CHARLES Wright once again proved an inspired guest booking as Pirates took two points from a 45-45 draw with Wolverhampton tonight.

Stepping in for Poole for the third time this season in the Elite League, Wright followed up hauls of nine paid 10 at home to Swindon and eight at Belle Vue with seven paid nine at Monmore Green.

That included a critical second place in heat 14 behind Josh Grajczonek and the Somerset man came in for high praise from Pirates team manager Neil Middleditch afterwards.

Middleditch told the Daily Echo: “Heat 14 was crucial and Charles Wright and Josh really got us right back in the meeting. If we had gone down there, that could have been disastrous, but they were brilliant.

“The Wolverhampton boys were racing each other and Charles had a brilliant ride and snuck past the pair of them. He has been absolutely tremendous this year. He’s come in and been second to none and we can’t thank him enough.

“I said to the boys on the track walk beforehand that I’d be happy with a point and anything else would be a bonus, so I’m over the moon with two points.

“It was a good team effort to be fair. Their heads didn’t go down and Wolverhampton have had a good start to the season so I was very pleased with the result.”

The opening race ended even with reigning world champion Tai Woffinden - feeling the effects of a shoulder injury sustained in Poland 24 hours previously - finishing third.

Joe Jacobs and Ashley Morris then slammed in a maximum at the expense of Wright and fellow guest Luke Crang.

Fresh from being handed a wild card for the Czech Republic Grand Prix on May 31, Monmore newbie Vaclav Milik won a shared heat four, before Woffinden returned to form next time out as the hosts went 18-12 up.

Another 3-3 followed before Grajczonek and Wright clocked up the first of their two maximums, helped by Jacob Thorssell’s 15m handicap.

Heats eight and nine were also stalemates and then Poole took the lead for the first time thanks to a maximum from the electric Shamek Pawlicki and Maciej Janowski.

Conditions deteriorated in the closing stages of the meeting but Poole held their nerve in keeping their two-point advantage until heat 13.

Piotr Pawlicki and Woffinden piled on the pressure with a maximum before Grajczonek and Wright hit back in fine style in the penultimate outing.

Shamek Pawlicki ensured a draw on the night when he nipped under Woffinden on the third lap of heat 15, resulting in a 4-2 heat advantage for the hosts and a draw overall.

Meanwhile, Pirates’ attempts to sign a replacement for axed reserve Lee Smart have been delayed. The Wimborne Road club had hoped to name a new signing tomorrow.