POOLE Meridian Lifts Pirates extended their unbeaten league run to five matches with a more than convincing victory over defending league champions Wolverhampton.

Even more reassuring for Pirate fans was that this 26-point victory came through a solid all-round team effort without total reliance on their heat leaders. That is not to say that Leigh Adams, a revelation since rejoining the Pirates during the winter, world champion Tony Rickardsson and World under-21 champion Lukas Dryml did not play their part, but taking centre stage for this awesome Poole performance were undoubtedly Bjarne Pedersen and David Ruud.

For Pedersen it was the best possible warm up for Saturday's opening Grand Prix round in Poland as he dropped just one point all evening, that being to Mikael Max in heat five, whilst Ruud produced the best ride of his Poole career when winning a controversial heat nine. During the early exchanges it looked as Poole would have a real battle on their hands as Max stormed to an opening heat victory in the fastest time of the season leaving Adams lost some distance behind in second.

Although Poole won the next two heats convincingly enough through Ruud's reserve, the visitors trimmed back some of the deficit when their task was made that much easier as Rickardsson seized an engine at the start of heat four.

Signs perhaps that Lady Luck may play her part in this 11th league match of Poole's campaign but Dryml's speed in heat five was too hot for Max to handle as the Czech clocked a personal best round Wimborne Road and Pedersen supported in third place.

Max's brother Peter Karlsson made it two wins from as many starts as he caught out early pace setter Kasprzak in heat six then fended off the interests of Adams as just four points separated the two sides that had drawn the corresponding fixture at Monmore Green back in April.

Rickardsson overcame his earlier problems and, partnered with fellow Swede Ruud, steered the Pirates to maximum points in a heat that was to begin a busy sequence of rides for Ruud and put the result virtually beyond doubt.

Team manager Middleditch switched his reserves in heat eight giving Ruud two on the trot and it was full credit to Oliver Allen's persistence that denied Ruud the victory and also set up Wolverhampton's second, and what was to be their last, heat advantage.

There were lengthy delays at the gate before heat nine got under-way as tactical substitute Max took an eternity to settle.

Once all in line his false move was enough to trick Dryml into anticipating the start, resulting in his exclusion.

Frustrated with the decision, Dryml could have been sent back 15 metres for the re-start but Middleditch decided that would be too much of a handicap against Max and Karlsson. Instead, he deployed a Swede of his own by giving Ruud a third successive start.

It proved an inspirational move as he shot from the tapes clear of his rival countrymen and, with Bjarne Pedersen tucked in behind him, foiling every move that Max made, the stadium erupted as they witnessed an amazing and unexpected 5-1.

Kasprzak and Adams threw in another in heat 10 as the Pirates established a 14-point lead which Rickardsson protected in heat 11 and sheer tiredness cost Ruud a chance of again getting amongst the points, as the interval came.

Dryml made the running in heat 12 as his fellow Czech mate Pavel Ondrasik, deputising at number 7 for the Pirates, pulled up with engine failure after just one circuit but by now there was no way back for the Wolves.

Rickardsson and Adams made sure of that with their 6th home heat 13 5-1 of the season before Ruud and Pedersen superbly combined for a similar score of their own, Pedersen just proving too strong for Skornicki as the flag beckoned.

Ermolenko, who had only scored two points all night was a strange choice for heat 15 and his antics at the start of the final heat incurred the wrath of referee Chris Gay as he refused to come into line. Gay excluded the American for delaying the start and Neath replaced him. For Poole the combination of Dryml and Pedersen had been chosen and it was the Dane who made the perfect start and led throughout. Dryml tracked Max and began to recall just how Leigh Adams had pulled off the move of the season a fortnight ago when he saved the match against Peterborough.

Proving that he could learn from riding with such quality riders Dryml weighed his chances up and attacked Max at the final turn. He had seized his chance perfectly and delighted in securing the Pirates seventh maximum heat score of the night.

Pirates (Gates 2&4): L Adams 2,2,2,2=8+2, K Kasprzak 1,1,0,3=5+2, L Dryml 3,3,Tx,3,2=11+1, B Pedersen 2,1,2,2,3=10+3, T Rickardsson R,3,3,3=9, D Ruud 3,2,2,3,0,3=13, P Ondrasik 1,1,R=2

Wolves: M Max 3,2,1,2,1,1=10, D Howe 0,0,1,1=2, S Ermolenko 1,1,0,X=2, A Skornicki 0,0,1=1, P Karlsson 3,3,0,2,0=8, C Neath 2,0,1,0,0=3+1, O Allen 0,2,3,1=6+1.

HEAT DETAILS

Ht 1: Max, Adams, Kasprzak, Howe 3-3 (57.92) Ht 2: Ruud, Neath, Ondrasik, Allen 7-5 (59.22) Ht 3: Dryml, Pedersen, Ermolenko, Skornicki 12-6 (59.49) Ht 4: Karlsson, Allen,Ondrasik, Rickardsson (ef) 13-11 (59.41) Ht 5: Dryml, Max, Pedersen, Howe 17-13 (58.74) Ht 6: Karlsson, Adams, Kasprzak, Neath 20-16 (59.79) Ht 7: Rickardsson, Ruud, Ermolenko, Skornicki 25-17 (59.42) Ht 8: Allen, Ruud, Howe, Kasprzak 27-21 (60.23) Ht 9: Ruud, Pedersen, Max, Karlsson 32-22 (59.75) Ht 10: Kasprzak, Adams, Allen, Ermolenko 37-23 (59.81) Ht 11: Rickardsson, Max, Howe, Ruud 40-26 (58.80) Ht 12: Dryml, Karlsson, Neath,Ondrasik 43-29 (59.14) Ht 13: Rickardsson, Adams, Max, Karlsson 48-30 (58.7) Ht 14: Ruud, Pedersen, Skornicki, Neath 53-31 (60.56) Ht 15: Pedersen, Dryml, Max, Neath 58-32 (60.60)