TRY telling Matt Ford and Neil Middleditch that the taking part is more important than the winning.

Since the duo climbed aboard at Pirates ahead of the 1999 season, it has been more a case of what Poole haven’t won than what they have.

In pictures: All our images from last night >>>

Seven Elite League titles, five Knockout Cups, three Elite Shields, three Craven Shields, one British League Cup, three Elite League Pairs titles and three Elite League Riders’ Championships.


In a sport which penalises success in order to create a level playing field, it’s a phenomenal haul.

When you consider that Ford took over at a failing club, using borrowed finance in the process, the status of the achievement goes from highly impressive to monumental.

These days, the notion of Poole finishing the season without a trophy is almost unthinkable. In fact, the last campaign in which Pirates failed to win anything was 2005 and of the 17 seasons that promoter Ford and team boss Middleditch have been involved, Poole have ended just three without silverware.

Belle Vue, a famous club in their own right, were the latest team to be sent home disappointed as Pirates wrote another chapter in their enviable history last night.

Until then, no club had won three Elite League titles in a row and not since 1972 had three straight top-flight crowns been achieved – by the Aces no less.

Now, of course, Pirates have succeeded on both counts, becoming just the fourth club in British speedway to achieve three straight.

And you can bet your bottom dollar that when 2016 rolls round, the talk will be about whether four on the spin is conceivable. Wimbledon Dons managed it in the old National League in 1961 as did Belle Vue pre-World War Two, while Wembley Lions completed five in a row in 1953.

With any other club, it might seem fanciful to speculate about the possibility of such things. But with Poole Pirates, not so. In modern speedway, they are an exceptional club.

To the meeting. Pirates entered last night’s Elite League play-off final second leg locked at 46-46, courtesy of a mixed but useful display at Kirkmanshulme Lane on Monday.

The hosts got off to the perfect start in front of a raucous crowd when dependable Aussie duo Davey Watt and Chris Holder settled nerves with a comfortable maximum.

Another 5-1 followed after Paul Starke and Kyle Newman had smoothly negotiated a route past Steve Worrall, who had gated fastest.

Craig Cook showed his battling qualities in a thrilling heat three, the Aces charger leaving it until the closing metres to nip past Polish star Maciej Janowski for second.

And Belle Vue grabbed a maximum next time out when Scott Nicholls and Stefan Nielsen outmuscled their opposite numbers in the first turn.

It took a final-bend swoop from Watt to prevent another maximum for the visitors but when another 4-2 followed thanks in part to the flying Cook, Belle Vue were just two points behind.

Josh Grajczonek and Nicholls occupied the central placings next to deny Pirates a heat advantage for the fourth race in succession, with Holder trailing at the back.

Pirates were in desperate need of a couple of big performances and Kacper Gomolski and Newman duly delivered, keeping out Max Fricke for a third home 5-1.

Nicholls was the class act in a spread-out heat nine in which honours were shared before a cracking contest sent fans into hysteria.

Matej Zagar flew out ahead of Janowski and after the Pirates skipper chopped inside to hit the front on lap two, Zagar pushed his fellow Grand Prix star all the way to the finish.

Cook then spearheaded a 4-2 which brought Belle Vue to within six points but the home side kept their opponents at arm’s length with a 3-3 in the second all-reserves’ race.

A jet-propelled start from Janowski allowed the Wroclaw-born rider to see off Cook and Zagar before Pirates wrapped up the title in a blockbuster heat 14.

Dakota North’s spill meant Gomolski had to cling on to first to win his team the crown and the second-stringer kept his head to send Wimborne Road into raptures.

An Aces 5-1 in the final heat proved academic as the Pirates party had already started.

RIDERS' SCORES AND HEAT DETAILS

Pirates 46 (92): 1 Chris Holder (2*-0-2-0) 4+1, 2 Davey Watt (3-2-2-0) 7, 3 Dakota North (3-2-1-f) 6, 4 Kacper Gomolski (1-0-3-3-0) 7, 5 Maciej Janowski (1-3-3-3-1) 11, 6 Paul Starke (3-0-1*-0) 4+1, 7 Kyle Newman (2*-0-2*-3) 7+2. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Aces 44 (90): 1 Matej Zagar (1-1-2-1*) 5+1, 2 Max Fricke (0-3-1-0) 4, 3 Josh Grajczonek (0-2-1-2) 5, 4 Scott Nicholls (3-1*-3-1*-2*) 10+3, 5 Craig Cook (2-3-3-2-3) 13, 6 Steve Worrall (1-1-0-1*) 3+1, 7 Stefan Nielsen (0-2*-0-2) 4+1. Team manager: Mark Lemon.

Ht 1: Watt, Holder, Zagar, Fricke, 59.56 (5-1, 51-47)

Ht 2: Starke, Newman, Worrall, Nielsen, 60.16 (10-2, 56-48)

Ht 3: North, Cook, Janowski, Grajczonek, 60.21 (14-4, 60-50)

Ht 4: Nicholls, Nielsen, Gomolski, Newman, 60.47 (15-9, 61-55)

Ht 5 (re-run): Fricke, Watt, Worrall, Starke, 60.34 (17-13, 63-59)

Ht 6: Cook, North, Zagar, Gomolski, 60.46 (19-17, 65-63)

Ht 7: Janowski, Grajczonek, Nicholls, Holder, 60.03 (22-20, 68-66)

Ht 8: Gomolski, Newman, Fricke, Worrall, 60.94 (27-21, 73-67)

Ht 9: Nicholls, Watt, Starke, Nielsen, 59.50 (30-24, 76-70)

Ht 10: Janowski, Zagar, North, Fricke, 60.59 (34-26, 80-72)

Ht 11: Cook, Holder, Grajczonek, Watt, 59.47 (36-30, 82-76)

Ht 12: Newman, Nielsen, Worrall, Starke, 61.66 (39-33, 85-79)

Ht 13: Janowski, Cook, Zagar, Holder, 60.47 (42-36, 88-82)

Ht 14: Gomolski, Grajczonek, Nicholls, North (fell), 61.63 (45-39, 91-85)

Ht 15: Cook, Nicholls, Janowski, Gomolski, 59.75 (46-44, 92-90)

ECHO STAR RIDER – KACPER GOMOLSKI

Gomolski arrived at the second leg of the final battered and bruised but produced seven of the most vital points of his Pirates career.

The Pole was under immense pressure in heat 14 following Dakota North’s crash but kept his cool to remain in front of Josh Grajczonek and Scott Nicholls, winning Pirates the crown in the process.

And Gomolski gave a display of showmanship in heat 15 with a string of wheelies to round off his memorable evening.