TWO full teams, 15 heats and ideal racing conditions. This time there could be no excuses.

Coventry might have felt aggrieved at the manner in which they had succumbed to Pirates at the start of June but no such complaints could be made this time out.

The Bees, who still hope to restage the Sky-televised clash at Brandon, were stubborn competitors but did not possess the firepower to see off their opponents for the second time this season.

PIrates therefore increased their advantage at the top of the Elite League with the 53-37 win and sent an ominous warning to their rivals that a third straight top-flight title is well and truly in their sights – a feat not achieved since 1972.

Chris Holder and Dave Watt got Neil Middleditch’s men off to the ideal start with a solid opening maximum. After Watt gated, Holder swooped round Stuart Robson and eased to the front to record his fastest race time of the year at Wimborne Road – 59.44 seconds.

The visitors, second in the standings, immediately returned the favour as referee Michael Breckon failed to penalise blatant rolling from James Sarjeant and the reserve led in Jason Garrity despite fierce pressure from Kyle Newman.

Skipper Maciej Janowski was peerless out front in heat three while behind him, Dakota North managed to sneak through the narrowest of gaps afforded him by Great Britain international Chris Harris, restoring the hosts’ four-point lead.

Controversy ensued when Sarjeant was pulled back for rolling – not before time – with the Bees reserve subsequently involved in a heated exchange with start marshal Rob Wadham upon his return to the tapes.

That rather clouded a stunning ride from Danny King in which he swept past both Watt and Paul Starke on the same bend, with backmarker Sarjeant’s frustration in clear evidence when he punched the air fence after the race had been completed.

Heat five was a from-the-tapes affair although Watt was kept honest by opposite number Robson, before Pirates were handed a boost in heat six.

Coventry number one Hans Andersen, scoreless in his opening ride, failed to turn into the opening bend and wiped out team-mate Harris as a result, with the Dane’s exclusion a formality.

However, Harris appeared none the worse for his spill as he picked off Kacper Gomolski and then North to prevent damage for the Bees, with heat seven also shared as Joonas Kylmakorpi registered a surprise win.

Robson was excluded after collecting Gomolski next time out but again Pirates failed to make their one-man advantage pay as Garrity got away quickest.

Finally, a run of six 3-3s was ended in heat 10 and in explosive style. North and Janowski were scarcely troubled after the opening stages by Andersen and Robson, increasing to 34-26 the lead.

Holder kept his nerve superbly in heat 11 despite little racing room as he passed Kylmakorpi on turn three before Sarjeant again took centre stage.

The Yorkshireman was involved in a sensational battle with Newman which ended at the final turn when the Coventry reserve came to grief, with the ambulance soon escorting him away.

Janowski made the start in heat 13 but Holder swiftly blasted to the front and even though Janowski was overhauled by Harris, Pirates had guaranteed victory.

Heat 14 was shared as King took the chequered flag and then Harris packed up while leading heat 15, allowing Holder to grab his fourth victory of the night.

RIDERS’ SCORES AND HEAT DETAILS

Pirates 55: 1 Chris Holder (3-1*-3-3-3) 13+1, 2 Dave Watt (2*-3-3-0) 8+1, 3 Dakota North (2*-2-3-2-2*) 11+2, 4 Kacper Gomolski (1*-1*-2-1*) 5+3, 5 Maciej Janowski (3-2-2*-1) 8+1, 6 Paul Starke (0-0-0-1) 1, 7 Kyle Newman (1-2-1*-3) 7+1. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Bees 37: 1 Hans Andersen (0-fx-1-0) 1, 2 Stuart Robson (1-2-x-0) 3, 3 Joonas Kylmakorpi (0-3-2-0) 5, 4 Danny King (3-0-2-3-1) 9, 5 Chris Harris (1-3-1*-2-r) 7+1, 6 Jason Garrity (2*-1*-3-1*-2) 9+3, 7 James Sarjeant (3-0-fx) 3. Team manager: Gary Havelock.

Ht 1: Holder, Watt, Robson, Andersen, 59.44 (5-1)

Ht 2: Sarjeant, Garrity, Newman, Starke, 61.16 (6-6)

Ht 3: Janowski, North, Harris, Kylmakorpi, 59.97 (11-7)

Ht 4 (re-run): King, Newman, Gomolski, Sarjeant, 60.32 (14-10)

Ht 5: Watt, Robson, Garrity, Starke, 60.10 (17-13)

Ht 6 (re-run): Harris, North, Gomolski, Andersen (fell/dsq), 59.88 (20-16)

Ht 7: Kylmakorpi, Janowski, Holder, King, 60.47 (23-19)

Ht 8 (re-run):  Garrity, Gomolski, Newman, Robson (dsq), 60.41 (26-22)

Ht 9: Watt, King, Garrity, Starke, 60.34 (29-25)

Ht 10: North, Janowski, Andersen, Robson, 60.62 (34-26)

Ht 11: Holder, Kylmakorpi, Harris, Watt, 59.59 (37-29)

Ht 12 (awarded): Newman, Garrity, Starke, Sarjeant (dsq) (41-31)

Ht 13: Holder, Harris, Janowski, Andersen, 59.87 (45-33)                              

Ht 14: King, North, Gomolski, Kylmakorpi, 60.62 (48-36)

Ht 15: Holder, North, King, Harris (retired), 61.00 (53-37)

ECHO STAR RIDER – CHRIS HOLDER

Holder is beginning to look more or more like his old self and he was in sparkling form at Wimborne Road.

The Aussie had struggled to deliver from the number one spot earlier this season but a 13 paid 14 haul against Pirates’ title rivals showed how far he had come.

The 2012 world champion, who secured four wins from five rides, appeared close to his best and that will be a significant worry for the rest of the Elite League.