TOM Brennan and Ben Cook led the way as Poole Pirates stormed to the top of the SGB Championship table with a dominant 55-35 win over Plymouth Gladiators.
Fresh from being part of the Great Britain squad crowned world champions at the weekend, Brennan contributed 12+2, scoring a paid maximum from his four programmed rides.
There were also big contributions from Richard Lawson (10+1) and captain Ben Cook (12+1) as Pirates eased to victory.
Poole were back up to full strength, reserve Vinnie Foord returning from a wrist injury.
Plymouth’s side was littered with recent Pirates. Drew Kemp joined Kyle Newman, Nico Covatti and Joe Thompson in the side, guesting in place of Dan Thompson, who was ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
Heat one had to be re-run, after Alfie Bowtell slipped off due to first bend bunching. Lawson then took to the front, Tobias Thomsen up alongside him after getting ahead of Covatti by bend two.
With the maximum in the bag, Thomsen passed teammate Lawson in lap four.
Plymouth hit straight back with a 5-1 of their own in the reserves race, Jacob Hook and Thompson impressing, holding off a strong challenge from Sam Hagon.
Poole got back ahead again as Zach Cook led brother Ben home for another 5-1, Zach recording his fastest time (59.12) of the season so far around Wimborne Road.
Brennan took the honours in a shared heat four, Foord making a poor start but pushing all the way to the line to try and nick a point.
Covatti then claimed a tapes-to-flag win, before Poole edged further ahead. Lawson eased to victory, Plymouth skipper Ben Barker just holding on to second with Thomsen all over his back wheel for the last two laps.
A dramatic heat seven saw two re-runs. First, Newman crashed out on the first bend, with all four riders called back. Then, Poole reserve Hagon came off over his handlebars on bend four, but quickly got up to clear the track, allowing Brennan to secure victory.
Arguably the moment of the night came in heat eight. There were wild celebrations when Foord, who turned 18 this week, was part of a Pirates maximum for the first time, impressively claiming second behind Thomsen.
Poole continued to storm further clear, moving 34-20 ahead with another maximum in heat nine, the Cook brothers again combining.
Kemp reduced the arrears, taking race victory after his teammate Newman had been excluded having crashed at the back. Lawson’s pursuit of Kemp was hampered by the loss of a steel shoe.
But order was restored again in heat 11, Covatti suffering mechanical gremlins at the start line, allowing an easy 5-1 for Brennan and Hagon.
Things went from bad to worse for Plymouth during the interval, both Newman and Covatti withdrawing from the rest of the meeting.
Pirates extended their lead to 22 points thanks to race wins from the gate for Ben Cook and Lawson, before Plymouth reduced the arrears with a rare heat advantage, led home by tactical substitute Kemp.
Kemp then claimed victory again in a shared heat 15, Poole’s winning margin ending at 20 points.
Pirates return to action on Friday night, away at Redcar Bears (7.30pm).
Pirates 55: Lawson 10+1, Thomsen 8+1, B Cook 12+1, Z Cook 8+2, Brennan 12+2, Hagon 3+1, Foord 2+1.
Plymouth 35: Covatti 4, Bowtell 2, Kemp 12+1, Newman 3, Barker 6, Thompson 3+2, Hook 5+1.
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