POOLE Pirates had too much in reserve for Ipswich Evening Star Witches.

The visitors quickly forget the pain of their home reverse against Coventry the previous night to comfortably gain their first Sky Sports Elite League win of the season.

And it was David Ruud and Davey Watt who were the heroes from the reserve berths on a damp, misty and cold night at Foxhall Stadium.

They were paid for 16 points in a match where Ipswich threatened only briefly - when they went from six points down to lead by four in the space of three heats.

Pirates team manager Neil Middleditch was relieved. He said: "We needed this win after losing at home to Coventry - and this has put us back on track.

"People say our strength is judged on a strong top end, but we are more than that as was proved tonight."

Ruud and Watt were far too quick from the tapes for the home pair in heat two, and the dye was cast.

Ipswich drew level in heat three before a disappointing Nicholls passed Watt on the second bend for second place in race four, before Leigh Adams' equipment changes saw him win heat five at a canter.

Jarek Hampel's superb start saw him lead Rickardsson until the end of the second lap, when the Swede roared inside to win heat six. Nicholls then chased Bjarne Pedersen after missing another gate as Poole extended their lead to six points.

Tactical substitute Hampel combined with Slabon for a maximum in heat eight.

Rickardsson then missed the start in the following race. He went into a bend far too quick and as he tried to rectify matters crashed into the back of Daniel Nermark.

In the re-run, Hurry had the crowd on their toes with a last lap pass on Ruud.

And Ipswich went into the lead when the two Poles combined to claim their second full house in heat ten from the tapes.

Heat 11 was started four times. Ruud came across from gate one to impede Nicholls on the first three occasions.

On the third re-run, Adams swept into the lead with Nicholls getting the better of Ruud on the first turn for second place.

Poole pulled level when Dryml did well to find a way beyond Hurry on the final lap of race 12, before Rickardsson and Adams saw off Hampel and Nicholls in the next race.

Pedersen and Watt were far too quick for a disappointing Tom P Madsen and Nermark in the penultimate race to confirm a big win.

Poole: 1 Leigh Adams (2-3-3-2*-1) 11+1, 2 Krzysztof Kasprzak (0-0-0) 0, 3 Lukas Dryml (0-1-1-3) 5, 4 Bjarne Pedersen (2-3-0-3) 8, 5 Tony Rickardsson (3-3-fell excluded 3-3) 12, 6 David Ruud (3-1-2-1-1) 8, 7 Davey Watt (2*-1-1-2*) 6+2. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Ipswich: 1 Jarek Hampel (3-2-3-3-1-2) 14, 2 Chris Slabon (1-0-2*-2*) 5+2, 3 Paul Hurry (3-2-3-2-0) 10, 4 Daniel Nermark (1-1*-1-0) 3+1, 5 Scott Nicholls (2-2-2-0) 6, 6 Danny Bird (1-0-0) 1, 7 Tom P Madsen (0-0-0-1) 1. Manager: Mike Smillie.

HEAT DETAILS

Ht 1: (re-run) Hampel, Adams, Slabon, Kasprzak, 59.6 (4-2). Ht 2: Ruud, Watt, Bird, Madsen, 62.1 (5-7). Ht 3: Hurry, Pedersen, Nermar, Dryml, 61.6 (9-9). Ht 4: Rickardsson, Nicholls, Watt, Madsen, 59.9 (11-13). Ht 5: Adams, Hurry, Nermark, Kasprzak, 60.2 (14-16). Ht 6: Rickardsson, Hampel, Ruud, Slabon, 60.5, (16-20). Ht 7: Pedersen, Nicholls, Dryml, Bird, 61.1 (18-24). Ht 8: Hampel, Slabon, Watt, Kasprzak. 62.1 (23-25). Ht 9 (re-run): Hurry, Ruud, Nermar. Rickardsson (fell excluded). 61.4 (27-27). Ht 10: Hampel, Slabon, Dryml, Pedersen, 62.1 (32-28). Ht 11 (re-run): Adams, Nicholls, Ruud, Bird, 60.7 (34-32) Ht 12: Dryml, Hurry, Ruud, Madsen, 62.4 (36-36). Ht 13: Rickardsson, Adams, Hampel, Nicholls, 60.7, 37-41) Ht 14: Pedersen, Watt, Madsen, Nermark, 62.9 (38-46). Ht 15: Rickardsson, Hampel, Adams, Hurry, 61.4 (40-50).