POOLE Pirates began their pursuit of a fourth successive Grand Final appearance by securing a 14-point win over Workington Comets in the semi-final first leg at Wimborne Road.

Pirates will travel to Cumbria on Saturday knowing that if they can score 39 points or more, they will reach the final for the fourth season on the trot.

Hosting Workington on Wednesday night, Pirates came into the meeting with a strong record against their visitors, scoring 59 and 61 points against them in the two home meetings so far this season.

But they dug deep to eventually come out 52-38 winners, with Poole’s top three averaged riders dropping just one point between them.

Richard Lawson, who has already signed for next season after his testimonial, recorded a full house across his five rides.

(Image: Richard Crease)

Skipper Ben Cook scored a paid maximum over his five, while only Lewis Kerr, guesting for the Comets, was able to deny Tom Brennan a maximum score.

Cook, when asked about the importance of not dropping points to opponents, said: “For sure it is especially at this time of the year when the meetings are so important this time of the year and Me and Richard (Lawson) did that tonight and Tom (Brennan) only dropped one so yeah, all the boys went and dug in and did their bit and it’s what we need this time of year.

“We need a good lead going there and hopefully it’s enough.”

Pirates were with their preferred one-to-seven for the first time since July, with Vinnie Foord returning from a shoulder injury.

The score stood at 6-6 after two heats, with both sides winning one as the spoils in both were shared 3-3.

Ben Cook then won the third, as brother Zach Cook came in third to take the heat 4-2 for Pirates, opening out a slender lead.

Another shared 3-3 heat thanks to a Brennan win came in the fourth, before Poole took their first maximum points from heat five, with the Cook brothers, lead by Zach, taking one and two.

(Image: Richard Crease)

Lawson won the sixth, with Sam Hagon coming through in third, to extend the lead to 22-14.

Hagon then won the eighth with the returning Foord taking third after a shared heat seven, with Pirates opening out a 10-point lead.

Poole continued to extend their lead, with a 4-2 win thanks to the Cook brothers in the ninth, and a Lawson-lead shared heat in the tenth.

The 11th and 12th heats were both 3-3, with Brennan and Ben Cook taking the wins, respectively.

Lawson won the 13th, with Brennan in third, to extend the lead again to 46-32, with two heats to go.

Workington secured their only heat advantage across the fixture in the 14th, winning 5-1 after Zach Cook picked up unwanted grip as he sought to pass Leon Flint and falling.

(Image: Richard Crease)

But Pirates rounded off the night with a 5-1 win of their own in the last heat, with Lawson leading Ben Cook over the line, to cap off a fine 52-38 win.

Pirates will travel to Workington on Saturday, September 14, aiming to defend their lead and secure their place in the Grand Final.

POOLE 52: Richard Lawson: 15 (3,3,3,3,3); Ben Cook: 13+2 (3,2',3,3,2'); Tom Brennan: 10 (3,3,3,1); Zach Cook: 5 (1,3,1,F); Sam Hagon: 4 (0,1,3,0); Vinnie Foord: 3 (2,0,1,0); Tobias Thomsen: 2+1 (1',0,0,1).

WORKINGTON 38: Paul Starke: 10+1 (3,2,2,1',2); Leon Flint: 9 (2,2,2,3,0); Troy Batchelor: 6+1 (1',2,2,0,1); Lewis Kerr: 5+1 (2,0,1',2); Antti Vuolas: 4+2 (0,1',1',2); Jason Edwards: 4 (1,1,0,2); Sam McGurk: 0 (0,0,0,RS).