PLYMOUTH Gladiators captured their first win of the season and inflicted a first defeat of the campaign on Poole Pirates in a cracking BSN Series contest at the Coliseum last night.

The Gladiators won 46-44 after a controversial last-heat decider in which Pirates captain Steve Worrall was excluded following a second-bend collision with Gladiators' Ben Barker.

Referee Christina Turnbull's decision infuriated Pirates boss Neil Middleditch, and his mood was not helped by having to wait to speak to the official after problems with the pit phone.

The Pirates had trailed 38-22 after 10 heats, but the Pirates came storming back with three 5-1s and a 4-2 to cut the deficit to only two points going into the final race.

The contrast to the previous Wednesday's match at Wimborne Road, when the Pirates won 59-30, could not have been more stark.

On that evening the Plymouth riders were repeatedly outgated in the first half of the meeting, but the boot was on the other foot this time around, with the Gladiators providing the heat winner in nine of the first 10 races.

Poole looked surprisingly lacklustre, but they certainly seemed fired up after conceding back-to-back 5-1s in heats nine and 10.

Both sides were missing riders, with Gladiators' Richie Worrall taking part in a Speedway European Championship qualifier at Terenzano in Italy, and Poole minus Anders Rowe, who suffered an ankle injury racing in Poland on Saturday.

It seemed to be a situation that would benefit Poole more than Plymouth, as they boasted two experienced former Plymouth riders in Kyle Newman and Adam Roynon, and home fans no doubt feared the worst.

But they need not have worried as skipper Kyle Howarth and Paul Starke were in excellent form, and they received impressive backing from their team-mates, with all but young Ben Trigger winning at least one race.

Plymouth's lead over the Pirates, who had already qualified for the BSN Series semi-finals before the meeting took place, could have been bigger after 10 heats but for a fall for Kiwi Jake Turner when on a 5-1 with Ben Barker in heat seven.

Barker also suffered an engine failure on the start line in heat 11 when Poole used the impressive Richard Lawson as a tactical substitute and he and Worrall roared to a 5-1 over Trigger to start the Poole fightback.

However, Worrall's exclusion meant the Gladiators earned a 3-3 from the final heat to seal victory, though Poole comfortably took the aggregate bonus point 103-76 after their big win in Dorset.

The Gladiators are back in action next Tuesday when they start their Championship campaign at home to Scunthorpe (7pm).

Plymouth: Kyle Howarth 13+1 (6 rides), Paul Starke 12+2 (5), Ben Barker 10+1 (6), Dan Gilkes 6+1 (5), Jake Turner 4 (6), Ben Trigger 1 (4).

Poole: Richard Lawson 15 (6), Ben Cook 8+1 (5), Kyle Newman 7+2 (6), Steve Worrall 5+2 (5), Adam Roynon 5 (3), Zach Cook 4+2 (5).