MAXIMUM man Steve Worrall explained how Benjamin Basso's stunning heat eight victory inspired Poole Pirates to complete their comeback win over Leicester Lions.

Trailing by eight points from the first leg of their Knockout Cup semi-final, Pirates had made no ground going into heat eight, with the meeting locked at 21-21 on the night.

Leicester looked like they were about to pull further clear in what turned out to be the race of the night.

After Danyon Hume had been warned for an unsatisfactory start, the rising star began well in the re-run.

Sitting in second spot, splitting the Leicester pair of Kyle Howarth and Zaine Kennedy, Hume was reeled in to leave the visitors eyeing up a second consecutive maximum.

However, Basso had other ideas. The popular Dane set off on a quest from last to first, storming through the pack, including a sensational pass up the inside to overtake Lions skipper Howarth and secure the race win.

While that heat was shared, it sparked a dramatic late surge from the hosts.

After the track grading pause, Pirates recorded five maximums from the remaining seven heats, with the other two shared, to overturn the eight-point deficit and triumph 96-84 on aggregate to move into the cup final.

Worrall, who played a key role in the revival with five race wins from five, highlighted Basso's brilliant victory as a key moment on the night.

The Merseysider said: "We look at our programme of rides and you’re trying to match each rider up.

"Every heat looked like it could go the way of a 3-3. When we were all level, 21 apiece at one point, I went and checked the programme and I was looking at it thinking, we’ve got to make eight points here.

"That (Basso's win) is all it takes.

"One good heat brings some inspiration and brings a bit of fire. The pass from Ben, it was a great race.

"After that we slowly, slowly pulled away."

Worrall has been Pirates' number three all season, but is set to take the number one jersey from the start of October for the business end of the campaign, replacing Rory Schlein after overtaking him on the averages.

Fittingly, Worrall ended his stint at three with a 15-point maximum, secured by passing Schlein on the final bend of heat 15 as the baton was handed over.

"It’s nice to finally get that 15 points," said Worrall.

"A lot of times I’ve gone through the four heat wins and then messed it up in heat 15 for whatever reason.

"But Rory was so good on the inside. If he wasn’t there, it would’ve been a struggle.

"But it was a good team performance by everyone. It’s a great win."

Pirates will face either Edinburgh Monarchs or Glasgow Tigers in the Knockout Cup final.

They are chasing a league and cup double, with their play-off semi-final opponents still yet to be confirmed.