Around the Premier League Tracks 2007
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Tuesday, 2 October
There were two matches raced tonight. On the Isle of Wight the Islanders raced Rye House in the semi-final, first leg of the Premier League play offs while at Mildenhall the Fen Tigers took on Birmingham in the first leg of their Young Shield tie.
Premier League Play Offs, semi-final, first leg: Isle of Wight 46, Rye House 44
There were two matches raced tonight. On the Isle of Wight the Islanders raced Rye House in the semi-final, first leg of the Premier League play offs while at Mildenhall the Fen Tigers took on Birmingham in the first leg of their Young Shield tie.
Premier League Play Offs, semi-final, first leg: Isle of Wight 46, Rye House 44
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Both the Isle of Wight and Rye House tracked full strength sides for this match.
The Isle of Wight were looking to take a double figure lead to Rye House for the second leg of this quarter final tie but they never got more than four points ahead over the opening 13 races. Six up with one heat to go a maximum for the home side would have given them a ten point lead but it was the Rockets who scored the 1-5 to leave the Islanders’ hopes hanging by a thread.
Stefan Ekberg got the visitors off to a winning start after a fine race with Chris Holder. With Cory Gathercole pulling up on the third lap, Chris Neath finished third for a 2-4 to the Rockets but it was all square one heat later. The home side looked like taking a 5-1 with Chris Johnson and Andrew Bargh leading but Adam Roynon rescued two points for the visitors by passing Bargh on the second lap for a 4-2. Jason Bunyan went from third to first in heat 3 while Tommy Allen’s second place ahead of Glen Phillips and Tai Woffinden resulted in another 4-2 to put the Islanders into a two point lead. They doubled it to four points with a third consecutive 4-2 in heat 4 when Krzysztof Stojanowski rounded Steve Boxall on the second bend to head off for the win while Chris Johnson relegated Adam Roynon to the back. This took the score to 14-10.
Ekberg and Bunyan both made fast starts to heat 5 but it was Ekberg who edged ahead to win the race while Glen Phillips kept Chris Neath to the back for a shared race. Cory Gathercole fell in heat 6 on the first bend leaving Chris Holder to win the race from Boxall and Bowen for another shared heat then in heat 7 it was Andrew Bargh’s turn to fall on the first bend while Krzysztof Stojanowski passed Tommy Allen on the second lap to win the race for another 3-3. In heat 8 the Rockets pulled two points back when Chris Neath won from Chris Johnson. Adam Roynon passed Cory Gathercole on the fourth bend for third and the 2-4 made the score 25-23.
Another home man fell in heat 9. This time Glen Phillips shed a chain on the second lap and fell. Unfortunately Jason Bunyan crashed into him and Phillips had to have treatment on the centre green. He was excluded from the rerun in which Bunyan had to change bikes. Bunyan roared from the gate though but was caught and passed by Steve Boxall on the second lap while Bowen picked up the gift third place point. The 4-2 levelled the scores again and it stayed that way after heat 10 when Chris Holder won from Tommy Allen by a mile. Tai Woffinden passed a disappointing Cory Gathercole on the second lap for a 3-3. There was no change in heat 11 either when Stojanowski finally lowered Ekberg’s colours. Chris Neath finished third ahead of Andrew Bargh so this race was shared too but the Isle of Wight went two points up again after heat 12. Jason Bunyan made a fast start and was never challenged by Tai Woffinden in second. Chris Johnson held off the strong challenge of Adam Roynon for third place for a 4-2 which took the score to 37-35.
Chris Holder and Krzysztof Stojanowski finally produced the meeting’s first 5-1 in heat 13 leaving Stefan Ekberg and Steve Boxall in their wake so finally the Islanders had opened up some daylight and were now leading by six points. Glen Phillips won heat 14 to keep the lead intact going into the last heat but it all went wrong for the Islanders in what may well prove to be the definitive race of the tie. Stefan Ekberg and Steve Boxall reversed their result of heat 13 to head home Chris Holder and Krzysztof Stojanowski for a 1-5 which cut the Islanders’ advantage for the second leg to two points.
Scorers: For the Isle of Wight – Chris Holder 12 (5), Krzysztof Stojanowski 11+1 (5), Jason Bunyan 10 (4), Chris Johnson 7 (5), Glen Phillips 5+1 (4), Andrew Bargh 1 (3), Cory Gathercole 0 (4).
For Rye House – Stefan Ekberg 12 (5), Steve Boxall 9+1 (5), Tommy Allen 8 (4), Chris Neath 5+1 (4), Tai Woffinden 4+2 (4), Adam Roynon 4+1 (5), Luke Bowen 2+1 (3).
Young Shield, quarter-final, first leg: Mildenhall 43, Birmingham 47.
Mildenhall were without Kyle Legault, Tom P Madsen and Mark Baseby. They had Ricky Ashworth as a guest for Legault at number 1 and used Rider Replacement at number 3 for Madsen. Matthew Wright was at number 6. Birmingham were without Henning Bager, Ben Powell and Henrik Moller. They used Rider Replacement at number 4 for Bager, had Paul Clews as a guest at number 6 for Powell and Craig Branney as a guest for Moller at number 4.
Birmingham had just too much scoring power for the Fen Tigers whose chances of further progress in the Young Shield look to be left in tatters. The Fen Tigers led by eight points after heat 6 but lost by 21-33 over the last nine heats.
Mildenhall started with a 4-2 heat advantage when Jason King won from Phil Morris with Ricky Ashworth third but Birmingham scored a 1-5 in the reserves race to turn their two point arrears into a two point lead. Paul Clews and Lee Smart took the five points from Tomas Suchanek. Jason Lyons scored the first of his five race wins in heat 3 but Paul Fry and Jason King finished behind him for a shared race. Mildenhall then hit back with a 5-1 in heat 4 turning their two point deficit into a two point lead. Tomas Suchanek won the race with Shaun Tacey in second place against the two Brummies’ reserves. This took the score to 13-11.
The Fen Tigers doubled their lead with a 4-2 in heat 5 as Ricky Ashworth won from Phil Morris with Paul Fry third then doubled their four point lead to eight points with another 5-1 in heat 6. Jason King and Ricky Ashworth did the damage for the home side with Clews and Branney bringing up the rear. However the Brummies pulled two points back in heat 7 when Jason Lyons won again from Shaun Tacey with Craig Branney third then repeated the feat in heat 8 with a win from Phil Morris from Suchanek with Lee Smart taking third place from Jason King. This took the score to 26-22.
Mildenhall were now struggling and Lee Smart kept the pressure up by winning heat 9. Paul Fry and Tomas Suchanek finished behind him for a shared race but the Brummies took a 1-5 in heat 10 which levelled the scores. Jason Lyons and Craig Branney undid the Fen Tigers by scoring a maximum at the expense of Ricky Ashworth and Jason King. Shaun Tacey won heat 11 but Hauzinger and Morris shared the points behind him. Birmingham then roared into a four point lead by scoring another 1-5 in heat 12. This time Jason Lyons was supported by Lee Smart ahead of Shaun Tacey and Tomas Suchanek to take the score to 34-38.
Ricky Ashworth won heat 13 for the home side but Shaun Tacey finished at the back as Hauzinger and Morris filled the minor places. This resulted in a 3-3 and the same score resulted from heat 14. Paul Fry won the race but again the Brummies’ pair of Branney and Smart took second and third to share the points. In the last heat Jason Lyons completed his full 15 point maximum from Ricky Ashworth and Paul Fry to leave the Fen Tigers with the proverbial mountain to climb in the second leg tomorrow night.
Scorers: For Mildenhall – Ricky Ashworth 12+1 (6), Paul Fry 9+2 (5), Shaun Tacey 8+1 (5), Jason King 7+1 (5), Tomas Suchanek 7+1 (6), Matthew Wright 0 (3).
For Birmingham – Jason Lyons 15 (5)(full maximum), Lee Smart 10+2 (6), Phil Morris 9+2 (6), Craig Branney 5+1 (5), Manuel Hauzinger 4 (4), Paul Clews 4 (4).
The Isle of Wight were looking to take a double figure lead to Rye House for the second leg of this quarter final tie but they never got more than four points ahead over the opening 13 races. Six up with one heat to go a maximum for the home side would have given them a ten point lead but it was the Rockets who scored the 1-5 to leave the Islanders’ hopes hanging by a thread.
Stefan Ekberg got the visitors off to a winning start after a fine race with Chris Holder. With Cory Gathercole pulling up on the third lap, Chris Neath finished third for a 2-4 to the Rockets but it was all square one heat later. The home side looked like taking a 5-1 with Chris Johnson and Andrew Bargh leading but Adam Roynon rescued two points for the visitors by passing Bargh on the second lap for a 4-2. Jason Bunyan went from third to first in heat 3 while Tommy Allen’s second place ahead of Glen Phillips and Tai Woffinden resulted in another 4-2 to put the Islanders into a two point lead. They doubled it to four points with a third consecutive 4-2 in heat 4 when Krzysztof Stojanowski rounded Steve Boxall on the second bend to head off for the win while Chris Johnson relegated Adam Roynon to the back. This took the score to 14-10.
Ekberg and Bunyan both made fast starts to heat 5 but it was Ekberg who edged ahead to win the race while Glen Phillips kept Chris Neath to the back for a shared race. Cory Gathercole fell in heat 6 on the first bend leaving Chris Holder to win the race from Boxall and Bowen for another shared heat then in heat 7 it was Andrew Bargh’s turn to fall on the first bend while Krzysztof Stojanowski passed Tommy Allen on the second lap to win the race for another 3-3. In heat 8 the Rockets pulled two points back when Chris Neath won from Chris Johnson. Adam Roynon passed Cory Gathercole on the fourth bend for third and the 2-4 made the score 25-23.
Another home man fell in heat 9. This time Glen Phillips shed a chain on the second lap and fell. Unfortunately Jason Bunyan crashed into him and Phillips had to have treatment on the centre green. He was excluded from the rerun in which Bunyan had to change bikes. Bunyan roared from the gate though but was caught and passed by Steve Boxall on the second lap while Bowen picked up the gift third place point. The 4-2 levelled the scores again and it stayed that way after heat 10 when Chris Holder won from Tommy Allen by a mile. Tai Woffinden passed a disappointing Cory Gathercole on the second lap for a 3-3. There was no change in heat 11 either when Stojanowski finally lowered Ekberg’s colours. Chris Neath finished third ahead of Andrew Bargh so this race was shared too but the Isle of Wight went two points up again after heat 12. Jason Bunyan made a fast start and was never challenged by Tai Woffinden in second. Chris Johnson held off the strong challenge of Adam Roynon for third place for a 4-2 which took the score to 37-35.
Chris Holder and Krzysztof Stojanowski finally produced the meeting’s first 5-1 in heat 13 leaving Stefan Ekberg and Steve Boxall in their wake so finally the Islanders had opened up some daylight and were now leading by six points. Glen Phillips won heat 14 to keep the lead intact going into the last heat but it all went wrong for the Islanders in what may well prove to be the definitive race of the tie. Stefan Ekberg and Steve Boxall reversed their result of heat 13 to head home Chris Holder and Krzysztof Stojanowski for a 1-5 which cut the Islanders’ advantage for the second leg to two points.
Scorers: For the Isle of Wight – Chris Holder 12 (5), Krzysztof Stojanowski 11+1 (5), Jason Bunyan 10 (4), Chris Johnson 7 (5), Glen Phillips 5+1 (4), Andrew Bargh 1 (3), Cory Gathercole 0 (4).
For Rye House – Stefan Ekberg 12 (5), Steve Boxall 9+1 (5), Tommy Allen 8 (4), Chris Neath 5+1 (4), Tai Woffinden 4+2 (4), Adam Roynon 4+1 (5), Luke Bowen 2+1 (3).
Young Shield, quarter-final, first leg: Mildenhall 43, Birmingham 47.
Mildenhall were without Kyle Legault, Tom P Madsen and Mark Baseby. They had Ricky Ashworth as a guest for Legault at number 1 and used Rider Replacement at number 3 for Madsen. Matthew Wright was at number 6. Birmingham were without Henning Bager, Ben Powell and Henrik Moller. They used Rider Replacement at number 4 for Bager, had Paul Clews as a guest at number 6 for Powell and Craig Branney as a guest for Moller at number 4.
Birmingham had just too much scoring power for the Fen Tigers whose chances of further progress in the Young Shield look to be left in tatters. The Fen Tigers led by eight points after heat 6 but lost by 21-33 over the last nine heats.
Mildenhall started with a 4-2 heat advantage when Jason King won from Phil Morris with Ricky Ashworth third but Birmingham scored a 1-5 in the reserves race to turn their two point arrears into a two point lead. Paul Clews and Lee Smart took the five points from Tomas Suchanek. Jason Lyons scored the first of his five race wins in heat 3 but Paul Fry and Jason King finished behind him for a shared race. Mildenhall then hit back with a 5-1 in heat 4 turning their two point deficit into a two point lead. Tomas Suchanek won the race with Shaun Tacey in second place against the two Brummies’ reserves. This took the score to 13-11.
The Fen Tigers doubled their lead with a 4-2 in heat 5 as Ricky Ashworth won from Phil Morris with Paul Fry third then doubled their four point lead to eight points with another 5-1 in heat 6. Jason King and Ricky Ashworth did the damage for the home side with Clews and Branney bringing up the rear. However the Brummies pulled two points back in heat 7 when Jason Lyons won again from Shaun Tacey with Craig Branney third then repeated the feat in heat 8 with a win from Phil Morris from Suchanek with Lee Smart taking third place from Jason King. This took the score to 26-22.
Mildenhall were now struggling and Lee Smart kept the pressure up by winning heat 9. Paul Fry and Tomas Suchanek finished behind him for a shared race but the Brummies took a 1-5 in heat 10 which levelled the scores. Jason Lyons and Craig Branney undid the Fen Tigers by scoring a maximum at the expense of Ricky Ashworth and Jason King. Shaun Tacey won heat 11 but Hauzinger and Morris shared the points behind him. Birmingham then roared into a four point lead by scoring another 1-5 in heat 12. This time Jason Lyons was supported by Lee Smart ahead of Shaun Tacey and Tomas Suchanek to take the score to 34-38.
Ricky Ashworth won heat 13 for the home side but Shaun Tacey finished at the back as Hauzinger and Morris filled the minor places. This resulted in a 3-3 and the same score resulted from heat 14. Paul Fry won the race but again the Brummies’ pair of Branney and Smart took second and third to share the points. In the last heat Jason Lyons completed his full 15 point maximum from Ricky Ashworth and Paul Fry to leave the Fen Tigers with the proverbial mountain to climb in the second leg tomorrow night.
Scorers: For Mildenhall – Ricky Ashworth 12+1 (6), Paul Fry 9+2 (5), Shaun Tacey 8+1 (5), Jason King 7+1 (5), Tomas Suchanek 7+1 (6), Matthew Wright 0 (3).
For Birmingham – Jason Lyons 15 (5)(full maximum), Lee Smart 10+2 (6), Phil Morris 9+2 (6), Craig Branney 5+1 (5), Manuel Hauzinger 4 (4), Paul Clews 4 (4).
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