NEIL Middleditch revealed Fast' Freddie Eriksson is down to only one engine after the super Swede had almost single-handedly beaten Belle Vue last night.

The Stockholm-born racer scorched to an impressive 17 paid 18 from seven rides as Pirates were left wondering what might have been if Adam Skornicki had been fit.

In fact, if the Poole reserve had not suffered a mechanical failure while chasing Lukasz Jankowski for third in heat nine, he would probably have registered one of Poole's top 12 individual performances of all time with paid 19.

Eriksson's piece-de-resistance came when he roared from fourth to first to take the chequered flag in the previous race.

In a sensational move, the Swede sliced between Billy Forsberg and Robert Ksiezak going into the last bend to swoop from last to second.

Then Karol Zabik slowed up on the run-in to allow Eriksson to go past the finish line first for a Poole Castle Cover 8-1.

That dragged the Dorset club back into contention as Belle Vue's commanding 26-16 lead was cut to 27-24.

But, despite four heat wins for Eriksson, and a comfortable Chris Holder heat 13 victory over Jason Crump, the Aces hung on for victory on a bitterly cold night in Manchester.

Middleditch, Poole's team manager, said: "Freddie's performance was unbelievable, fantastic, and he's just on a high at the moment.

"When he stopped in his fifth ride he had blown his engine up. It was the only engine he has been riding on this year.

"Fortunately his spare was fairly good for Belle Vue because he won his last two races on it.

"But now he only has one engine for the Elite League and that is not enough at this level.

"Hopefully something can be worked out so he can have a new engine because we also have home and away meetings against Lakeside this week."

Talking about Eriksson's heat eight heroics, Middleditch added: "He was absolutely superb, although putting him in as a tactical rider was a huge gamble.

"I thought if I left it any longer we would have been out of the meeting for good, especially with Crumpie, Screenie and Gjedde all going so well.

"Freddie missed the start, but he just battled away. I don't like to say anything bad about riders, but I thought those two Belle Vue lads were their weak links, and Freddie was really up for it.

"It was a brilliant move for Freddie to dive between them, and it was also a brilliant ride from Karol because he came back well from a couple of dodgy outings.

"I told him exactly what to do and he did it to the letter."

Holder cut across Crump off gate four to claim a notable scalp as Pirates pushed Belle Vue to a last heat decider.

Crump fell on the first bend of race 15, but referee Peter Clarke was right to order all four back as Bjarne Pedersen's bike - despite Middleditch's protest otherwise to the official - had just come into contact with Crump's, knocking the Australian off balance.

Charlie Gjedde and Crump both passed Pedersen in the re-run as brave six-man Poole lost narrowly.

Middleditch said: "I'm proud of my boys. They rode with huge pride and battled away all night.

"It's a pity there is nothing to race for with no bonus point. All that effort for no reward as we have only lost by a few points.

"But they make the rules and we have to abide by them.

"It was a great team performance and we haven't seen the best of us yet. I can assure you there is a lot more to come."