PIRATES captain Bjarne Pedersen paid tribute to Jason Crump after they had pulled off a last-heat 5-1 to finally send Swindon home empty handed last night.

A late charge by table-topping Robins saw them trail by only three points going into the final race after they had cut back a 12-point deficit with five heats to go.

It meant Pedersen and Crump, handicapped by a swollen knee, needed at least a 3-3 to win on the night and take the bonus.

They made no mistake, getting out in front of Lee Richardson and Leigh Adams before going on to seal Poole Castle Cover's first win in four league clashes against Swindon this year.

Pedersen said: "We knew a 3-3 would be enough but we wanted to win the last race.

"We got quite a good start. Jason was inside and I moved wide out to the fence.

"I just needed two laps to build up my speed and Jason was great. He left space for me on those first two circuits, which was just what I needed.

"He looked after me until I was up to speed and we managed to keep Leigh behind us.

"It's great we have beaten Swindon at last."

Victory moved Pirates to within three points of Swindon at the top and level with Coventry.

So the Dorset club are still in with a shout of a top-two finish and coveted home draw in the play-offs despite pre-meeting admissions that they will probably finish third.

With the Bees at Wimborne Road next Wednesday, Poole could do with an eight-point triumph to pick up the bonus and then it's all down to the respective clubs' away form in the run-in.

Pirates showed they can't be ruled out of the title race, though, with a brilliant start in front of a bumper 5,500 crowd - the biggest for a regular mid-season league fixture at Poole in the past 20 years.

The stadium was buzzing with anticipation, and the riders didn't let anyone down.

Right from the off, when Pedersen beat Adams in a heat one thriller it was always destined to be a spectacular meeting.

It was even after Pirates had fired in six 4-2s in the opening nine races to lead 33-21.

A 3-3 followed, with Richardson outgating Troy Batchelor and Pedersen to provide the Robins' first race winner.

Then Poole, seemingly cruising to a comfortable success, were rocked when Jason Doyle fell on his own on the third lap when ahead of tactical rider Adams and Mads Korneliussen.

Doyle had burst past Adams on the second bend to force his way in front.

But just as it looked like the young Pirate would claim a major scalp, he lost control, gifting Swindon an 8-1 that dragged them back into contention.

Crump had to dig deep to pass Richardson on the second lap to win heat 12, and when Pedersen and Kennett got a 4-2 over Adams in race 13 it looked game over again as Pirates led 44-37.

No-one had told Tomasz Chrzanowski and Korneliussen that though, as Craig Boyce lost a back straight battle for first place with the Pole that slowed him down and allowed the Dane to pass him on the inside into second spot.

Swindon's shock 5-1 forced a last-heat decider for all the points, but Crump and Pedersen were coolness personified as they clinched victory.