KING’S Lynn’s quest to finish on a flourish started in defeat as star reserve Timo Lahti won five out of seven races to inspire Poole’s 50-43 win.
The Pirates pocketed a precious four points in their bid for the play-offs to leave the Trucks R Us Stars seeking a win against fellow top-four chasers Rye House.
There was some thrilling racing and passes aplenty but King’s Lynn, boosted by Dale Allitt’s return to the pits, were left with one more shot on home shale to boost their chances of finishing above Leicester at the bottom.
The night opened with a thriller as Thomas Jorgensen gated but got caught by Brady Kurtz on lap three with Robert Lambert ensuring parity at the back by getting by Jack Holder early on.
Josh Auty cut across the centre and was sent back 15 metres in the reserve race that Lahti took from the gate ahead of James Shanes who ruthlessly cut across Simon Lambert.
Edward Kennett trapped and took a shared third which looked likely to be repeated by Tomas H Jonasson in the fourth but Stars went six down when Hans Andersen nipped by on the line.
Holder obliterated the tapes with Kai Huckenbeck taking the win from Kurtz after a tight opening two bends.
Robert Lambert then jumped the start of heat six but punished himself and had to battle past Andersen for another 3-3 on lap three as Lahti won again.
Poole reclaimed a six-point advantage courtesy of Kennett’s swift burst from gate four while Paul Starke got past Auty on lap three.
Jorgensen blasted away with the eighth but Holder’s pass of Auty denied Stars a first 5-1 of the night.
But Pirates hit back with a big blow as Lahti soared around the outside of everyone with Andersen holding off Huckenbeck for the maximum.
Another gate four special from Lahti won heat 10 despite a big push from Jorgensen and then Poole went 12 up thanks to Holder’s tickling of the boards with Kurtz in support.
Palm Toft took the last-ditch tactical and won a 6-3 despite Lahti gating and it looked so good at the start of heat 13 when Stars gated on a 5-1 only for Andersen to file in behind Robert Lambert.
Lahti’s fifth win sealed the away victory but Pirates needed at least a 3-3 from the final race after Kennett got picked off by Huckenbeck and then Auty.
However, Poole did enough to bag all four points as Andersen and Kurtz took the minor places behind the impressive Jorgensen’s second win.
*Reaction to both meetings will follow the Rye House fixture.
KING’S LYNN 43: Thomas Jorgensen 12, Michael Palm Toft 8+1, Kai Huckenbeck 8, Robert Lambert 6+3, Tomas H Jonasson 5, Josh Auty 4+1, Simon Lambert 0. POOLE 50: Timo Lahti 17, Hans Andersen 9+1, Brady Kurtz 8+2, Edward Kennett 6, Jack Holder 5, James Shanes 3+1, Paul Starke 2.
