PIRATES continued their total team dominance in the second tier of British speedway, after powering to SGB Championship play-off glory against Leicester Lions.

Holding an eight-point lead heading into the second leg of the final, Neil Middleditch’s charges recorded a 52-38 success in leg two, to seal a 101-79 aggregate triumph.

Richard Lawson (14+1) banged in a paid maximum on the night to tame the Lions, while Steve Worrall (11) also reached double figures to help the Dorset club to a league and cup double for successive seasons.

Victory gave team boss Neil Middleditch his 10th league title while in charge of the club – his 28th trophy in total.

With no fewer than three postponements for the originally scheduled fixture at Beaumont Park, the second leg of the final was switched to the neutral venue at King Lynn’s Adrian Flux arena.

Lions team boss Stewart Dickson was still suffering with ill-health, meaning Garry May once again stepped in. The adopted hosts did however have skipper Kyle Howarth back in their line-up.

Poole went into the contest with a 49-41 first-leg lead but after Ben Cook and Nick Morris both fell on turn one in the opener – the third attempt of heat one saw Leicester cut the deficit in half.

Morris and Connor Mountain led from the gate ahead of Danny King and Ben Cook.

And another heat advantage saw the Lions pull another two points back. Max Clegg held off the challenge of Poole’s Zach Cook in second, with Nathan Ablitt trailing Joe Thompson at the back.

Richie Worrall got the better of brother Steve in a shared heat three, while Poole’s first race winner of the night was Lawson – on his home Premiership track – in a level heat four.

With the momentum seemingly with Leicester, a moment of magic from Ben Cook helped Poole regain control alongside captain King in race five.

With King out in front and the race seemingly looking like being a 3-3, Aussie racer Ben Cook powered past both Dan Thompson and Richie Worrall on bend two of the final lap for a 5-1 to the away side.

Lawson scored his second victory of the night ahead of Morris and Mountain in a level heat six. Leicester led by two on the night but trailed by six on aggregate.

That advantage was maintained by Poole in heat seven with Steve Worrall taking the chequered flag ahead of Howarth. Drew Kemp missed the opportunity to overcome Joe Thompson for third.

Some more magic from the Cook brothers allowed Pirates to turn the screw in heat eight.

After Zach found extra power to slip up the inside of Mountain and take the lead – Ben then surged up the inside to join his sibling and seal a 5-1. Poole led 25-23 on the night and by 10 on aggregate.

Another 5-1 then came for Pirates in race nine. With Zach Cook gone from the gate, Lawson was involved in a ding-dong battle with Richie Worrall – eventually claiming second to extend the Dorset club’s advantage.

After the interval, Steve Worrall kept Morris at bay to take the race win in a level heat 10.

King also produced a captain’s ride ahead of Howarth in race 11, while Ben Cook refused to give in from the back to overcome Joe Thompson for third. With Poole leading by 16 on aggregate, they had one hand on the trophy.

And with Steve Worrall leading home brother Richie in heat 12 and Zach Cook sealing third, Pirates ensured the spoils were sealed with three heats remaining.

It was then party time for the Dorset club. Lawson and King teamed up for 5-1 in heat 13 ahead of Howarth and Morris.

The Thompson twins put up a titanic battle against Kemp to seal a 5-1 in heat 14 as a consolation – but Lawson and Ben Cook responded with a one-two to kickstart the celebrations after the final race.

Pirates: Danny King 8+1, Ben Cook 8+3, Steve Worrall 11, Drew Kemp 2, Richard Lawson 14+1, Zach Cook 9, Nathan Ablitt 0.