BEN Barker stole the show for Plymouth Gladiators with three race wins as they suffered a 54-36 defeat at Poole Pirates last night in the first leg of their Championship Knockout Cup quarter-final tie.

Barker won three races, including two where he came from behind in stunning fashion to shock the home riders.

It was a much-improved performance by Plymouth from their 59-30 BSN Series defeat at Poole a fortnight before, but it still leaves them with an 18-point deficit to make up in next week's second leg at The Coliseum on Tuesday (7pm).

Barker's first bit of heroics came in heat seven when he swooped around the outside of Kyle Newman and Richard Lawson to claim a race victory.

He then came from behind once more to beat Lawson again in heat 15.

Barker received good backing from Richie Worrall and Kyle Howarth, but the Gladiators only managed one heat advantage all night, and that came in heat one, where Kyle Howarth and Dan Gilkes led home Anders Rowe and Steve Worrall, who retired.

The reserve berths were a key part of the final score, with Poole's experienced duo racking up 13 points between them, compared to Plymouth's two points.

POOLE 54: Ben Cook 11+3 (3,2',2',3,1'), Richard Lawson 11+1 (2,1',3,3,2), Kyle Newman 10+1 (3,2,3,R,1,1'), Zach Cook 10+1 (2',3,3,2), Anders Rowe 5+1 (1,2,2'), Steve Worrall 4+1 (R,1',3,0), Adam Roynon 3+1 (1,1',1) . PLYMOUTH 36: Ben Barker 10+1 (0,3,1',3,3), Richie Worrall 8+1 (3,3,1,1'), Kyle Howarth 7 (3,0,2,2,0), Paul Starke 5 (1,0,2,2), Dan Gilkes 4+1 (2',1,1,0), Jake Turner 2 (2,R,0.0), Ben Trigger 0 (0,0,0,0).