POOLE’S hard work on their travels was spectacularly undone as they crashed to a third straight home loss for the first time since 2005.

Swindon triumphed 56-36 – their second victory in Dorset this season – as Pirates found themselves outclassed and outpaced from the tapes.

It has been 12 seasons since Poole endured such misery on home shale. Losses against Peterborough on August 15, Coventry on August 31 and Ipswich on September 7 in 2005 were the last time they sustained three consecutive defeats at Wimborne Road.

And the result was made even more frustrating for Pirates after victories at King’s Lynn last Thursday and Wolverhampton on Monday, which appeared to signal an upturn in fortunes.

Pirates are clearly feeling the absence of Brady Kurtz due to injury as new signings Timo Lahti and Richie Worrall work to get to grips with the Poole track. But their lack of a high-scoring star at number one is proving most painful.

The hosts began on the back foot despite an impressive start to his home debut by Swedish international Lahti in heat one. With Swindon’s Tobiasz Musielak charging clear, Lahti worked wonders in second to fend off Grand Prix star Jason Doyle.

That did not stop the home fans venting their anger at another woeful ride from Krzysztof Kasprzak, with his name loudly booed when he was announced as the fourth-place finisher.

The Poole faithful were fuming again in race two, when Robins reserve Adam Ellis rolled prior to the tapes lifting. But with the Brit stationary at the vital moment, referee Ronnie Allan allowed the action to continue as Ellis led Zach Wajtknecht to a 4-2 over Paul Starke and James Shanes. Ellis copped an official warning for his over-zealousness.

Poole star Richie Worrall suffered a painful start to race three when he was sent wide by Robins’ Bradley Wilson-Dean on turn one, before being T-boned by partner Jack Holder.

Both men walked away but were unable to stop Wilson-Dean and David Bellego claiming a 5-1, despite a huge challenge from Worrall, as the visitors went 13-5 up.

Pirates needed some heroics to stop the rot in heat four and it came from an unlikely source. Disaster struck when skipper Hans Andersen retired on bend two but reserve James Shanes took up the lead.

He clung to the white line with Aussie international Nick Morris roaring around the outside, the Puddletown-based flier holding on to lift the mood dramatically and earn a thunderous ovation.

Swindon moved 10 points up with a commanding win from Doyle in race five, with Musielak seeing off Worrall for third.

Kasprzak redeemed himself for his opening struggles with a far better start and victory over Morris and Ellis in race six.

With Poole still 10 adrift, Andersen was handed the black and white helmet cover for a tactical ride in heat seven. A poor start left him chasing Robins pair Bellego and Wilson-Dean, and the Dane could only overhaul the Kiwi at the start of lap two, doubling two points to four to split the race 4-4.

Shanes produced another stunning start in race eight. He was quickly forced aside by Musielak but secured second ahead of Wajtknecht, as Lahti finished fourth and Pirates went 12 behind.

Worrall trapped well in heat nine but could not stop Morris from getting the better of him to hold Swindon’s advantage.

After two last places, Lahti bounced back with a confident win in race 10 but Pirates failed to eat into Robins’ lead with Kasprzak unable to find a way past Wilson-Dean for third.

Doyle extended Swindon’s lead with victory over Andersen in heat 11. Andersen kept his cool in second with Musielak snapping at his back wheel and nearly collecting him on lap two.

Ellis put the meeting beyond Poole with a win over Holder in race 12, which saw Shanes crash on turn one but quickly remount.

The young Brit’s effort could not be questioned and neither could that of Andersen, who powered to a great win over Doyle in heat 13. But with Morris easily charging past Kasprzak for third, calls on the terraces for the Pole to be given his marching orders grew even louder.

Bellego got the verdict over Starke in heat 14, before Pirates completed a poor night without a single heat advantage when Andersen and Holder conceded a 5-1 to Bellego and Morris in race 15.

RIDERS' SCORES AND HEAT DETAILS

Pirates 36: 1 Krzysztof Kasprzak (0-3-0-0) 3, 2 Timo Lahti (2-0-0-3) 5, 3 Jack Holder (0-2-1*-2-1) 6+1, 4 Richie Worrall (1-0-2-1*) 4+1, 5 Hans Andersen (r-4^-2-3-1) 10, 6 Paul Starke (2-0-0-2) 4, 7 James Shanes (0-3-2-0fr) 5.

Swindon 56: 1 Jason Doyle (1-3-3-2) 9, 2 Tobiasz Musielak (3-1-3-1) 8, 3 Bradley Wilson-Dean (3-1-1*-1)6+1 , 4 David Bellego (2*-3-2-3-3) 13+1, 5 Nick Morris (2-2-3-1*-2*) 10+2, 6 Adam Ellis (3-1*-0-3) 7+1, 7 Zach Wajtknecht (1-1*-1-0) 3+1.

HT 1: Musielak, Lahti, Doyle, Kasprzak, 60.93 (2-4)

HT 2: Ellis, Starke, Wajtknecht, Shanes, 59.94 (4-8)

HT 3 (re-run): Wilson-Dean, Bellego, Worrall, Holder, 61.71 (5-13)

HT 4: Shanes, Morris, Wajtknecht, Andersen (retired), 61.56 (8-16)

HT 5: Doyle, Holder, Musielak, Worrall, 60.97 (10-20)

HT 6 (re-run): Kasprzak, Morris, Ellis, Lahti, 61.13 (13-23)

HT 7: Bellego, Andersen (tactical), Wilson-Dean, Starke, 61.57 (17-27)

HT 8: Musielak, Shanes, Wajtknecht, Lahti, 61.62 (19-31)

HT 9: Morris, Worrall, Holder, Ellis 61.57 (22-34)

HT 10: Lahti, Bellego, Wilson-Dean, Kasprzak, 61.47 (25-37)

HT 11: Doyle, Andersen, Musielak, Starke, 60.68 (27-41)

HT 12: Ellis, Holder, Wilson-Dean, Shanes (fell/rem), 60.97 (29-45)

HT 13: Andersen, Doyle, Morris, Kasprzak, 61.22 (32-48)

HT 14: Bellego, Starke, Worrall, Wajtknecht, 62.03 (35-51)

HT 15: Bellego, Morris, Andersen, Holder, 62.13 (36-56)

ECHO STAR RIDER: JAMES SHANES

THE Puddletown charger’s heat four ride was a thing of beauty.

Placed under severe pressure following the early retirement of Hans Andersen, Shanes gritted his teeth and refused to let up on the power.

Chased hard by Nick Morris, the top-flight rookie showed superb nerve to hold on in testing circumstances.

He put in bags of effort throughout the meeting and deserved his five points.

Aside from that, it was a fairly miserable night.