TEAM manager Neil Middleditch watched Pirates make a disappointing start to the 2013 season – but quickly insisted there was no need to panic.

Number one Darcy Ward – virtually unbeatable at times during 2012 – was out of sorts and scored just two points as Swindon thumped Poole 55-37 in the Elite Shield first leg at Blunsdon tonight.

Although the meeting was Pirates’ first of the year and not too much emphasis is placed on the trophy, the Robins displayed the sort of form which saw them win the league last term.

But despite the result, Middleditch is confident new-look Poole will settle once they reach full fitness.

He told the Daily Echo: “We just weren’t quick off the mark. “My boys are not race fit but there are no alarm bells ringing yet.

“It is a long old season. The boys are just trying to find their set-ups.”

Middleditch put Ward’s uncharacteristic lack of points down to the hectic schedule which saw the Australian fly into Europe to practice before jetting out to New Zealand for the Grand Prix series opener on Saturday.

“The travel schedule is tough,” said Middleditch. “He just needs to get his body clock back in sync.”

While captain Chris Holder (15+1) received good support from debutant Robert Miskowiak (7+2) and Kyle Howarth (5), Swindon scored solidly throughout to back up big hitter Hans Andersen (13+1).

And they left Pirates with a hefty 18-point deficit ahead of tomorrow's return fixture at Wimborne Road (noon).

The signs were ominous from the outset as Pirates endured the worst possible start when Andersen and Nick Morris combined for a maximum as Ward retired from the opening heat.

Rohan Tungate was the next man to suffer from mechanical gremlins as Ashley Birks beat Howarth to extend the Robins’ early advantage.

World champion Holder got Pirates up and running, with Howarth and Maciej Janowski then ensuring a shared heat behind Troy Batchelor.

But the hosts then stamped their authority with back-to-back maximums to move 24-12 up. Pirates halted the Swindon charge when Miskowiak took the chequered flag followed by tactical rider Holder, who edged past Batchelor for second spot, as the Dorset outfit hammered home a 7-1.

However, that revival proved all too brief as Robins immediately responded with another brace of full houses courtesy of Morris and Kacper Gomolski, then Peter Kildemand and Edward Kennett.

Holder led from the front for Pirates to beat Andersen and Morris to reduce the deficit alongside Miskowiak.

Ward was handed double-points duties in heat 11 but the Grand Prix star’s night went from bad to worse as he was excluded following a battle with Batchelor, who beat Stachyra in the re-run.

Holder claimed his third win in heat 12 before Ward was again unable to make an impression as Batchelor and Andersen sent rampant Swindon 49-31 in the clear.

Tungate and Miskowiak minimised the damage of Kennett’s heat-14 triumph with Holder and Miskowiak managing to do the same as Andersen ended the night as he had started.

 

Rider scores and heat details

Robins 55: 1 Hans Andersen (3-3-2-2*-3) 13+1, 2 Nick Morris (2*-2*-3-0) 7+2, 3 Peter Kildemand (2-2*-3-2-0) 9+1, 4 Edward Kennett (r-3-2*-3) 8+1, 5 Troy Batchelor (3-1-3-3) 10, 6 Ashley Birks (3-f-1-0) 4, 7 Kacper Gomolski (1-0-2*-1*) 4+2. Team manager: Alun Rossiter.

Pirates 37: 1 Darcy Ward (r-1-fx^-1) 2, 2 Dawid Stachyra (1-0-0-2) 3, 3 Chris Holder (3-4^*-3-3-2) 15+1, 4 Robert Miskowiak (1-3-1-1*-1*) 7+2, 5 Maciej Janowski (1*-1-0-0) 2+1, 6 Kyle Howarth (2-2-1-0) 5, 7 Rohan Tungate (r-0-1-2) 3. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Referee: Mick Posselwhite.

Ht 1: Andersen, Morris, Stachyra, Ward (retired), 67.71 (5-1)

Ht 2: Birks, Howarth, Gomolski, Tungate (retired), 70.08 (9-3)

Ht 3: Holder, Kildemand, Miskowiak, Kennett (retired), 67.49 (11-7)

Ht 4: Batchelor, Howarth, Janowski, Gomolski, 68.02 (14-10)

Ht 5: Kennett, Kildemand, Ward, Stachyra, 67.61 (19-11)

Ht 6: Andersen, Morris, Janowski, Tungate, 67.96 (24-12)

Ht 7: Miskowiak, Holder (tactical rider, double points), Batchelor, Birks (fell), 67.39 (25-19)

Ht 8: Morris, Gomolski, Tungate, Stachyra, 68.63 (30-20)

Ht 9: Kildemand, Kennett, Howarth, Janowski, 68.36 (35-21)

Ht 10: Holder, Andersen, Miskowiak, Morris, 68.05 (37-25)

Ht 11: (re-run) Batchelor, Stachyra, Birks, Ward (tactical rider, fell excluded), 67.77 (41-27)

Ht 12: Holder, Kildemand, Gomolski, Howarth, 68.33 (44-30)

Ht 13: (re-run) Batchelor, Andersen, Ward, Janowski, 68.27 (49-31)

Ht 14: Kennett, Tungate, Miskowiak, Birks, 69.02 (52-34)

Ht 15: Andersen, Holder, Miskowiak, Kildemand, 68.55 (55-37)