PIRATES pocketed a useful point at Coventry but were left frustrated having been in front or level for most of the night.

Ultimately, a rare off night for Hans Andersen came home to roost with Bjarne Pedersen’s morale-boosting 13-paid-14 from seven rides not quite enough for victory.

Chris Holder, fresh from his free-scoring exploits against Lakeside on Wednesday, made a dream gate in a shared opener.

Pedersen cruised home in heat two with Poole stand-in Ellis Perks passing fellow guest David Bellego to nudge the visitors ahead.

Pirates were on a 5-1 from the gate in heat three but Chris Harris soon picked off Andersen before a late twist of the throttle from Danny King consigned the Dane to last. Krzysztof Buczkowski comfortably claimed the chequered flag.

Josh Bates looked impressive in becoming the first Coventry winner of the night but Brady Kurtz and the plucky Perks ensured a third shared heat.

Pedersen was largely untroubled by Ben Barker with Adam Ellis just seeing off Bellego to move Pirates four points ahead.

But the hard work unravelled when Poole’s big guns, Holder and Andersen, were easily beaten by Brits Bates and King and the visitors were unable to return the favour in heat seven as Kasprzak and Harris got the better of Buczkowski and Kurtz.

Matters got worse as Pedersen was sent back 15 metres for crossing the centre green but Ellis carried the fight, beating the in-form Bates while Pedersen got the better of Roynon at the back on lap four.

Pedersen immediately took the opportunity to make amends when sent out for heat nine, following home Kurtz after Barker’s failed attempt at the high and wide route.

Ellis was disqualified for a fall while third on lap two but Holder survived a dying motor to secure a 3-3 in the re-run of heat 10.

After some heavy track watering, Kasprzak stormed to victory with Andersen’s fall continuing his night to forget. Buczkowski passed Barker to take second.

Perks passed Bellego at the back to reinstate Poole’s slender advantage with Pedersen entrusted to replace Andersen in heat 13 on the back of a third win.

The Danish veteran hit the front with Holder but it was short lived as Kasprzak powered past Holder to win and Harris pinched third to level the scores once more.

King’s first win of the night retained parity in a race awarded after backmarker Bates's fall on lap three and it was the British champion who had the last laugh.

He led Kasprzak home as Coventry bagged a comfortable maximum in the decider against Pedersen and Holder.

ECHO STAR RIDER – KRZYSZTOF BUCZKOWSKI

Despite Bjarne Pedersen’s renaissance, most would expect the Dane to post strong scores with the number six on his back and from the others, Buczkowski came closest to making a match-winning contribution.

On a night of mixed fortunes for the visitors, the Pole was solid and brought home the points he would have been expected to. 

Perhaps he had hoped for more after showing Danny King and Chris Harris a clean pair of heels in his opener.

But had his colleagues matched his steady scoring, Poole would have been celebrating a precious three points on the road.

RIDER SCORES

Coventry 47: 1 Krzysztof Kasprzak (2-3-3-3-2*) 13+1, 2 Ben Barker (1*-2-1-1) 5+1, 3 Danny King (1*-2*-1*-3-3) 10+3, 4 Josh Bates (3-3-2-f) 8, 5 Chris Harris (2-2*-2-1) 7+1, 6 David Bellego (guest) (0-0-0-0) 0, 7 Adam Roynon (2-0-0-2) 4. Team manager: Gary Havelock. 

Pirates 43: 1 Chris Holder (3-0-3-2-0) 8, 2 Adam Ellis (0-1-3-fx) 4, 3 Krzysztof Buczkowski (3-1-2-2) 8, 4 Brady Kurtz (2-0-3-1*) 6+1, 5 Hans Andersen (0-1-0) 1, 6 Bjarne Pedersen (3-3-1-2*-3-0-1) 13+1, 7 Ellis Perks (guest) (1-1*-1) 3+1. Team manager: Neil Middleditch. 

HEAT DETAILS

Ht 1: Holder, Kasprzak, Barker, Ellis (3-3)
Ht 2: Pedersen, Roynon, Perks, Bellego (5-7)
Ht 3: Buczkowski, Harris, King, Andersen (8-10)
Ht 4: Bates, Kurtz, Perks, Roynon (11-13)
Ht 5: Pedersen, Barker, Ellis, Bellego (13-17)
Ht 6: Bates, King, Andersen, Holder (18-18)
Ht 7: Kasprzak, Harris, Buczkowski, Kurtz (23-19)
Ht 8: Ellis, Bates, Pedersen (15m), Roynon (25-23)
Ht 9: Kurtz, Pedersen, Barker, Bellego (26-28)
Ht 10: (re-run) Holder, Harris, King, Ellis (fell /excluded) (29-31)
Ht 11: Kasprzak, Buczkowski, Barker, Andersen (33-33)
Ht 12: Pedersen, Roynon, Perks, Bellego (35-37)
Ht 13: Kasprzak, Holder, Harris, Pedersen (39-39)
Ht 14: King, Buczkowski, Kurtz, Bates (fell, awarded) (42-42)
Ht 15: King, Kasprzak, Pedersen, Holder (47-43)

Elite League points: Coventry Bees 3 Poole Pirates 1.