MOCK examination number one: a comfortable pass.

The stop-start nature of Poole’s campaign and a fixture backlog has perhaps caused a few of us to forget we are approaching 2016’s final lap.

At the sharp end, things are starting to take shape with powerhouses Belle Vue looking increasingly imperious and surprise package Wolverhampton showing little sign of fading away.

Given the top two have completed the bulk of their away fixtures, Pirates will have their work cut out to overhaul or even split the current frontrunners.

Topping Swindon and Lakeside is not guaranteed but with matches in hand and a far greater capability on the road, Poole should be considering how much progress they can make beyond third instead of worrying about achieving a play-off berth.

Amid the highs and lows this season, promoter Matt Ford has maintained his stance that for its shortcomings, this one-to-seven can beat any team in the Elite League over two legs.

Bar May’s night to forget against the Aces, Poole’s form at Wimborne Road has been the cornerstone of his confidence with at least 50 points posted in each of the other eight meetings after tonight.

And after taming the Wolves with another bumper haul, the rock on which the push for a fourth straight crown has been built looks as immoveable as ever.

It would be hard to say anyone other than Chris Holder, who racked up four wins out of five, really flew for Pirates but everyone had to set a good standard against savvy opposition.

Despite a sluggish gate, Holder hit the front ahead of Peter Karlsson and held off pressure from Freddie Lindgren in a shared opener.

Former Pirate Kyle Howarth trapped well in heat two but Adam Ellis roared around the outside, utilising a finite amount of space between his rival and the fence to take the chequered flag. Guest Charles Wright was comfortable in third.

The outside line again proved fruitful for Wolves’s Sam Masters with Krzysztof Buczkowski unable to match his pace in a second 3-3.

Poole forged ahead in heat four with Ellis leading from the off before the speedy Brady Kurtz seized the mantle but hopes of a maximum were dashed when Jacob Thorssell pinched second from Ellis on the line.

After an unsatisfactory start, some stellar team riding saw the hosts plunder a first 5-1 as Newman led Wright, who was briefly passed by Karlsson on the final lap before outfoxing his opponent at the death.

Lindgren was unstoppable from the off in heat five but Buczkowski held off Schlein who was then passed by Kurtz as Poole shared the spoils.

Wolves hit back when Aussie sensation Masters blasted to the front and held off the charges of Andersen and compatriot Holder in heat seven.

Howarth was sent out as a reserve change in heat eight and despite appearing to shoot off too early, referee Anthony Steele was unmoved and he won from the gate with Karlsson just trumping Kurtz at the back.

In a tight start to heat nine, Newman successfully pinned Howarth, who then traded places with Wright at the back in a shared race won by Thorssell.

Andersen gated in heat 10, lost the lead and then threatened to storm around the outside but he didn’t have the pace to get close to Lindgren and in the end had to hold off third-placed Karlsson.

Holder gated in heat 11 but it was all about Newman who fired past Masters and Schlein and twice led the Wolverhampton guest. In the end, he had to make do with third but his tenacity had the home crowd on its feet.

The second reserve race saw Ellis glide to victory and extend to eight points Poole’s advantage with Wright surviving the scare of being pushed wide by Howarth to hold off Clegg at the back.

Heat 13 saw Holder leave his rivals eating shale with Andersen in second and although the Dane was forced to hold on, getting caught in the dirt early on proved costly for Lindgren as Pirates sealed victory in style.

Buczkowski survived locking up at the end of lap two to complete a successful comeback in the penultimate race, ending the away side’s hopes of a consolation point and Holder oozed class in rubber stamping Poole’s authority in heat 15.

Maybe Belle Vue will provide a sterner test in September but with Pirates on this form, Ford is right – no one will relish a trip to Dorset.

  • Pirates are offering adult admission for £10 for tomorrow’s meeting with Leicester (7.30).

ECHO STAR RIDER - CHRIS HOLDER

Persistent Wolves made life tough throughout with few opportunities for Pirates to sail away so Chris Holder’s gritty showing was much needed.

Only the flying Aussie Sam Masters got the better of the 2012 world champion and while few could have argued they were completely on the pace, Holder’s dominance became increasingly apparent as the meeting progressed.

Kyle Newman deserves a share of the plaudits with a determined six having been pushed up to number two on only his second meeting back from long-term injury.

RIDER SCORES

Poole Pirates 52: 1 Chris Holder (3-1*-3-3-3) 13+1, 2 Kyle Newman (0-3-2-1) 6, 3 Krzysztof Buczkowski (2-2-0-3-1) 8, 4 Brady Kurtz (3-1*-0-0) 4+1, 5 Hans Andersen (1*-2-2-2*) 7+2, 6 Charles Wright (guest) (1-2*-1*-1) 5+2, 7 Adam Ellis (3-1-2-3) 9. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Wolverhampton 38: 1 Freddie Lindgren (2-3-3-1-2) 11, 2 Peter Karlsson (1*-1-1-1) 4+1, 3 Sam Masters (3-3-0-2-0) 8, 4 Jacob Thorssell (2-0-3-1*) 6+1, 5 Rory Schlein (guest) (0-0-2-0) 2, 6 Max Clegg (0-0-0) 0, 7 Kyle Howarth (2-0-3-0-2) 7. Team manager: Peter Adams.

HEAT DETAILS

Ht 1: Holder, Lindgren, Karlsson, Newman, 61.19 (3-3)

Ht 2: Ellis, Howarth, Wright, Clegg, 61.40 (7-5)

Ht 3: Masters, Buczkowski, Andersen, Schlein, 61.07 (10-8)

Ht 4: Kurtz, Thorssell, Ellis, Howarth, 61.78 (14-10)

Ht 5: Newman, Wright, Karlsson, Clegg, 62.31 (19-11)

Ht 6: Lindgren, Buczkowski, Kurtz, Schlein, 61.25 (22-14)

Ht 7: Masters, Andersen, Holder, Thorssell, 61.84 (25-17)

Ht 8: Howarth, Ellis, Karlsson, Kurtz, 61.59 (27-21)

Ht 9: Thorssell, Newman, Wright, Howarth, 61.65 (30-24)

Ht 10: Lindgren, Andersen, Karlsson, Buczkowski, 61.75 (32-28)

Ht 11: Holder, Schlein, Newman, Masters, 61.38 (36-30)

Ht 12: Ellis, Howarth, Wright, Clegg, 61.84 (40-32)

Ht 13: Holder, Andersen, Lindgren, Schlein, 61.72 (45-33)

Ht 14: Buczkowski, Masters, Thorssell, Kurtz, 61.90 (48-36)

Ht 15: Holder, Lindgren, Buczkowski, Masters, 62.19 (52-38)

Elite League points: Poole Pirates 3 Wolverhampton 0.

Other result: Belle Vue 63 Lakeside 29.