NEIL Middleditch admitted new boy Ricky Kling had exceeded expectations as Pirates opened their campaign with an impressive awayday victory last night.

Kling played a starring role from reserve, banking a superb 10-point haul as Poole claimed a 46-44 first-leg advantage over Wolves in the Elite Shield.

The Swede showed his liking for the Monmore Green circuit by registering two eye-catching heat wins and two second places to mark a dream debut.

His exploits, coupled with double-figure returns for Turbo Twins Chris Holder and Darcy Ward, will see Pirates take a slender lead into tomorrow’s second leg at Wimborne Road.

Poole Coastal Aluminium team manager Middleditch told the Daily Echo: “For Ricky to score 10 points from reserve was more than anyone could have expected. Anything more than four or five is always a bonus and his efforts were a key factor.

“His ride in heat nine was absolutely superb and kept us in it. We appeared to be on the wrong end of a 5-1 before Ricky hounded down Ty Proctor and passed him on the third lap to earn us an extra point.”

Kling’s heat nine heroics proved decisive as Pirates went on to claw back a four-point deficit thanks to wins for Ward and Holder in the next two races.

And the Aussie aces then paired up to seal the triumph in the decider – with Holder leading Pirates to victory in his first meeting as captain by holding off Wolves spearhead Freddie Lindgren, while Ward finished ahead of Nicolai Klindt to take third.

Middleditch added: “We came to win but anything close would have been good. It was an excellent achievement to leave Monmore Green with a victory and I was very pleased with everybody. The performance bodes well for the season.

“But I have been in this sport far too long to be complacent about any team coming to Wimborne Road because people love to race there. It is a bonus to have a two-point advantage but there is still everything to play for.”