STEVE Worrall once again recorded a paid maximum as Pirates saw off the threat of Newcastle Diamonds 58-32 at Wimborne Road.

Worrall, who also sealed a paid maximum against Birmingham at Poole last time out, picked up 13+2. Danny King also impressed with 13+1 for Neil Middleditch’s men.

Pirates went into the contest against the Diamonds having not lost a home meeting since September 2019 – a record which stretched back 21 meetings.

Newcastle were without number one Bradley Wilson-Dean, meaning Kyle Howarth came in as a guest booking.

And it was Howarth who got off to a flyer in heat one. He led home Poole skipper King, with Zach Cook’s error allowing Matthew Wethers the chance to pick up third and put the visitors ahead.

Drew Kemp opened his night’s work with a tapes-to-flag win in the reserves’ heat. With Newcastle’s Lee Complin, back in the sport after a 10-year absence, passing Nathan Ablitt to seal second.

Pirates then started to turn on the style. Worrall and Ben Cook teamed up for a 5-1 in heat three before drama ensued in race four.

With Richard Lawson out in front and Poole on a 3-3, former Pirate Paul Starke’s bike packed up and Newcastle’s George Congreve hit the deck. That allowed Ablitt to pick up second with Congreve remounting to take third.

Former Diamond Worrall then got the better of Howarth, with Wethers’s bike then failing, allowing Ben Cook to grab third. Poole led 20-10.

Pirates continued to turn the screw – despite the best efforts of Complin in race six. The gritty Yorkshireman had gated ahead of Pirates’ duo King and Zach Cook, before the hosts eventually wore him down to seal another 5-1.

A tactical substitution from Newcastle then paid dividends in race seven. Howarth joined up with James Wright to team ride their way to a 5-1 ahead of Lawson and Kemp.

Zach Cook was gone from the gate in a shared heat eight which saw Ablitt pick himself up off the shale.

Worrall sealed his third win on the night, teaming up with Ben Cook to grab another 5-1 in heat nine – Poole led 34-20. King took the chequered flag ahead of Wright and Max Clegg in a shared race 10.

Plucky Newcastle stuck to the task and sealed another maximum in heat 11. Howarth and Wethers shut the door on the attempt from Kemp to get past them, reducing to 10 points the deficit.

But Poole hit back with a 5-1 of their own in heat 12. Drew Kemp and Worrall were on the pace to see off the threat of Wright and Complin, who himself then suffered a mechanical problem.

Lawson took the chequered flag and was joined by King for another home maximum. Former British champion King roared round the outside of Howarth on bend two.

Pirates were dominant. Ben Cook and Drew Kemp earned a maximum with ease in the penultimate race, before King and Worrall sealed a one-two in the finale.

Pirates 58: Danny King 13+1, Zach Cook 5+1, Steve Worrall 13+2, Ben Cook 8+2, Richard Lawson 7, Drew Kemp 9+1, Nathan Ablitt 3+1.

Newcastle 32: Kyle Howarth 12+1, Matthew Wethers 4+2, James Wright 7, Max Clegg 2+1, Paul Starke 1, Lee Complin 5, George Congreve 1.