BJARNE Pedersen reeled off two impressive heat wins over Greg Hancock late in this meeting as Pirates edged a step closer to ensuring an Elite League table-topping final position going into the title play-offs (August 26).

Hancock had recovered from defeat against Poole RIAS spearhead Ryan Sullivan in the re-run of heat four to scorch to three successive race wins, including a tactical rider double points triumph.

The impressive American had looked as though he might go through the rest of his card unbeaten in a bid to peg back the Dorset club's margin of victory in a one-sided contest last night.

But Pedersen turned on the style in front of another bumper 3,500 crowd at Wimborne Road to take the chequered flag in front of Hancock in heats 13 and 15.

It helped Pirates stretch their lead from 46-31 after race 12 to a whopping 58-37 final score line so that they take a mighty 21-point advantage to Cowley for the return tomorrow.

Victory, coupled with Wolves' 48-42 defeat at Arena-Essex last night, means Poole are 13 points ahead of the Black Country outfit, who have three matches in hand.

It seems only a disaster now will stop Pirates finishing on top of the table and booking their place directly into the two-legged play-off final.

Pedersen and Sullivan's 4-2 over Hancock and Niels-Kristian Iversen in heat 13 wrapped up Poole's victory with two races to spare.

The Dane, who had only previously been beaten by Hancock in heat six, was smartly out of the gate from trap two to hit the front in their second clash.

Sullivan dived under Hancock to briefly grab second place on the fourth bend but the Oxford rider quickly roared past the Australian on the finish straight to pen the Poole man back in third.

If Pedersen's race 13 triumph had been relatively comfortable, he had to work much harder to take the chequered flag in the last heat.

Hancock was first out of the traps from gate one, but Pedersen, off four, swept around the wide line to scorch outside and past the American on the second bend to lead down the back straight.

The Oxford rider never let up the chase, though, and Pedersen was forced to work overtime to pen Hancock behind him.

Hancock tried everything to find a way past, first outside, then inside, but the Pirate kept cool to win a thrilling dual.

Pedersen's late heroics were the icing on the cake for Poole, who returned to top form following their shock 47-46 defeat against Swindon at home in a challenge match.

The team celebrated in style with captain Magnus Zetterstrom, still in high spirits despite being his side's lowest scorer with four, leading the post-match dancing in front of the Wimborne Road faithful.

Somehow he coaxed Krzysztof Kasprzak AND Matej Ferjan to join in his legendary John Travolta-style disco dance in front of a packed main stand.

They were celebrating Pirates' joint second biggest home win of the season against a disappointing six-man Oxford side for whom only an over-worked Iversen also shone apart from Hancock.

Antonio Lindback, Kasprzak, Ferjan and a slightly off-key Sullivan also reeled off heat wins for Poole.

Their other star, however, was Daniel Davidsson, who jetted out of the gate to grab eight paid nine.

He might have had a paid maximum if he hadn't drifted too wide on the second bend in heat 11 and been passed by Iversen and Ryan Fisher for second.

Heat Details

Pirates: 1 Bjarne Pedersen (3-2-3-3-3) 14, 2 Krzysztof Kasprzak (2*-1*-3-2*) 8+3, 3 Matej Ferjan (2*-1*-1*-3) 7+3, 4 Antonio Lindback (3-2-2-3) 10, 5 Ryan Sullivan (3-0-3-1-0) 7, 6 Daniel Davidsson (3-3-0-2*) 8+1, 7 Magnus Zetterstrom (1-1-1-1) 4. Team manager: Neil Middleditch. Oxford: 1 Rider replacement for Sebastian Ulamek (injured), 2 Travis McGowan (1-0-0) 1, 3 Ryan Fisher (1-1*-0-1*-0) 3+2, 4 Rafal Dobrucki (0-0-2-1-1-1*) 5+1, 5 Greg Hancock (2-6-3-3-2-2) 18, 6 Jonas Davidsson (0-0-0) 0, 7 Niels-Kristian Iversen (2-fell exc-4-2-2-0-0) 10. Team manager: Nigel Wagstaff. Referee: Barry Richardson. Ht 1: Pedersen, Kasprzak, McGowan, Dobrucki, 58.69 (5-1). Ht 2: D Davidsson, Iversen, Zetterstrom, J Davidsson, 59.80 (9-3). Ht 3: Lindback, Ferjan, Fisher, Dobrucki, 59.31 (14-4). Ht 4: (re-run) Sullivan, Hancock, Zetterstrom, Iversen (fell excluded), 59.01 (18-6). Ht 5: Hancock (tactical rider, double points), Lindback, Ferjan, McGowan, 59.35 (21-12). Ht 6: Hancock, Pedersen, Kasprzak, J Davidsson, 58.50 (24-15). Ht 7: D Davidsson, Dobrucki, Fisher, Sullivan, 59.37 (27-18). Ht 8: Kasprzak, Iversen (tactical rider, double points), Zetterstrom, McGowan, 58.93 (31-22). Ht 9: Hancock, Lindback, Ferjan, J Davidsson, 58.54 (34-25). Ht 10: Pedersen, Kasprzak, Dobrucki, Fisher, 59.13 (39-26). Ht 11: Sullivan, Iversen, Fisher, D Davidsson, 59.31 (42-29). Ht 12: Ferjan, Iversen, Zetterstrom, Fisher, 58.64 (46-31). Ht 13: Pedersen, Hancock, Sullivan, Iversen, 59.28 (50-33). Ht 14: Lindback, D Davidsson, Dobrucki, Iversen, 59.44 (55-34). Ht 15: Pedersen, Hancock, Dobrucki, Sullivan, 59.48 (58-37) Last night's other results, Elite League: Arena-Essex 48 Wolves 42 (Wolves won 104-78 on aggregate), Belle Vue v Coventry (postponed, rain). Tonight's fixtures: Ipswich v Peterborough, Swindon v Coventry (Elite League A), followed by Swindon v Coventry (Elite League B). Tomorrow: Oxford v Pirates.