LEICESTER completed a tough week on the road with a 43-23 defeat at Poole in a match curtailed due to a heavy rain shower.
Conditions were dry for the first ten races at Wimborne Road but a downpour began just before Heat 11, and although the riders did emerge on track for the next race they were called back to the pits with the meeting subsequently abandoned.
The in-form Pirates already had the points in the bag by that stage as the Watling JCB Lions’ losing sequence extended to eight matches.
Skipper Hans Andersen followed up his 12-point haul at Swindon by dropping just one point from three rides, but guest David Bellego was the Lions’ only other race winner.
Andersen won the opener and reserve Connor Mountain took a good second place ahead of Frederik Jakobsen in Heat 2, but Lions’ other guest Jake Allen was at the back.
As has become familiar in recent matches, a run of successive Poole advantages followed with Chris Harris gong from fourth to second for a 5-1 in Heat 4, and Josh Grajczonek overhauled Scott Nicholls to team up with Brady Kurtz for another maximum in the Heat 6.
Bellego and Stuart Robson stemmed the tide with a 4-2 in Heat 7 but any hopes of a Lions comeback were ended by successive 5-1s in Heats 9 and 10.
Andersen saw off Jakobsen and Harris in the next race but with the rain intensifying that proved to be the final action of the evening, with Nicolai Klindt ending with a three-ride maximum for the hosts.
Leicester co-promoter Dave Darcy said: “Poole are one of the in-form teams in the league and we’ve come up against them three times in recent weeks.
“But that doesn’t change the fact that we need to be much better, and that has to start back at home next week.
“Hans has been excellent at both Swindon and Poole which was good to see, but we need to give him more consistent support.
“Nobody is happy with our current run and everyone will be working hard to put on a performance that satisfies our supporters at home to Belle Vue on Monday.”
POOLE 43: Nicolai Klindt 9, Josh Grajczonek 8+2, Brady Kurtz 8, Kacper Woryna 6, Chris Harris 5+2, Richie Worrall 4+1, Frederik Jakobsen 3.
LEICESTER 23: Hans Andersen 8, David Bellego 4, Stuart Robson 3, Jake Allen 2+1, Ricky Wells 2, Scott Nicholls 2, Connor Mountain 2.
Abandoned after Heat 11 (rain) – Result stands.
