DANNY King proved the star both on the bike and with the rake as Poole Pirates overcame a lengthy delay due to track concerns to maintain their unbeaten home record in the SGB Championship.

The meeting against Birmingham was halted for around 40 minutes, after the third heat when Brummies ace James Shanes fell on bend four.

Pirates utilised the track grading blade and their own captain King, who helped to rake over the area to try and make it safe for racing again.

And when it was deemed ready to continue, Poole took a grip of the meeting, going on to win 57-33, with King posting a maximum on the night, ably supported by Steve Worrall (12).

Pirates owner Matt Ford was in town to join the side for the pre-meeting track walk and saw his team begin the night well with race wins in each of the first two heats from Rory Schlein and Ben Cook, before the dramatic third heat.

Towards the end of lap two, Birmingham’s Shanes fell at the back and although the result was awarded, with dynamic duo Worrall and Stefan Nielsen collecting Poole’s first maximum of the night, a long delay ensued for emergency track works.

After more than half an hour without any action, a period which included Pirates skipper King taking a rake to the track himself and Schlein trying out some practice laps over the affected area, racing returned.

And King immediately showed his class when he got back on the bike, winning heat four.

Birmingham got their first race win of the night via Erik Riss, before Chris Harris followed suit in heat six.

But Pirates opened up a gap thanks to a maximum from King and Cook in the following race, the hosts going 27-15 ahead.

Danyon Hume and Benjamin Basso split the Brummies pair for a shared heat eight, before Worrall claimed his second race win of the night to open up a 14-point advantage.

Shanes fell for the second time of the evening in the following heat, and after being excluded from the rerun, Schlein and Basso rode home for a Pirates maximum.

King continued his stellar night with victory ahead of Riss and tactical sub Harris in heat 11, before the meeting win was secured as Worrall led home a shared heat 12.

Pirates skipper King racked up a fourth race success from four attempts in the following heat, before heat wins from Cook and King to add further gloss to the victory.

Championship leaders Poole are back in action on Wednesday, for the reverse fixture against Birmingham.

Pirates 57: Schlein 8+1, Basso 5+2, Worrall 12, Nielsen 5+2, King 15, Cook 8+1, Hume 4.

Birmingham 33: Riss 9, Grobauer 1+1, Shanes 1, Morris 2, Harris 8+1, Castagna 4, Thomas 8+1.