Oxford Silver Machine 41,

Poole Pirates 49

By John Gaisford

SWASHBUCKLING Poole Pirates left the Oxford Silver Machine high and dry in last night's Sky Sports Elite League clash at Oxford Stadium.

As home No 1 Todd Wiltshire put it: "We came up against three fantastic heat leaders who outgated us and outrode us, despite my team giving 110 per cent tonight."

This was all about world champion Tony Rickardsson, plus ex-Oxford Cheetahs' Leigh Adams and Lukas Dryml, and the Oxford heat leaders couldn't hold a candle to them.

Nicki Pedersen didn't have the best of nights with some engine problems, while Wiltshire admitted his form has dropped off a little. Of the rest, only man-of-the-match Travis McGowan could hold his head high after a well-earned paid eight points. Adams and Dryml returned paid 22 points between them, while Rickardsson hit paid 14.

There was no indication of what was in store for the Silver Machine as they began well. McGowan left Adams for dead in heat one and only a mistake on the last lap enabled the former Cheetahs No 1 to come through.

And when Charlie Gjedde and Jan Staechmann won the second with maximum ease, the home fans could have been forgiven for thinking they were in for a good night.

However, by heat five, the class of world No 1 Rickardsson was beginning to tell as he romped away with the points, beating Pedersen by some 40 yards.

Pedersen was then unlucky to run into the back of Dryml and could never get in a blow thereafter as a 4-2 for the Pirates saw them edge further ahead.

McGowan showed some real grit after he and Staechmann were left by Krystof Kaspzak and Davey Watt, but the Aussie wound up his machine to get past both for a thrilling victory. However, that counted for very little soon after as Rickardsson coolly waited for David Rudd to come up on his outside as the pair team-rode to perfection to take the Pirates six points clear after heat nine.

The opportunity was there for tactical subs for Oxford, but none were made before the break when the Pirates led 38-28.

Oxford boss Nigel Wagstaff brought Pedersen is as tactical sub for the restart, and although he did enough to see off Dryml, a 4-2 heat margin was not really enough to stop the Pirates' charge.

Heat 13 saw the big guns in action, but Pedersen had an engine hiccup, allowing Adams through for another heat advantage to the visitors.

The battle was lost by now and only pride was at stake as the teams entered the final two heats. Wiltshire won the first and he and Pedersen gave their all in the final shoot-out, before Dryml and Rickardsson hit back to share the spoils.

Oxford: Wiltshire 9+1, McGowan 7+1, Boyce 4, Ulamek 4+1, Pedersen 11, Gjedde 3, Staechmann 3+2. 41 pts.

Poole: Rickardsson 12+2, Dryml 11+1, Adams 9+1,Ruud 6+1, Kasprzak 5, Pedersen 5, Watt 1+1. 49 pts. HEAT DETAILS

Heat 1: Adams, McGowan, Wiltshire, Kasprzak. 58.1 secs.

Heat 2: Gjedde, Staechmann, Ruud, Watt. 58.9.

Heat 3: Ulamek, B Pedersen, Dryml, Boyce. 58.9.

Heat 4: Rickardsson, N Pedersen, Staechmann, Watt. 57.3.

Heat 5: Adams, Boyce, Ulamek, Kasprzak. 58.7.

Heat 6: Rickardsson, Ruud, Wiltshire, McGowan. 57.9.

Heat 7: Dryml, N Pedersen, B Pedersen, Gjedde. 58.5.

Heat 8: McGowan, Kasprzak, Watt, Staechmann. 59.4.

Heat 9: Rudd, Rickardsson, Boyce, Ulamek. 59.4.

Heat 10: Dryml, Wiltshire, McGowan, B Pedersen. 59.3.

Heat 11: Kasprzak, Adams, N Pedersen, Gjedde. 59.6.

Heat 12: N Pedersen, Dryml, Boyce, Ruud. 59.7.

Heat 13: Rickardsson, Wiltshire, Adams, N Pedersen. 58.7.

Heat 14: Wiltshire, B Pedersen, McGowan, Watt. 59.3.

Heat 15: N Pedersen, Dryml, Rickardsson, Wiltshire. 60.3.=