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Poole Pirates have won the Elite League for the third successive season after overcoming Belle Vue Aces in an entertaining meeting at Wimborne Road.
Poole manager Neil Middleditch dedicated the victory to Australia star Darcy Ward, who suffered a severe injury in August while on loan at Swindon Robins.
Poole Pirates 46-44 Belle Vue Aces (Poole win 92-90 on aggregate)
After a hugely entertaining first leg at Kirkmanshulme Lane in which both sides drew with the Aces coming from thirteen points behind, Poole began as they did on Monday with the hosts dominating in the early stages.
Poole led 14-4 at one point, but the Aces once again clawed their way back, and it wasn’t until the penultimate heat that Poole secured the win.
Kacper Gomolski secured the win with the heat victory in 14, holding off Josh Grajczonek after Dakota North had fallen.
And the Aces final heat 5-1 wasn’t enough as Poole stormed to their third successive Elite League title.
Pirates captain Maciej Janowski won three of his races, earning eleven points, whilst Craig Cook and Scott Nicholls both earned a paid thirteen in an around impressive display from the Aces.
Middleditch said: “The number that is on all our minds at present is 43 which is Darcy Ward’s racing number, and it was 43 years since Belle Vue achieved the treble.
“If you add four and three together it makes seven and this is our seventh league title so I am convinced our names were on the title since Darcy’s tragic accident in August.”
Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “It’s hard to be disappointed with tonight. The determination, the efforts, the resilience and the character that these boys have put in over the two legs has been quite remarkable.
“I wouldn’t even say we were beaten by a better team. We were beaten by a team who had more luck than we did and for everything we put into this Grand Final, that’s kind of heartbreaking.
“But that’s speedway, and that’s racing. There’s no more I can say for the riders and how they conducted themselves. The disappointment they must be feeling now, my heart bleeds for them.”
POOLE PIRATES 46: Maciej Janowski 11, Kyle Newman 7+2, Davey Watt 7, Kacper Gomolski 7, Dakota North 6, Chris Holder 4+1, Paul Starke 4+1.
BELLE VUE ACES 44: Craig Cook 13, Scott Nicholls 10+3, Matej Zagar 5+1, Josh Grajczonek 5, Stefan Nielsen 4+1, Max Fricke 4, Steve Worrall 3+1.
Poole win 92-90 on aggregate.
