Poole Pirate Sam Hagon named National League Riders' Champion at Wimborne Road

WIMBORNE Road played host to the National League Riders’ Development Championship on Wednesday night, with Poole Pirates' very own Sam Hagon ending up as the winner.

Although riding in the colours of the Belle Vue Colts, Hagon was cheered to four heat victories by Wimborne Road prior to defeating Jake Mulford in a run-off after the two finished the meeting tied on 14 points apiece.

Hagon was joined by current Poole teammate Vinnie Foord, with former Pirates Max Perry, Nathan Ablitt, and Joe Thompson also in action.

Perry’s return to Wimborne Road was a strong one, the former Pirate making his prior experience of the track shown with a command win in heat one.

Matt Marson’s slip heading into the first corner seemed costly, but the rider quickly hopped back on his bike to get back into the fray.

His perseverance paid off as Ben Trigger’s bike went kaput at the start of the second lap, allowing Marson to take a point behind second-placed Sonny Springer.

Knowledge of Wimborne Road was proving invaluable as current Pirates duo Foord and Hagon took first and second respectively in heat two.

That trend continued with Thompson, another previous Poole talent, taking first in a three-man heat.

But Ablitt missed the memo, the ex-Pirate coming loose in a crowded first turn and falling off his bike.

Ablitt managed to clear the track and allow the remaining three runners to continue, Mulford leading Max James and Jacob Clouting over the finish line.

There were hearts in mouths when Ace Pijper clipped the back wheel of brother Stene Pijper at the start of heat five.

Stene Pijper was sent careering onto the grass before re-entering the track inches away from Sonny Springer.

Luckily there was no collision, Stene Pijper eventually going to ground.

All four riders were allowed back for the restart, which saw the most evenly contested race of the evening up until that point.

Despite the near miss, there was no quarter given, with Ace Pijper again deploying a robust move to get past his brother.

Ablitt was comfortable in first, however, as he took home his first win of the meeting.

Heat six saw Perry ahead for most of the race, as he looked to have the better of his ex-teammate Hagon.

However, the current Pirate swooped ahead of Perry at the final turn of the lap, taking an inside line to beat his opponent over the line.

Foord maintained his winning start to the evening, a delightful move carried out whilst entering and exiting the second turn to dispatch Trigger and Thompson.

The Pirate then kept a very keen Thompson at bay to secure all three points in heat seven.

Mulford’s line out of turns one and two allowed him to get the power down and storm past the chasing pack in heat eight, but his efforts seemed to be for naught as Dayle Wood came off his bike with two laps to go.

However, the race was awarded to Mulford, Marson and Jamie Halder given second and third respectively.

Race nine required a restart when Thompson was crowded out at the first bend, all four riders coming back for the restart.

Hagon eventually proved to be the winner at a canter, Thompson unable to get around Mulford in second.

Heat 10 was narrowly won by Wood, who did well to keep Perry behind him in order to take first.

With an unbeaten record to defend, Foord took on Ablitt in a three-man heat 12.

After Ablitt gated stronger, Foord snuck inside at the end of the first lap to take the lead.

Ablitt returned the favour heading into the first bend of lap three, with Foord instantly putting the pressure on.

Heading into the final lap this pressure proved too much for Ablitt, who slipped to allow Foord to take an awarded win.

But Foord could not make it back-to-back wins in heat 13, having to settle for third as Springer roared into the lead.

Heat 14 was another race that required a restart; all four riders back after Perry caught Thompson in a crowded first bend.

Thompson took the opportunity to add three points to his tally, Ablitt and Perry trailing behind in second and third respectively.

A win in heat 15 for Mulford brought the Middlesbrough Tiger up to 11 points from four rides.

Hagon then proceeded to match Mulford’s tally with a win of his own in the following race, the Pirate unchallenged as he took first.

Heat 17 saw two riders suffer nasty falls. Ace Pijper could not clear the track after falling at the first turn, before a bucking bike forced Foord off his bike in the re-run.

That ended Foord’s hopes and strengthened Mulford’s chances as he cruised past Perry to take another race win.

In the penultimate race Hagon set up a run-off with Mulford by taking a fourth heat win of the evening.

The Pirate’s sweeping move out of the second turn effectively won Hagon the race in the opening lap.

Thompson secured an overall third-placed finish with a race win in the final heat, taking him to 12 points behind Mulford and Hagon tied on 14 points.