TROY Batchelor tonight emerged as the most welcome of guests by blasting Pirates to victory during a dramatic conclusion to this box-office showdown.

The Swindon star was left as Pirates’ lone ranger in a final-heat decider after Poole sensation Darcy Ward, having started off 15 metres due to a tapes offence, had crashed heavily trying to claw back the deficit.

And with the thrilling clash poised at 43-41 in Pirates’ favour, all results remained possible as Batchelor was joined at the start line by ex-Poole hero Adam Skornicki and Grand Prix big gun Tai Woffinden.

But, to the delight of the Wimborne Road crowd he had upset when helping Swindon to grand final glory last year, Batchelor stormed clear of the Wolves duo to seal Pirates’ 46-44 success over the Elite League leaders.

Although not gaining the maximum points haul, the hard-fought verdict also just about kept alive Pirates’ diminishing hopes of reaching the play-offs.

While Ward had a race to forget in heat 15, much of the night had belonged to the exciting Australian. Fit again, restored to the Poole line-up and acting as skipper in Chris Holder’s absence, he was majestic.

His 12-point haul, together with 13 from the inspirational Batchelor, 11 from Maciej Janowski and 7+1 from brave Rohan Tungate, proved enough to see off depleted Wolves, for whom Skornicki and Ashley Birks starred.

Ward delighted his adoring public by blazing his trademark trail round the outside of the opening two turns to better Edward Kennett and Birks in the opener.

After Micky Dyer had been controversially excluded from the re-run of heat two, Tungate kept his cool for the win.

Skornicki and Ricky Wells got the visitors on the board with a 4-2 after Batchelor, guesting for stricken captain Holder, had almost wiped out Josh Grajczonek in his attempts to recover from a dreadful start.

Woffinden cruised to a comfortable win before Batchelor and Grajczonek made the most of Kennett’s exclusion to land Pirates’ first heat advantage.

Ward underlined his imperious form by dominating GP rival Woffinden before Tungate then produced one of the rides of the season to secure a sensational maximum in heat seven. With Janowski out in front, Tungate embarked on an epic battle with Wells before blitzing round the Wolves man on the final lap.

With the home support still purring, Janowski and Dyer teamed up for another heat advantage, only for Woffinden to halt the hosts’ charge before another Ward win.

Birks fended off hard-charging Janowski in race 11 before a nasty smash brought an abrupt halt to heat 12. With Batchelor in front, Tungate edged past Birks on the back straight before colliding hard with Wells and being thrown horribly into the air-fence.

After both riders had walked away, Ward made it four from four before Skornicki and Birks hit back with a 5-1 to set up a nail-biting finale.

But after the drama had unfolded and Ward had been restricted to a watching brief, Batchelor coolly saved the day.

RIDERS' SCORES AND HEAT DETAILS

Pirates 46: 1 Darcy Ward (3-3-3-3-fx) 12, 2 Rider Replacement for Tomas H Jonasson, 3 Troy Batchelor (guest) (2-3-2-3-3) 13, 4 Josh Grajczonek (0-0-1-1*-0) 2+1, 5 Maciej Janowski (2-3-3-2-1) 11, 6 Rohan Tungate (3-1-2*-0-0-fx-1) 7+1, 7 Micky Dyer (x-0-1) 1. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Wolves 44: 1 Edward Kennett (guest) (2-fx-1-2) 5, 2 Rider Replacement for Ty Proctor, 3 Ricky Wells (1-2-1-1*-2) 7+1, 4 Adam Skornicki (3-0-2-2-3-2) 12, 5 Tai Woffinden (3-2-3-0-1*) 9+1, 6 Jozsef Tabaka (guest) (2-0-0) 2, 7 Ashley Birks (guest) (1*-1*-1-0-3-1*-2*) 9+4.

Referee: Mick Posselwhite.

League points: Poole Pirates 2 Wolverhampton Wolves 1.

Ht 1: Ward, Kennett, Birks, Grajczonek, 59.94 (3-3)

Ht 2: (re-run) Tungate, Tabaka, Birks, Dyer (excluded), 60.35 (6-6)

Ht 3: Skornicki, Batchelor, Wells, Grajczonek, 60.47 (8-10)

Ht 4: Woffinden, Janowski, Birks, Dyer, 60.63 (10-14)

Ht 5: (re-run) Batchelor, Wells, Grajczonek, Kennett (fell, excluded), 60.18 (14-16)

Ht 6: Ward, Woffinden, Tungate, Tabaka, 59.84 (18-18)

Ht 7: Janowski, Tungate, Wells, Skornicki, 60.88 (23-19)

Ht 8: Janowski, Skornicki, Dyer, Birks, 60.84 (27-21)

Ht 9: Woffinden, Batchelor, Grajczonek, Tabaka, 60.19 (30-24)

Ht 10: Ward, Skornicki, Wells, Tungate, 61.09 (33-27)

Ht 11: Birks, Janowski, Kennett, Tungate, 61.60 (35-31)

Ht 12: (awarded) Batchelor, Wells, Birks, Tungate (fell, excluded) (38-34)

Ht 13: Ward, Kennett, Janowski, Woffinden, 61.19 (42-36)

Ht 14: Skornicki, Birks, Tungate, Grajczonek, 62.10 (43-41)

Ht 15: Batchelor, Skornicki, Woffinden, Ward (tapes offence 15m, fell excluded), 61.50 (46-44)

Tonight’s other Elite League result: Birmingham 51 Lakeside 42.