“NOT me, boss!”

Just as Matt Ford’s belief in the ability of his class of 2015 had started to waver, a generous dose of Poole Pirates spirit proved just the tonic against old adversaries Swindon.

See all the pictures from Pirates v Swindon in a gallery 

This emphatic victory over the Robins not only went some way to vindicating Ford’s decision on Darcy Ward but also delivered an impeccably-timed reminder of Poole’s ability to produce when it really matters.

The Pirates might have bounced back in style against Wolverhampton in their re-match last week but this was always going to be the real test of which way the Elite League pendulum is heading.

A team tweak could still be on the cards but the current side, which has yet to experience a permanent change so far this season, kept a united front to emphatically pass the stern test presented by their derby rivals.

Maciej Janowski remained unbeaten by an opponent, a feat matched by Chris Holder until the nominated heat with the visitors restricted to meagre three chequered flags – two of which came from guest Hans Andersen.

It was a tough night for Dakota North and Kyle Newman but Kacper Gomolski highlighted his potential with a pair of race wins and the kind of gating that heat leaders would be content with.

Holder set the tone by beating his fellow Turbo Twin to the gate in a titanic opener, recording the quickest time of the season at Wimborne Road and holding off Ward’s late dive for the outside line on the last bend.

Swindon’s Charles Wright stole a march at the start of the first reserve heat but Newman roared back from third to lead at the end of lap two and take the flag.

Amid Ward’s sideshow, quiet man Janowski’s name had barely been uttered until he blitzed a shared heat three. North’s tenacious effort to make it more for Poole proved in vain.

Newman burst the tapes in heat four and was replaced by Paul Starke but it mattered not as Gomolski stormed to Poole’s fourth win from the gate ahead of in-from Robin Grzegorz Zengota.

Eduard Krcmar left himself with nowhere to go behind Starke in heat five and was excluded. The re-run trickled round at a pedestrian pace with Davey Watt winning to put Poole just eight points in front ahead of Ward’s next race, in which he helped Troy Batchelor hit back with Swindon maximum.

However, Janowski eclipsed that by producing truly breathtaking ride, ripping round the outside from the back to secure a blistering 5-1 ahead of Holder.

The crowd were left gasping but a stomach churner followed with Newman and Wright colliding on bend three. The Swindon rider flew into the airfence and Newman was excluded, much to the disbelief of a baying home crowd.

Despite the setback, Gomolski was again the hero of the hour, flying out of the traps to keep Poole on course with his second win.

The battered Wright was given no rest by Swindon boss Alun Rossiter, replacing the misfiring Ritchings but Watt’s flyer from start ensured the points were shared.

North belied his treacherous night by gating quicker than Ward in heat 10, which was enough to ensure Janowski was in the clear for his third win and a personal best time at home this season.

Guest Hans Andersen was entrusted with Swindon’s only shot at a tactical ride in heat 11 but it was to no avail as Watt’s merciless support of Holder all but sealed victory for the hosts.

The reserves put on an epic show in heat 12, with Starke, Newman and Wright thrashing it out for three laps, exchanging places throughout before Wright fell. Starke headed an awarded 5-1 to seal the match for Poole.

But anything they could do, the top dogs could improve upon as Holder romped to victory with Janowski picking off Ward by the end of turn three before flying past Batchelor for Poole’s third straight maximum.

Andersen recorded just the second heat win of the night for the Robins ahead of North and Gomolski, who allowed his Aussie team-mate through for two points before doing two laps of tricks and waving to the crowd.

Whether that was a goodbye or not remains to be seen, while Andersen at least restored some pride for Swindon and, with Ward’s backing, scooped a 5-1 in the last hurrah.

STAR RIDER – CHRIS HOLDER

A TIGHT call on a truly majestic night at Wimborne Road but Holder deserves the shout for consistently getting the better of you know who.

A punctured tyre might have blemished his record in the nominated heat but he had already emphatically claimed the bragging rights over fellow Turbo Twin Darcy Ward.

The silent assassin Maciej Janowski pouched his third straight home maximum on another night of cruise control for the Pole.

Kacper Gomolski excelled with an average-busting eight paid nine, proving his value during a time of uncertainty over team places.  

Poole Pirates 54:

1 Chris Holder (3-2*-3-3-r) 11+1

2 Davey Watt (1-3-3-2*) 9+1

3 Dakota North (0-0-1-2-1) 4

4 Kacper Gomolski (3-1-3-1*) 8+1

5 Maciej Janowski (3-3-3-2*) 11+1

6 Paul Starke (1-1-1-0-3) 6

7 Kyle Newman (3-tps-fx-2*) 5+1

Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Swindon Robins 36:

1 Darcy Ward (2-2*-2-r-2*) 8+2

2 Eduard Krcmar (0-fx-2-0) 2

3 Hans Andersen (guest) (2-0-1^-3-3) 9

4 Grzegorz Zengota (2-1-2-0) 5

5 Troy Batchelor (1*-3-0-1) 5+1

6 Charles Wright (2-2-1*-1*-f) 6+2

7 Darryl Ritchings (guest) (0-0-1) 1

Team manager: Alun Rossiter.

Elite League points: Poole Pirates 3, Swindon Robins 0.

Ht 1: Holder, Ward, Watt, Krcmar, 58.90 (4-2)

Ht 2: Newman, Wright, Starke, Ritchings, 60.75 (8-4)

Ht 3: Janowski, Andersen, Batchelor, North, 59.90 (11-7)

Ht 4: Gomolski, Zengota, Starke (tapes replacement, Newman), Ritchings, 60.88 (15-9)

Ht 5: (re-run) Watt, Wright, Starke, Krcmar (fell, excluded), 60.50 (19-11)

Ht 6: Batchelor, Ward, Gomolski, North, 60.19 (20-16)

Ht 7: Janowski, Holder, Zengota, Andersen, 59.84 (25-17)

Ht 8: Gomolski, Krcmar, Wright, Newman (fell, excluded), 60.81 (28-20)

Ht 9: Watt, Zengota, Wright, Starke, 60.50 (31-23)

Ht 10: Janowski, Ward, North, Krcmar, 59.57 (35-25)

Ht 11: Holder, Watt, Andersen (tactical), Batchelor, 59.62 (40-26)

Ht 12: Starke, Newman, Ritchings, Wright (fell), awarded (45-27)

Ht 13: Holder, Janowski, Batchelor, Ward (retired), 59.62 (50-28)

Ht 14: Andersen, North, Gomolski, Zengota, 60.78 (53-31)

Ht 15: Andersen, Ward, North, Holder (retired), 60.44 (54-36)