PIRATES produced an impressive away performance as they powered to a 50-40 victory on the Road at Redcar.

The Dorset club lowered the colours of the Bears on their own shale for the first time in 2022, thanks to key contributions from Danny King (10+1), Richard Lawson (10+1) and Drew Kemp (10+2).

The result meant Poole picked up four league points in the defence of their SGB Championship Crown.

Pirates went into the contest with away team boss Gary Havelock in charge for the first time this season.

The former world champion, based in Middlesbrough, spent several years of his British career with the Bears.

It was Pirates who drew first blood in the north east with a race advantage in heat one.

Poole skipper King led from the front with Charles Wright failing to catch him in pursuit. Zach Cook picked up a point for third for Poole after a neat move saw him slip under Adam Roynon.

Kemp started his night’s work with a victory over Redcar’s Jason Edwards and Jordan Jenkins in a shared reserves’ heat.

Kemp was then thrust into action once again after Ben Cook was given a tapes exclusion in race three.

Teaming up with Steve Worrall, the three-time British under-19 champion recorded back-to-back victories in a huge 5-1 for the visitors. Poole led 12-6.

Poole’s Richard Lawson opened his account with a race win in a level heat four. Redcar then finally got their first race winner in heat five when Erik Riss got the better of King and Zach Cook in the minor placings.

Riss was brought in as a tactical substitute for the hosts in heat six but it was a ding-dong battle between Lawson and Wright for the chequered flag.

Lawson, coming off gate two, eventually swept up the inside of Wright to take command, with Kemp just missing out on the line for third behind Riss.

Still in fine form, Worrall forced Lewis Kerr out wide to stamp his authority in race seven. Ben Cook was trailing at the back behind Jenkins.

Zach Cook then showed great speed to surge up the inside of Edwards and help Poole to a level heat eight. Pirates led 27-21 at the second track grading.

Lawson had to work hard to pass Kasper Andersen after he had lost the lead in heat 10 – the Poole charger battled back to make it a hat-trick of victories in another 3-3.

The run of level races was then broken as Redcar reduced to four points the deficit. Wright blitzed round the outside of Ben Cook and Worrall was left trailing behind Roynon after missing the start.

King then had to battle from the back in race 11 to occupy the minor placings with Zach Cook. The Pirates skipper tried one sweeping move up to the line but failed to catch race winner Kerr.

Poole then turned the screw and sealed a decisive 5-1 in heat 12. Worrall blasted round the outside to take the chequered flag and Kemp was allowed room to go up the inside of Riss.

Redcar kept their hopes alive with a heat advantage in heat 13. Wright took the race win ahead of King, with Kerr holding out Lawson, who was made to trail at the back on a rare occasion.

But Pirates wrapped up the meeting in the penultimate race of the night.

A reserve change with Kemp replacing Nathan Ablitt paid dividends for the visitors. Kemp paired up with Ben Cook to get the better of Andersen and Jenkins.

Wright finished the evening with a race win but with King and Lawson in second and third, Pirates held a 10-point margin of victory.

Pirates 50: Danny King 10+1, Zach Cook 7+1, Steve Worrall 8+1, Ben Cook 5, Richard Lawson 10+1, Drew Kemp 10+2, Nathan Ablitt 0.

Redcar 40: Charles Wright 13, Adam Roynon 2+1, Erik Riss 6+2, Kasper Andersen 4, Lewis Kerr 8, Jordan Jenkins 2+2, Jason Edwards 5+1.