A SECOND-HALF collapse led to a heavy Elite League defeat for Poole Pirates in Manchester last night.

RIAS Pirates trailed by only two points after nine races but were unable to live with the league's early pace-setters Belle Vue Aces over the final six heats, when they conceded three 5-1s and one 5-2.

It leaves the Dorset club with a mountain to climb to secure the bonus point in the Wimborne Road return on Wednesday, April 13.

The south coast outfit's third league defeat of the season leaves them in fifth place with five points, four behind the Aces, who are two points clear at the top.

Poole shared the first two heats after the start of the meeting was delayed for 20 minutes while paramedics treated an elderly Belle Vue fan who had been taken ill in the crowd.

One of the rare high spots for the travelling fans came in heat four, when Ryan Sullivan out-gated fellow Aussie Jason Crump and easily held off the world champion with Ricky Ashworth in third.

Pirates then levelled at 15-15 after Krzysztof Kasprzak and Bjarne Pedersen made the start in heat six, although they had to settle for a 4-2 when Kenneth Bjerre passed his countryman on the second lap.

Poole had a bit of a let off in the next race when Joe Screen stopped after passing Ray Morton on the second lap with Simon Stead coming from behind to take the chequered flag.

Belle Vue 55: 1 Joe Screen (3-ret-3-0) 6, 2 Simon Stead (0-3-3-2*) 8+1, 3 Kenneth Bjerre (3-2-2-3-3) 13, 4 Jason Lyons (2*-0-1*-2*) 5+3, 5 Jason Crump (2-3-3-3-2*) 13+1, 6 Andy Smith (3-1-1-2*-3) 10+1, 7 Steve Masters (0-0-fell) 0. Team manager: Ian Thomas.

Pirates 37: 1 Bjarne Pedersen (1*-1-fell-2) 4+1, 2 Krzysztof Kasprzak (2-3-2-2-ret) 9, 3 Matej Ferjan (exc tapes-0-1-0) 1, 4 Antonio Lindback (ret-2-ret-2) 4, 5 Ryan Sullivan (3-1*-3-2*-1) 10+2, 6 Ray Morton (2-2-0-1) 5, 7 Ricky Ashworth (1*-1-1-1*-0) 4+2. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.