FOR Pirates fans starved of speedway, this was worth the wait. Having not seen their team at Wimborne Road for almost a month, the Poole supporters were treated to a resounding home win – and one that never looked in doubt.

Despite not turning a wheel in anger in the Elite League since their victory over Coventry on May 9, the Dorset outfit clicked into gear almost immediately.

This latest display – both professional and accomplished – fired another warning to their title rivals.

And it was made even more impressive given the emotional and difficult nature of the evening.

Having received news of former Pirates star Leigh Adams’s crash in Australia, the celebrations afterwards were understandably low key among a Poole side containing four of the speedway legend’s compatriots.

Pirates sent their best wishes to Adams, who reportedly sustained serious back injuries while training for an off-road desert race.

Speaking after starring in last night’s victory over Wolverhampton Wolves, both Chris Holder and Davey Watt admitted they had found it difficult to ride in the meeting.

That made the 56-36 success all the more admirable as they comfortably saw off Wolves to continue their imperious form on home territory.

Pirates once again found the Wimborne Road track to their liking as they avenged the Elite Shield defeat they suffered at the hands of the same opponents.

Competing in their 2000th official league fixture, they marked the occasion in some style.

It was the visitors who made the better start, however, with Ty Proctor sealing a tapes-to-flag success in the opening heat.

Pirates looked set to respond with a maximum until Christian Hefenbrock, in the lead at the time, spun out. Renat Gafurov, though, was perfectly placed to take control and secure victory.

And from then on, the outcome was never in question.

Heat three was restarted after Tai Woffinden fell. With the British ace excluded, Pirates made their numerical advantage count as Aussie duo Jason Doyle and Watt combined for a 5-1.

Karlsson required all of his experience to hold off quickfire Darcy Ward before skipper Watt brilliantly did the same as his counterpart to condemn Wolves number one Freddie Lindgren to second spot.

Holder made it four Pirates wins in six when he got the better of veteran Karlsson, who had earlier edged out the fast-starting Andersson.

Woffinden led a Wolverhamp-ton 4-2 to cut to four points the deficit, but it proved a brief revival as a thrilling, last-ditch manoeuvre from Andersson sealed a Pirates maximum.

The Wimborne Road faithful gave the European under-19 champion a hearty cheer as he brilliantly beat Proctor to the line as they followed a dominant Gafurov to the chequered flag.

Karlsson beat Watt and Doyle as the spoils were shared in heat nine before an ugly spill in the 10th race caused a lengthy delay to proceedings.

With Holder out in front, the chasing Woffinden fell on the home straight and Ludvig Lindgren, changing direction quickly to avoid his team-mate, took a heavy tumble. He was treated on track before being taken by ambulance for a check-up at Poole Hospital.

On resumption, Lindgren’s replacement Ricky Wells lined up as the lone Wolves man, with Woffinden excluded. And he was reduced to the role of spectator as Holder and Andersson handed Pirates a 12-point cushion.

Heat 11 saw Wolves send out Freddie Lindgren as a tactical rider but Ward, flying away from the tapes, ensured the heat was shared at four points apiece.

In-form duo Watt and Gafurov enjoyed a comfortable success next up as the impressive Watt stormed to his second three-pointer of the evening.

The best passing move of the night followed in heat 13 as the dynamic duo from Down Under poured cold water on Karlsson’s double points bid. Reigning world under-21 champion Ward displayed exactly why he is rated so highly by audaciously darting past Wolves’ skipper, while Holder ensured another straightforward win to help Poole open up a resounding 50-30 advantage.

Woffinden helped salvage some pride with his second success of the night, but Pirates had the final say thanks to star man Ward.

Pirates 56: 1 Chris Holder (0-3-3-3-1) 10, 2 Dennis Andersson (2-1-2*-2*) 7+2, 3 Davey Watt (2*-3-2-3) 10+1, 4 Jason Doyle (3-1-1*-2) 7+1, 5 Darcy Ward (2-2-3-2*-3) 12+1, 6 Christian Hefenbrock (0-0-1-0) 1, 7 Renat Gafurov (3-1*-3-2*) 9+2. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Wolves 36: 1 Fredrik Lindgren (1-2-4^-0) 7, 2 Ty Proctor (3-0-1-0) 4, 3 Ludvig Lindgren (1-1) 2, 4 Tai Woffinden (0-3-0-3-0) 6, 5 Peter Karlsson (3-2-3-1^-2) 11, 6 Tyson Burmeister (2-0-0-0) 2, 7 Ricky Wells (1*-0-0-1-1-1) 4+1. Team manager: Peter Adams.

Referee: Chris Durno League points: Pirates 3 Wolves 0 Ht 1: Proctor, Andersson, F Lindgren, Holder, 59.37 (2-4) Ht 2: Gafurov, Burmeister, Wells, Hefenbrock, 60.13 (5-7) Ht 3 (re-run): Doyle, Watt, L Lindgren, Woffinden (fell, excluded), 59.90 (10-8) Ht 4: Karlsson, Ward, Gafurov, Wells, 59.69 (13-11) Ht 5: Watt, F Lindgren, Doyle, Proctor, 59.53 (17-13) Ht 6: Holder, Karlsson, Andersson, Burmeister, 59.91 (21-15) Ht 7: Woffinden, Ward, L Lindgren, Hefenbrock, 59.78 (23-19) Ht 8: Gafurov, Andersson, Proctor, Wells, 60.25 (28-20) Ht 9: Karlsson, Watt, Doyle, Burmeister, 59.71 (31-23) Ht 10: Holder, Andersson, Wells, Woffinden (fell excluded), 59.90 (36-24) Ht 11: Ward, F Lindgren (tactical rider, double points), Hefenbrock, Proctor, 59.87 (40-28) Ht 12: Watt, Gafurov, Wells, Burmeister, 60.65 (45-29) Ht 13: Holder, Ward, Karlsson, F Lindgren, 60.00 (50-30) Ht 14: Woffinden, Doyle, Wells, Hefenbrock, 60.40 (52-34) Ht 15: Ward, Karlsson, Holder, Woffinden, 60.10 (56-36) Last night’s other Elite League result: Kings Lynn 48 Belle Vue 42.