THROUGH THE TAPES – JUNE 9 2010

STRUGGLING Ipswich gave Pirates a big wake-up call as they became the first opposition side to reach the 40-point barrier at Wimborne Road in the 2010 campaign.

Bottom-of-the-table Witches arrived with most home fans expecting at least a repeat of Poole’s 63-30 romp over the Suffolk outfit on May 12.

But with Scott Nicholls and Robert Miskowiak both on fire, and Danny King also winning a race, the basement boys were a completely different proposition as they doggedly kept it tight until heat eight.

It was only in the second half that title favourites Pirates began to look like the same team that had walloped everyone else on their way to 10 successive home league triumphs, eventually triumphing 52-40.

If Witches had not lost the services of Oliver Allen, who fell on the fourth turn after being hit from behind by Darcy Ward in heat one, they might even have got closer to Pirates.

Pirates: 1 Chris Holder 8+1, 2 Darcy Ward 7+1, 3 Bjarne Pedersen 9+1, 4 Artur Mroczka 3+1, 5 Davey Watt 9+2, 6 Leon Madsen 10, 7 Jason Doyle 6+1.