FARCICAL, ridiculous and joke were all words used to describe this controversial meeting ahead of tonight.

With just two Pirates regulars donning the skull and crossbones alongside four guests, the detractors may well have had a valid point.

But, like so often in sport, the importance of results usually outweighs the other factors which surround any particular fixture. And by the end of this one-sided, comprehensive mauling, Pirates were certainly laughing loudest.

While a meeting involving so many stand-ins was far from ideal for the league, what Poole needed more than anything during this torrid campaign was a victory.

It may have come with a virtually unrecognisable team but, at the moment, that matters little. Pirates will gratefully accept any league points they can get their hands on.

On this occasion, despite the depleted nature of the line-up, the rich rewards were garnered in undoubtedly the most emphatic manner achieved by Poole all year.

Promoter Matt Ford had admitted in the build-up to this showdown that Pirates were fast running out of time to salvage their Elite League play-off bid. And although it remains difficult to see beyond a rare and uncharacteristic season of underachievement, this most convincing of away victories offered hope.

In-form Chris Holder again flexed his muscles with an imperious paid 17+1 maximum haul.

With Grand Prix qualifying contenders Maciej Janowski, Przemyslaw Pawlicki and Tomas H Jonasson joined on the absentee list by injured Dawid Stachyra, the importance of Pirates’ guests could not be underestimated – and they delivered. Topping the bill was the hugely impressive young Brit Richie Worrall, whose 14 points only just surpassed the 11+3 provided by Mikkel Bech Jensen, one of the sport’s top prospects.

Team boss Neil Middleditch said: “It was one of those things and we went ahead with the meeting. Perhaps Eastbourne thought they were in for an easy ride but the Pirates made light work of it. Richie Worrall was outstanding, Mikkel Bech was excellent again and they were all excellent.

"I was very pleased with all four guests. It is nice to say it was a team effort.

"One of the key factors was that we made some great starts, and that is half the battle at Eastbourne."

The meeting began in familiar fashion as world champion Holder edged Poole legend Bjarne Pedersen. Denis Gizatullin and Simon Gustafsson responded before Worrall and Holder put Poole 16-14 in front after a tight opening five races.

Pedersen entered the winner’s enclosure before Jensen combined with fellow guest Ben Barker for a Poole advantage.

Worrall saw off Gustafsson before Timo Lahti and Gustafsson combined to hammer home the first maximum of the night to level matters.

However, Holder claimed heat 10 and Jensen again caught the eye as he followed home the Australian in a Pirates 5-1.

Leading 32-28 at the interval, Poole were in a useful position and that quickly became a winning one as they proceeded to demolish the hosts.

By the time Worrall and Holder had registered another full house, Pirates fans could have been forgiven for wishing they had some of these guests to call upon every week.

Dynamic duo Worrall and Jensen then completed a hat-trick as Pirates seized control, before Holder and Barker made it four successive 5-1s.

With Eastbourne’s unbeaten home record in tatters, Jensen and Holder rubbed salt into Eagles’ wounds.

The task facing Pirates’ absentees is to build on this performance. Failure to do so will soon see the critics out in force once again.