PIRATES battled through the absence of Chris Holder to push title rivals King’s Lynn to the limit in a sensational meeting at the Adrian Flux Arena.

The visitors had been stunned by the late withdrawal of their Aussie star due to sickness and had trailed by 10 after five heats.

But led by a superb display from Maciej Janowski, the reigning champions hit back to lead heading into the penultimate race.

Only a huge heat-15 effort from Robert Lambert and Niels-Kristian Iversen preserved Lynn’s unbeaten home record as the Stars snatched a 47-46 success.

The hosts laid down a statement of intent early on with a solid 5-1 from Nicklas Porsing and Iversen.

Lewis Kerr then gated to set up a 4-2 in tandem with Ashley Morris, who profited from a Kyle Newman error to nip into third.

However, ex-Lynn charger Janowski showed he had lost none of his liking for the Norfolk track when he spearheaded a 5-1 alongside Dakota North.

The Stars swiftly returned the favour, though, as Lambert and Morris made rapid gates and the latter held off Davey Watt until the Aussie pulled up early having miscounted four laps.

The visitors’ troubles deepened in heat five when Kacper Gomolski lost a thrilling battle with Porsing for second and Lynn registered their third maximum in five heats.

With Pirates 10 points down, Janowski took a tactical ride and the Pole duly triumphed, with Watt’s third place proving useful.

Gomolski switched to the inside to zip beyond Lambert in heat eight but Starke trailed at the rear, limiting the damage caused to the hosts.

However, Watt cranked up the pressure with a heat win and although Newman lost second to Porsing, Poole closed to five points the Lynn lead.

Pirates asset Vaclav Milik, who had totalled 10 paid 13 on his Stars debut six days previously, stopped Janowski’s winning charge with a gate-and-go success in heat 10.

But a lightning start next time out from North did Poole the power of good and Janowski ripped up the inside to set up a maximum that Pirates held to the finish.

The comeback continued as Newman came good and Starke, initially second, clung on for third ahead of Morris.

Pirates forged in front for the first time following a dramatic heat 13 in which Milik packed up while second.

The resurgent Watt got the better of Lambert in the penultimate outing but after North slipped wide, Bjerre sneaked into third to put Lynn one point adrift.

And Lambert roared round Janowski for first in heat 15, with Iversen giving North the same treatment a lap later.

STARS 47: 1 Niels-Kristian Iversen (2*-3-1-2-1) 9+1, 2 Nicklas Porsing (3-3-2-0) 8, 3 Kenneth Bjerre (0-0-1-1*) 2+1, 4 Robert Lambert (3-2-2-2-3) 12, 5 Vaclav Milik (1-1- 3-r) 5, 6 Lewis Kerr (3-2*-0-2) 7+1, 7 Ashley Morris (1-2*-1*-0) 4+2. Team manager: Rob Lyon.

PIRATES 46: 1 Chris Holder r/r, 2 Kacper Gomolski (1-1-3-r-1) 6, 3 Dakota North (0-2*-2-3-0-0) 7+1, 4 Davey Watt (r-1-0-3-3) 7, 5 Maciej Janowski (3-6^-2-2*-3-2) 18+1, 6 Paul Starke (2-0-0-1) 3, 7 Kyle Newman (0-1-1-3) 5. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Ht 1: Porsing, Iversen, Gomolski, North, 59.96 (5-1)

Ht 2: Kerr, Starke, Morris, Newman, 60.77 (9-3)

Ht 3: Janowski, North, Milik, Bjerre, 59.48 (10-8)

Ht 4: Lambert, Morris, Newman, Watt (retired), 59.66 (15-9)

Ht 5: Porsing, Kerr, Gomolski, Starke, 60.51 (20-10)

Ht 6: Janowski (tactical), Lambert, Watt, Bjerre, 59.43 (22-17)

Ht 7: Iversen, North, Milik, Watt, 59.76 (26-19)

Ht 8: Gomolski, Lambert, Morris, Starke, 60.76 (29-22)

Ht 9: Watt, Porsing, Newman, Kerr, 60.46 (31-26)

Ht 10 (re-run): Milik, Janowski, Bjerre, Gomolski (retired), 59.85 (35-28)

Ht 11 (re-run): North, Janowski, Iversen, Porsing, 60.46 (36-33)

Ht 12: Newman, Kerr, Starke, Morris, 61.60 (38-37)

Ht 13: Janowski, Iversen, Gomolski, Milik (retired), 60.19 (40-41)

Ht 14: Watt, Lambert, Bjerre, North, 60.40 (43-44)

Ht 15: Lambert, Janowski, Iversen, North, 61.80 (47-46)

ECHO STAR RIDER – MACIEJ JANOWSKI

Time and again in the past two seasons, Maciej Janowski has come to Pirates’ rescue.

And the Pole delivered once more in the skull and crossbones as he racked up nearly 40 per cent of the visitors’ total score.

A 18-point haul was a remarkable effort from the Pirates skipper, even at his former stamping ground.

The 23-year-old is arguably the most important component in the Poole side as Neil Middleditch’s men target a third straight title.