With the side already without Rory Schlein due to the wrist injury picked up in Poland at the weekend, the Bees began positively taking the lead by 2 points after the 3rd heat, but a maximum 5-1 reverse in heat 4 put them 2 points behind.
Against Poole it's always a difficult match with a full strength side, but the Bees cause wasn't helped when in heat 5 Olly Allen crashed and had to withdraw from the meeting. Leaving 5 riders to take the rider replacement rides for Rory, and now the reserves to take Olly's ride the task was ever more difficult.
After a couple of drawn heats the Pirates took a hold by firing in 2 successive maximum 5-1 heat wins, and a 10 point advantage on the night.
Heat 10 saw a controversial refereeing decision where Chris Harris, aboard Olly Allens machine, appeared to take out the Poole rider Mads Korneliussen only for the referee to exclude the Poole rider and the heat be drawn. This incident resulted in the withdrawal of Korneliussen but the damage had been done and further 5-1 maximums in heats 11 and 13 saw the Pirates home.
In heat 12 Chris harris took a actical double points scoring ride and finished in 2nd place, however the heat was a 'drawn' 4-4 so no real benefit was gained by the Bees. A heat 14 5-1 for Coventry had the score on the night looking a little more respectable, but the final score was Poole 53 Coventry 39.
The Bees scorers tonight were:
2. Olly Allen...............1*,0 WITHDRAWN
3. Chris Harris...........3,3,2,1*,4!,0
4. Billy Janniro...........2,2*,1*,2,3,3
5. Simon Stead..........1,3,1,1,0
6. Andreas Messing.....0,0,1,0,0,1
7. Stanislaw Burza.......2,0,0,0,2*
Next up is a match at Brandon this friday against...the Poole Prates!! start time is the usual 8pm.