PIRATES took a giant step towards finishing first in the final Elite League table when they took advantage of Wolves' benevolence to win at Monmore Green on Monday (June 14).

Their surprise victory in the Black Country propelled them seven points clear of second-placed Wolves, who are considered the Dorset club's main title rivals.

Poole RIAS were trailing 11-7 after three heats on Jason Lyons' farewell appearance for the club when a fall by Fredrik Lindgren in heat four led to a major re-grading of the track.

Until then, the heavily watered surface had played havoc with the riders, with Magnus Zetterstrom and Adam Skornicki also falling heavily.

They escaped injury but Lindgren was not so fortunate and he had to withdraw from the meeting with an injured shoulder.

That meant Wolves were down to five men for the remaining 12 races as they were already using rider replacement for Daniel Nermark.

After it took half an hour's work for the top surface to be taken off the track, which had had more dirt put on it in the build up to the meeting, the new slicker conditions seemed to favour Pirates more.

And with Bjarne Pedersen (13) and Ryan Sullivan (13+1) leading the way, Poole stormed to an unexpected eight-point victory.

Sullivan and guest Brent Werner outgated Sam Ermolenko to grab a 5-1 in the re-run of heat four and level the scores at 12-12.

Pirates fell 19-17 behind when Mikael Max defeated Sullivan in heat six, with Chris Neath third.

But after Sullivan and Daniel Davidsson had responded with a 4-2 over Howe to level it up again at 27-27, there was only one team in it.

Davidsson pushed home for third place in that race after his engine stalled on the back straight of the final lap.

Zetterstrom and Antonio Lindback outgated Adam Skornicki in heat 11, and even though the Wolves rider passed Zorro, the 4-2 put Poole 34-32 in front.

That shocked the Wolves fans in a 2,000 crowd and after Pirates had somehow scrambled a 3-3 in heat 12, the home supporters fell silent.

Davidsson, despite lifting his machine violently twice, led David Howe for three-and-three-quarter laps before the Wolves man drove hard under him on the final bend to take the chequered flag.

Fortunately for Poole, Lyons had scorched outside Skornicki into third place seconds before down the back straight, so the 3-3 protected Pirates' two-point lead.

Max and Ermolenko were on a Wolves 5-1 when the American fell on the third bend in heat 13.

In the re-run Lindback outgated Max and saw Sullivan join him out front coming off the fourth bend.

Max forced his way past the Swede, but Sullivan roared on to take the chequered flag with the 4-2 propelling Poole 41-37 ahead.

Pedersen won the re-run of heat 14 after Davidsson, who had fallen on the third bend, had managed to get up and push his bike off the track to allow the race to continue.

Then Pedersen and Sullivan outgated Howe and Max in a last-heat decider to extend Pirates' lead to eight which means they take a 49-41 advantage into the return, and battle for the bonus point, at Wimborne Road on Wednesday (June 16).

HEAT DETAILS Wolves: 1 Mikael Max (3-3-3-2-0) 11, 2 Chris Neath (1-1-1*-0) 3+1, 3 Rider replacement for Daniel Nermark, 4 David Howe (3-3-2-3-1*-1) 13+1, 5 Sam Ermolenko (1-2-0-fell exc) 3, 6 Fredrik Lindgren (1-fell exc-withdrew injured) 1, 7 Adam Skornicki (3-fell exc-1*-2-2-0-2) 10+1. Team manager: Peter Adams. Pirates: 1 Antonio Lindback (2-1*-3-1) 7+1, 2 Magnus Zetterstrom (fell exc-2-3-1) 6, 3 Jason Lyons (1*-0-1*-1*) 3+3, 4 Bjarne Pedersen (2-3-2-3-3) 13, 5 Ryan Sullivan (3-2-3-3-2*) 13+1, 6 Daniel Davidsson (2-0-1-2-fell) 5, 7 (guest) Brent Werner (ret-2*-ret) 2+1. Team manager: Neil Middleditch. Referee: Graham Flint. Ht 1: (re-run) Max, Lindback, Neath, Zetterstrom (fell excluded), 61.02 (4-2). Ht 2: Skornicki, Davidsson, Lindgren, Werner (retired), 62.36 (4-2). Ht 3: Howe, Pedersen, Lyons, Skornicki (fell excluded), awarded, no time (11-7). Ht 4: (re-run) Sullivan, Werner, Ermolenko, Lindgren (fell excluded), 59.63 (12-12). Ht 5: Howe, Zetterstrom, Lindback, three riders only, 59.61 (15-15). Ht 6: Max, Sullivan, Neath, Davidsson, 58.90 (19-17). Ht 7: Pedersen, Ermolenko, Skornicki, Lyons, 59.51 (22-20). Ht 8: Zetterstrom, Skornicki, Neath, Werner (retired), 59.23 (25-23). Ht 9: Sullivan, Howe, Davidsson, three riders only, 58.90 (27-27). Ht 10: Max, Pedersen, Lyons, Neath, 58.50 (30-30). Ht 11: Lindback, Skornicki, Zetterstrom, Ermolenko, 59.19 (32-34). Ht 12: Howe, Davidsson, Lyons, Skornicki, 60.55 (35-37). Ht 13: (re-run) Sullivan, Max, Lindback, Ermolenko (fell excluded), 59.37 (37-41). Ht 14: (re-run) Pedersen, Skornicki, Howe, Davidsson (fell), 59.50 (40-44). Ht 15: Pedersen, Sullivan, Howe, Max, 59.31 (41-49). Other results: Eastbourne 47 Oxford 46 (Oxford win bonus); Belle Vue 63 Peterboro 32.