JIM Lynch summed it up almost perfectly: This was a meeting where the contrasting sides of Chris Holder were the difference.

The Belle Vue team boss could see his men were up against it when interviewed before heat 15 at Kirky Lane last night.

And he was bang on the money when he admitted Holder’s late heroics had won a pulsating meeting for depleted Pirates.

There was no Davey Watt. There was no Darcy Ward. There was no Christian Hefenbrock.

Sure, the Aces were without Patrick Hougaard, but the bookies would have predicted a mauling for the visitors.

Not so.

Never more than six points adrift, Poole Castle Cover turned in a gritty, inspired display to overturn that deficit and claim a memorable victory.

Yes, Holder played a massive part. He was so far off the pace early on, it was hard to believe the Aussie had finished on the podium in Copenhagen on Saturday.

But some bike tweaks made the world of difference and Holder won his final two races, including a last-heat decider, to ensure Poole maintained the pressure ahead of their top-of-the-table clash against Eastbourne tomorrow.

But if Holder was key for Lynch, the performance of Renat Gafurov at reserve should share equal billing.

The Russian showed nerves of steel to claim victories in races two and 14, despite not having a team-mate in either after Kyle Newman had fallen and Jason Doyle had failed to get off the line.

Indeed, Gafurov’s tapes-to-line win in the penultimate race was the ride of the night against impressive Aces duo Charlie Gjedde and Craig Cook.

‘The Gaffer’ finished with paid 14 from five rides.

Matt Ford should also take credit for this triumph – surely one of Pirates finest ever away wins.

The Poole Castle Cover promoter plumped for guest Mads Korneliussen due to Watt’s absence and the Dane repaid his faith with 11 points from six rides.

He trailed in last in heat 15, but it mattered not as Holder stormed from the line to claim the win and bring his own tally up to a respectable paid 13 return.

It has to be said that for all of Poole’s endeavour on the road, the hosts didn’t help themselves with a host of mechanical problems pegging back the efforts of big guns Chris Harris and Rory Schlein.

But to take anything away from Pirates would be scandalous.

Mssrs Watt, Ward and Hefenbrock now have much to live up to when they return.

Belle Vue 44: Chris Harris (ret, 3, 1*, 1*, 2) 7+2, Jordon Frampton (2, 0, 1*, 2) 5+1, Rider replacement for Patrick Hougaard, Charlie Gjedde (3, 3, 1, 1, 2) 10, Rory Schlein (2, 3, 3, ret, 2, 1*) 11+1, Craig Cook (2, 2*, 0, 1, 1*) 6+2, Ricky Kling (1*, exc, 2*, 2, 0) 5+2.

Pirates 46: Chris Holder (1, 3, 0, 2*, 3, 3) 12+1, Dennis Andersson (3, 1, fell, 3, 0) 7, Mads Korneliussen (1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 0) 11, Jason Doyle (0, 2, 1*, ret, ret) 3+1, Rider replacement for Darcy Ward, Kyle Newman (exc, 1, 0) 1, Renat Gafurov (3, 1*, 3, 2*, 3,) 12+2.