Tuesday 8 July 2014 15:53, UK
Belle Vue maintained their unbeaten home record with a 54-38 triumph over Poole on Monday night, denying the Pirates the chance to close the gap on the top two in the Elite League table.
Craig Cook, with a paid 13, and Matej Zagar (11) were both in impressive form for the Aces, who moved ahead when their leading duo recorded a 5-1 result in heat three.
Poole's hopes of a comeback were not helped by Darcy Ward crashing into the safety fence in heat six, one that not only saw him disqualified but also seemed to hamper him for the rest of the meeting.
A tactical ride by Przemyslaw Pawlicki failed to pay off in the 10th race of the night, Zagar overtaking him around the outside to claim the victory.
In the end the Pirates didn't even manage to take home a consolation point, Cook and Zagar dashing their hopes with another 1-2 finish in heat 13.
In the other meeting on Monday, Coventry boosted their hopes of making the playoffs with a thrilling 46-44 triumph over Wolverhampton.
The Bees were four points down with three races to go but rallied in impressive fashion to win a crucial Midlands derby in the battle to make the top four.
Skipper Chris Harris and Hans Andersen both played key roles in the closing stages, but it was reserve Jason Garrity who was the star of the show for the visitors. The Coventry rider managed a stunning 17-point haul, including recording a hat-trick of heat victories from the seventh onwards.
Tai Woffinden finished with 11+1 for the Wolves, though his success in the final race at Monmore Green wasn't enough to prevent his team from slipping to a narrow defeat in front of their own fans.
