PLYMOUTH Gladiators suffered a heavy 59-30 defeat to Poole Pirates in their first away meeting of the season last night.

It made it back-to-back defeats for the Gladiators in the BSN Series after their 48-42 loss to Oxford Cheetahs at The Coliseum on Tuesday.

Last night's meeting at Wimborne Road was all about gating on a dry track that made passing difficult and which was criticised by Gladiators' Richie Worrall.

Poole totally dominated the first half of the meeting. They were 25-5 up after five heats, and 39-8 ahead after eight races.

Those heats included a 5-0 to the Pirates in heat six, when Worrall broke down and Kiwi Jake Turner was excluded after crashing on the second bend.

Ben Barker's second place in heat seven was the first time they managed to trouble the Pirates.

However, they produced a much better second half, and won the remaining seven heats 22-20.

That was almost solely down to the efforts of Barker, Paul Starke and Worrall.

Starke and Barker managed a 5-1 in heat 10, and Starke and Barker both went on to win further races, while Worrall ruined the maximum of Richard Lawson in heat 15 by coming home first.

A 29-point defeat for the Gladiators does not make good reading, but Oxford also lost 57-33 at Wimborne Road, and Poole have such strength in depth this season that big home wins could be a regular feature on the south coast this season.

The Gladiators welcome Poole to The Coliseum next Tuesday for the return fixture (7pm).

Poole: Richard Lawson 14 (5 rides), Zack Cook 9+3 (5), Adam Roynon 9+2 (4), Anders Rowe 8+2 (4), Steve Worrall 8+1 (4), Ben Cook 7+1 (4), Kyle Newman 4+1 (4).

Plymouth: Ben Barker 8+1 (5), Richie Worrall 8 (5), Paul Starke 6 (5), Kyle Howarth 3 (4), Dan Gilkes 2 (4), Ben Trigger 2 (4), Jake Turner 1 (3).