COVENTRY boss Gary Havelock absolved Poole Pirates of any blame over Monday's controversially abandoned clash and instead pointed the finger at meeting co-ordinator Peter Clarke.

Poole's 36-22 win at the Brandon Stadium stood despite the rain-soaked meeting being abandoned after 10 heats.

Havelock revealed he had instructed Bees riders Chris Harris and Joonas Kylmakorpi not to take part in what proved to be the final race on safety grounds. The trio were fined £375 each – the maximum financial sanction available to referees.

Havelock told the Daily Echo: "By the time we got to heats six and seven, my riders were saying the track was pretty dicey.

"The match referee (Christina Turnbull) could not come and inspect the track because the meeting co-ordinator, another referee in the pits, has jurisdiction for televised meetings. I must have asked him (Clarke) five or six times to inspect the track but he simply refused.

"There is no blame attached to Poole at all. They did what they had to and got all the points. Fair play to them.

"The meeting should have been called off after heat six or seven, certainly after heat eight when it got ridiculous.

"Speedway is dangerous enough sport in the dry. It is alright for referees who have never ridden a speedway bike to send us out there but they haven't eaten as much hospital food as I have."

On the fine, Havelock added: "They went straight in for the jugular with that one."

The Daily Echo was unable to reach Mr Clarke directly and received no comment following initial contact with the Speedway Control Bureau (SCB).