PIRATES' titanic heat 15 pairing of Jason Crump and Bjarne Pedersen could not steal the spoils, as the Eagles claimed a last race decider at Arlington.

Following a water-tight contest all evening, the home side led Poole 42-41 going into the finale.

With easily the top flight's strongest pairing, the visiting supporters must have been rubbing their hands at the prospect of a late turnaround.

But Nicki Pedersen and former Pirates favourite Davey Watt thrashed Bjarne Pedersen and Crump out of the start.

Eagles star Nicki then got the better of a terrific Danish duel at the front with Bjarne.

Meanwhile, Watt produced an inspired performance to force Crump - who was unbeaten up to that point - into last place.

Of their denial at the death, skipper Bjarne said: "Although it was a challenge, we wanted to win and I was disappointed with heat 15.

"I thought Jason had got out with me but I only saw it was Nicki at the last minute.

"Overall, we did well - even though we lost by three points."

The Dorset outfit made an explosive start to their 2007 campaign, as Crump and Eagles asset Edward Kennett recorded a 5-0 over Dean Barker and David Norris.

Norris was excluded after he fell on the outside of Kennett on the third lap, second bend.

This was before Barker was thrown out of the re-run, having lost control and forcing the young Pirate to lay the bike down behind him on the third lap, third turn.

Crump and Kennett were both in sensational form all night and their partnership also recorded a 4-2 in heat five and a 5-1 in race 11.

Individually, the world champion could not have looked any better and could not be caught out of the traps, except in his final outing.

Meanwhile, Bjarne Pedersen did not enjoy the best of nights at the start.

He failed to win a single gate all evening but his sensational dive under namesake Nicki on bend two in race 12 was the move of the evening.

Following his sensational spat with Nicki Pedersen in heat nine, Craig Boyce's evening went somewhat downhill.

He recorded two awesome victories in heats four and six and looked set to record more, had it not been for his dust-up.

But Bjarne Pedersen had special praise for Troy Batchelor, who racked up six points - including a heat 14 win - in a useful debut.

He added: "I was surprised about Troy - it can't have been easy for him on his debut.

"It's the first meeting for everybody and nobody was feeling 100 per cent fit on the bikes.

"So for him to get six is a great effort."