PIRATES underlined their Elite League title credentials with a consummate win at Wolves tonight – and had plenty in reserve.

Poole went one better than their thrilling draw at Monmore Green last season in the play-off semi-final.

And victory was built on their reserve pairing of the thrilling Dennis Andersson and rock-solid former Wolf Christian Hefenbrock, who outscored the home duo of Tyson Burmeister and Ricky Wells 16-4.

Andersson, having completed a useful Monmore recce at Adam Skornicki’s testimonial, raised the eyebrows in heat three when taking the rider-replacement outing for the injured Darcy Ward. He made the start on young star Tai Woffinden and won the first bend battle of the elbows to seize victory.

Wolves closed the gap to two points after an Andersson fall but it took a superb outing from 41-year-old Peter Karlsson to keep it there in heat seven as he blasted round Davey Watt and finally forced his way under Jason Doyle on the run to the chequered flag.

However, the Andersson and Hefenbrock pairing delivered another 5-1 in heat eight to stretch to six points the Dorset side’s lead. And Watt maintained it in the ninth with a thrilling last-lap pass of Woffinden.

The late switch from Elite Shield to a league match was a worry for Pirates with Ward on the sidelines.

But astute juggling by team boss Neil Middleditch saw only one point dropped from his four rides – and he got a bonus in the 10th courtesy of Renat Gafurov.

The Russian went wider and wider in the first corner as he took Fredrik Lindgren to the fence, the Swede eventually running out of room and both falling as Gafurov shed a chain. Referee Craig Ackroyd disqualified Lindgren and a 5-1 in the re-run meant the points were only heading in one direction despite Karlsson’s double-point tactical ride win.

Poole, with Chris Holder beaten only once, wrapped up all four league points with a heat advantage in the last race.

Holder said: “We only had six guys, but the six we had here put on a good show.”

Riders' scores

Wolves 42:Fredrik Lindgren 8+1, Ludvig Lindgren 5, Ty Proctor 4+2, Tai Woffinden 8+1, Peter Karlsson 13+1, Tyson Burmeister 2, Ricky Wells 2.

Poole 51: Chris Holder 14, Renat Gafurov 3, Darcy Ward r/r (DA 3, DW 1*, RG 3, JD 3), Jason Doyle 9+1, Davey Watt 9+1, Dennis Andersson 11+1, Christian Hefenbrock 5+3.