FREDDIE Eriksson made a point of labelling Travis McGowan a "man of honour" after pulling off an almost unbelievable move by storming outside the Swindon rider on the fourth turn last night.
McGowan led the Poole man expertly for almost three laps and had not put a foot wrong in heat 14 of an absorbing Sky televised clash.
When the Robin went wide on the fourth bend third time round there looked to be no way past for Eriksson.
But Fast Freddie' had other ideas as he somehow found the extra grip even wider out than McGowan to blast through the narrowest of gaps between the Swindon man and the safety fence.
Eriksson went on to take the chequered flag in style, but there was more to come as his team-mate Adam Skornicki cut inside luckless McGowan at the same place on the last lap to snatch second.
McGowan must have thought what more can I do?' because he had ridden an almost perfect line and probably deserved to win the race.
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But the hard-earned Poole 5-1 ensured they toppled the league leaders and kept them in the top four.
Eriksson's brave effort also outshone the return to Pirates of Krzysztof Kasprzak, whose fast gating earned him 10 points at the beginning of his one-month comeback in place of injured Bjarne Pedersen.
Looking back on his memorable duel with McGowan, Eriksson said: "I tried so many times to cut back inside to get past Travis but didn't make it.
"I just thought it's now or never, go for a big one' and fortunately it worked out.
"Travis was out there in the dirt. But he did the right thing, not knocking me into the fence.
"He was riding with honour. He understands the sport and the riders. I appreciate that kind of riding. I'm just getting frustrated I can't get out of the starts. I make it harder for myself as that race showed.
"I really want to beat the top guys but it's harder to do it from behind. I must get out quicker from the gate."
Eriksson and Skornicki's special antics summed up injury-depleted Pirates' team spirit and helped wipe out their shock 58-32 Craven Shield semi-final defeat at Coventry.
They did it in the best possible way by never seriously looking threatened by Swindon, whose uninspiring performance must have left many television viewers around the country, not just Poole fans, wondering why the Robins are so far ahead at the top.
With Leigh Adams, Sebastian Alden and Mads Korneliussen only seriously bothering Pirates, the home side showed they can still be involved in a title tilt if they begin to get a bit of good luck instead of bad.
Injuries have crippled them, but 14-point Chris Holder, fill-in man Kasprzak and Davey Watt continue to make Wimborne Road a fortress.
If Pirates can bring in the right replacements for injured Zbigniew Suchecki and Karol Zabik, who looks as though he will be replaced, at least for a while, they can still have a major say in the championship race.
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