A PERFECT night for Poole Pirates took a sickening turn for the worse when skipper Maciej Janowski was involved in a stomach-churning heat-13 spill.

Pirates were six points to the good when a tight battle between the Pole and Lakeside’s Andreas Jonsson saw Janowski's bike career through the perimeter fence.

Thankfully, Janowski threw himself to the ground a split second before the collision, flew into the edge of the airfence and quickly got to his feet. 

However, promoter Matt Ford confirmed Janowski would probably miss Poole's crunch showdown with high-flying Swindon on Monday, a clash Pirates head into with a five-point lead over Coventry at the Elite League summit courtesy of tonight's 50-40 victory and Coventry’s 55-36 crushing at home to Swindon.

Reserve Kyle Newman was the star of the show with 15 paid 17 from seven rides but thoughts quickly turned to the welfare of Poole’s talisman.

Jonsson reined in Chris Holder for a Lakeside 4-2 in the opener but Newman took advantage of the Hammers reserves slipping and sliding everywhere on a well-watered track to lead a 5-1.

Eddie Kennett took the chequered flag in heat three as Lakeside restored parity but the visitors nudged back in front with Gomolski tasting victory.

Guest Max Fricke levelled matters ahead of Dakota North in a re-run heat four before a Holder retirement cost Poole a 5-1 when Janowski won heat six.

Jonsson roared to victory in the quickest time of the night in heat seven before Richard Lawson headed another 3-3.

The impressive Newman then claimed his second victory in a re-run eighth race and was quickly entrusted with his third straight ride in place of the misfiring North.

And Dorset’s favourite son did not disappoint by holding off heat-leader Nilsson for a point behind second-placed Holder.

Watt became the first man to beat Jonsson in heat 11 and when the second reserve heat ended in the same way as the first, Pirates were in command.

Hearts were in mouths when Janowski crashed but when the action eventually resumed, Holder and Newman put the cap on Poole’s late surge with another maximum.

Heat 14 was shared, meaning Holder and Watt only had to avoid a 5-1 defeat to take all four points which they did with ease in a shared heat once Lawson was pushed back 15 metres. 

Lakeside 40: 1 Andreas Jonsson (3-3-2-fell-ex-3) = 11, 2 Max Fricke (guest) (1-3-2-1*) = 7+1, 3 Edward Kennett (3-2-3-0) = 8, 4 Richard Lawson (2-1*-3-3-0) = 9+1, 5 Kim Nilsson (1-0-0-1) = 2, 6 Kyle Hughes (guest) (1-1-fell/ex-0) = 2, 7 Luke Bowen (guest) (0-0-0-1) = 1. Team manager: Neil Vatcher.

Poole Pirates 50: 1 Chris Holder (2-ef-2--3-1*) = 8+1, 2 Dakota North (0-2-1*) = 3+1, 3 Davey Watt (2-2-3-2-2) = 11, 4 Kacper Gomolski (3-1*-1-1*) = 6+1, 5 Maciej Janowski (0-3-ef-fell) = 3, 6 Ben Morley (guest) (2*-fell/ex- 2*) = 4+2, 7 Kyle Newman (3-1-2-3-1*-3-2*) = 15+2. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Heat details:

Ht 1: Jonsson, Holder, Fricke, North, 58.3 (4-2).
Ht 2: Newman, Morley, Hughes, Bowen, 59.9 (5-7).
Ht 3: Kennett, Watt, Nilsson, Janowski, 59.0 (9-9).
Ht 4: Gomolski, Lawson, Newman, Bowen, 59.9 (11-13).
Ht 5: Fricke, North, Hughes, Morley (fell-ex), 59.3 (15-15).
Ht 6: Janowski, Kennett, Lawson, Holder (rtd), 59.5 (18-18).
Ht 7: Jonsson, Watt, Gomolski, Nilsson, 58.4 (21-21).
Ht 8: Lawson, Newman (r/c), North, Bowen, 60.0 (24-24).
Ht 9: Newman, Fricke, Gomolski, Hughes (fell-ex), 60.2 (26-28).
Ht 10: Kennett, Holder, Newman (r/c), Nilsson, 58.9 (29-31).
Ht 11: Watt, Jonsson, Fricke, Janowski (rtd), 59.6 (32-34). 
Ht 12: Newman, Morley, Bowen, Hughes, 61.3 (33-39). 
Ht 13: Holder, Newman (r/c), Nilsson, Jonsson (ex), 59.6 (34-44). 
Ht 14: Lawson, Watt, Gomolski, Kennett, 59.7 (37-47).
Ht 15: Jonsson, Watt, Holder, Lawson, (40-50).

Star rider - Kyle Newman

If you could bottle Kyle Newman’s tenacity, you’d make a packet from speedway promoters.

The Poole-raised charger put in a composed performance to lead his team to four precious points, a yield that could prove decisive in the final standings following Coventry’s walloping.

Granted, the opposition was not up to much at reserve but such was Newman’s poise, team manager Neil Middleditch twice threw him in against heat leaders.

He repaid the faith in spades, scoring in all seven races and twice trumping home heat-leader Kim Nilsson. 

Rapidly working his way towards a top-five berth in the Elite League.