Neil Middleditch hailed Bjarne Pedersen’s spectacular return to top form after Pirates’ former captain beat Leigh Adams twice in two thrilling battles last night.

The Dane wiped out the painful memory of a low key individual 2009 campaign by sensationally lowering the colours of Swindon’s number one, who is probably the best of all Wimborne Road track specialists.

Robins’ captain had already produced some old Adams magic when he expertly dived under Chris Holder and Jason Doyle on the fourth turn to blast from last to first on his way to heat one victory before he met Pedersen.

The Aussie and the Dane were both unbeaten going into their race 11 tussle, with Adams probably most favoured to win it.

But Poole Castle Cover’s rider produced his own bit of magic to brilliant thwart two full-throttle Adams outside charges, on the second and fourth turns, before keeping his cool during the rest of the race to claim a notable victory.

Adams, the only Robins rider to trouble Pirates as their fourth win of the season propelled them five points clear at the top of the Elite League, out-gated Pedersen to swiftly gain revenge in heat 13. That made it 1-1 between the two ahead of their race 15 decider.

And Pedersen was too quick out of the traps for the Swindon man as he sped away to beat Adams convincingly on his way to a scintillating 14-point return for Poole.

Middleditch, Pirates team manager, said: “I said to Bjarne when he came back into the pits after his heat 11 win that it was vintage Pedersen.

“He looked quick all meeting.

“I travelled back with him from Coventry on Monday and he said he was still working on his set-ups. Well, it looks like he has found his set-up now.

“Bjarne didn’t give an inch to Leigh in heat 11, and Leigh is a class act.

“To beat Leigh once is great. To beat him twice is a really good effort from Bjarne.

“By his own admission, Bjarne is ready to have another go at the Grands Prix.

“He needed a bit of a rest to recharge his batteries, but he’s in the GP qualifiers this year, so maybe we’ll see him back in the series in 2011. He’s certainly quick enough.”

Pirates, who do have the same strength-in-depth look about them that secured them the 2008 title, scored solidly all through the card.

But it was Artur ‘Rocky’ Mroczka who stole the show alongside Pedersen.

Beaten only by Adams for second in heat 15, the young Pole produced the highlight, majestically sweeping outside Mads Kornelissen on the final turn to pip him by less than half-a-wheel’s length for second behind Pedersen.

Pirates 58: 1 Chris Holder (2-2-2-1*) 7+1, 2 Jason Doyle (1*-1*-2*-1*) 5+4, 3 Davey Watt (3-1*-fell exc-3) 7+1, 4 Darcy Ward (1-2-3-2*) 8+1, 5 Bjarne Pedersen (3-3-3-2-3) 14, 6 Leon Madsen (3-0-1-3) 7, 7 Artur Mroczka (2*-2*-3-2*-1) 10+3. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Swindon 35: 1 Leigh Adams (3-6^-2-3-2) 16, 2 Grzegorz Zengota (0-0-0-0) 0, 3 Morten Risager (2-1*-0-0) 3+1, 4 Simon Stead (0-2-3-1-0) 6, 5 Mads Korneliussen (1-3-2-0^) 6, 6 Jordan Frampton (ret-0-1-1) 2, 7 Thomas H Jonasson (1-0-1*-0) 2+1. Team manager: Ronnie Russell.

Referee: Mike Posselwhite.

Match pts: Pirates 3 Swindon 0.

Ht 1: Adams, Holder, Doyle, Zengota, 59.78 (3-3).

Ht 2: Madsen, Mroczka, Jonasson, Frampton (retired), 60.02 (8-4).

Ht 3: Watt, Risager, Ward, Stead, 60.54 (12-6).

Ht 4: Pedersen, Mroczka, Korneliussen, Jonasson, 60.75 (17-7).

Ht 5: Adams^ (tactical rider, double points), Ward, Watt, Zengota, 59.88 (20-13).

Ht 6: Korneliussen, Holder, Doyle, Frampton, 60.17 (23-16).

Ht 7: (re-run) Pedersen, Stead, Risager, Madsen, 61.27 (26-19).

Ht 8: Mroczka, Doyle, Frampton, Zengota, 60.63 (31-20).

Ht 9: (re-run) Ward, Korneliussen, Jonasson, Watt (fell excluded), 61.04 (34-23).

Ht 10: Stead, Holder, Doyle, Risager, 61.10 (37-26).

Ht 11: Pedersen, Adams, Madsen, Zengota, 60.96 (41-28).

Ht 12: Watt, Mroczka, Frampton, Risager, 61.07 (46-29).

Ht 13: Adams, Pedersen, Holder, Korneliussen^ (tactical rider, double points), 60.52 (49-32).

Ht 14: Madsen, Ward, Stead, Jonasson, 60.95 (54-33).

Ht 15: Pedersen, Adams, Mroczka, Stead, 60.66 (58-35).

Fixtures, tonight, Elite League: Ipswich v Eastbourne, Swindon v Wolves.