Poole Pirates beat Workington Comets in Championship play-offs

Pirates travelled to Cumbria defending a 14-point lead after Wednesday’s 52-38 victory over the Comets, as they aimed to reach the Grand Final for the fourth successive season.

And they did that in some style, taking the second leg 53-36, and securing a 105-74 aggregate victory over their hosts on Saturday afternoon.

Skipper Ben Cook acknowledged the contributions throughout the Poole side as they reached all three finals for effectively the third successive year.

“That's it, job done,” Cook said. “That was the goal and on to the finals now, the most important part and we just need to keep it going.”

(Image: Richard Crease)He added: “I enjoyed riding here (Workington), the track was really nice and I can't complain at all.

“We wanted everyone scoring because it is no use just a couple of us doing so if we want to win the three trophies we are after, and today was good on that score.”

In the second leg itself, the hosts took a narrow early lead after a 4-2 win and a 3-3 in the first and second heats.

But Pirates levelled the scores with Ben Cook winning the third for a 4-2 win for Poole, before the fourth saw both Paul Starke for Workington and Tom Brennan excluded, as Comets took the points three to two.

Richard Lawson won his first heat of the night in a tied heat five, before Poole took the lead in the leg for the first time after heat six, as Tom Brennan won, before a Vinnie Foord win in the eighth saw Pirates lead 25-22.

Tobias Thomsen wrecked his bike after crashing in heat nine, and he was disqualified from the heat, but Tom Brennan took the win to share the points.

Pirates had their first maximum score heat in the tenth, as the Cook brothers were lead by Ben with Zach coming home in second to extend Poole’s lead.

Lawson won the 11th, as Ben Cook led Thomsen for another 5-1 win in the twelfth as Poole hammered home their advantage.

Two 3-3 heats were to follow in the 13th and 14th, with Zach Cook winning the latter as Foord suffered bike problems in his final ride.

But Lawson and Zach Cook sealed the deal for Pirates in the last, winning 5-1, to secure a resounding victory and send Poole through to the final.

Promoter Danny Ford was pleased with Pirates’ performance as they got the job done.

(Image: Richard Crease) “I always thought the aggregate win was well within our grasp but to be honest, despite a few doubters, one in particular who is close to me, who thought we weren't going to win the meeting tonight, I felt we would win both legs and we certainly proved them wrong!” he said.

“It was a great performance by the boys with everyone chipping in with points and especially Vinnie who was real good value for his points which as we know might have been more.

“The important thing is that it keeps the momentum going as we head into three big finals.

“I am really proud of Ben [Cook] with another unbeaten performance and he must be one of, if not the, best rider in the league right now he's so good when he's out front, I think you could put anyone out there behind him and they aren't going to catch him, no matter if they are world champion or not.

“He's leading by example.

“He is great in the pits, a few people questioned our decision to make him captain this year, but he has really stuck to it, not just on-track but off it as well.

“It's really encouraging and we've just got to finish the job now.”

Poole have three representatives in Sunday’s Championship League Riders final at Redcar, with Ben Cook added to the lineup with Richard Lawson and Tom Brennan.

WORKINGTON 36: Dan Thompson: 8 (2,2,2,2,R); Troy Batchelor: 7 (3,2,2,R); Charles Wright: 7 (1,2,0,3,1); Jason Edwards: 6 (3,0,2,1); Paul Starke: 5+2 (3,XD,RS,1',RS,0,1'); Antti Vuolas: 3+2 (0,1',1',1); Sam McGurk: 0 (0,RS,0,RS,0,RS). POOLE 53: Richard Lawson: 12+1 (2,3,3,1',3); Ben Cook: 12 (3,3,3,3); Zach Cook: 9+2 (1,1,2',3,2'); Tom Brennan: 8 (FD,3,3,2); Vinnie Foord: 6+1 (1',2,3,R); Tobias Thomsen: 5+1 (2,1,FD,2'); Sam Hagon: 1 (0,0,0,1).