook looked to be battling Dan Gilkes to the line but pulled up short, his teammate Brennan beaten to the race win by Jason Edwards.

Ben Cook claimed the race win in the following heat but Pirates were unable to dent the Bears’ margin, Hagon finishing behind Justin Sedgmen and Mulford respectively.

The following race was also drawn, Wright’s race win in heat five quelled by Brennan and Zach Cook in second and third.

Lawson picked up his second win of the evening in race six, Thomsen’s third-placed finish behind Sedgmen reducing the deficit by two points.

Edwards returned for his second race win in heat seven, Hagon and Zach Cook combining to prevent Redcar from stretching their lead further.

However, the Bears would put more points on the board in the following race, Bailey a winner for the first time on the night.

But Redcar’s lead would vanish in the space of three races, a run of maximums establishing Pirates’ ascendancy.

First Brennan was followed by Zach Cook to reduce the deficit to just two points, before another 5-1 from Lawson and Thomsen swung the lead in Poole’s favour for the first time in the meeting.

Ben Cook combined with Hagon for a third consecutive maximum, putting Pirates up 36-30 with four heats remaining.

After the interval there was another drawn heat, Brennan holding off Wright and Gilkes to preserve Pirates’ six-point winning margin.

It looked like there would be further preservation in race 13, Lawson looking strong heading into the final lap.

However, his bike went kaput, seeing a 3-3 quickly turn into 5-1 as Wright and Sedgmen took advantage.

The penultimate heat saw another Redcar victory, Edwards’ three points matched by two from Hagon and one from Zach Cook.

That meant Pirates had to avoid a heat loss in the final race to secure the win, and with it, top spot in the Championship.

When it looked like Brennan and Lawson would settle for a draw to get over the line, the former decided to make a move on Edwards for the heat lead heading into the penultimate lap.

Brennan made the move stick, allowing Pirates to finish 47-43 winners.

Poole: 47 - Lawson 10, Thomsen 5+1, Brennan 13, Z Cook 4+3, B Cook 8+1, Hagon 7, Foord 0.

Redcar: 43 Wright 11, Bailey 4+1, Gilkes 2+1, Edwards 12, Sedgmen 7+1, Trigger 2+1, Mulford 5+1.