Sunday 13 April 2008

Around the Premier League Tracks 2008
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Sunday, 13 April
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The weather resulted in two more casualties today as the matches at Newport where Birmingham were the visitors in a Premier League match was abandoned after the opening race (which resulted in a 2-4) due to heavy rain and the meeting at Mildenhall where the Fen Tigers were due to race against Rye House in a Premier Trophy match was postponed due to a waterlogged track. The two other scheduled matches were raced however. At Glasgow the Tigers faced King’s Lynn and at Newcastle the Diamonds took on Workington both in Premier League matches.


Premier League: Glasgow 46, King’s Lynn 47


Both teams were at full strength.

King’s Lynn were racing their third match in three days. Having recovered from their home defeat at the hands of Birmingham on Friday night to force a draw at Workington last night they were looking better prepared for this match than they might have been. Glasgow had not ridden for over a week after last week’s postponement against Redcar.

The Stars gated in the opening heat but Topinka went wide on the opening bends to let Ross Brady and Shane Parker through to follow Shaun Tacey home for a shared race. The Tigers went ahead in heat 2. Although John Oliver led from the gate he was passed by Lee Dicken while Josh Grajczonek finished third for a 4-2 and a two point lead. It was all change in heat 3 though when Kevin Doolan and Kozza Smith made superb starts to leave Trent Leverington to bring up the rear. The 1-5 switched the two point home lead to a two point away lead. Rusty Harrison won heat 3 from the gate followed by Lee Dicken while Simon Lambert picked up third place after Robert Ksiezak fell resulting in a 2-4 which took the score to 10-14.

Shaun Tacey won again in heat 5 while Trent Leverington did well to hold off Tomas Topinka for second. The result was another 2-4 to the visitors extending their lead to six points. In heat 6 it looked as though Glasgow would get four points back with Shane Parker and Ross Brady leading for a 5-1. However Ross Brady fell on the third bend of the last lap and the race was shared. Heat 7 had to be rerun with all four after Kozza Smith ended in the first bend fence. The rerun was won by Kevin Doolan from the gate with Ksiezak in second. Kozza Smith took third place for a 2-4 giving the Stars an eight point lead. It was increased to ten points when Shaun Tacey scored his third race win with Lee Dicken second. Ross Brady had engine trouble so the Stars added another 2-4 taking the score to 19-29.

Glasgow gave Shane Parker a Tactical Substitute ride in heat 9 from 15 metres back to partner Trent Leverington. The race was rerun with all four when Simon Lambert hit the first bend fence and fell. In the rerun Trent Leverington and Rusty Harrison contested the lead with Leverington prevailing. At the back Shane Parker got past Lambert but could not catch the front two so the heat result was a 5-2 to Glasgow cutting their deficit to seven points. Shane Parker was out again in heat 10 and won this time from Kevin Doolan. Kozza Smith took third as Ross Brady’s machine problems continued so the race was shared. King’s Lynn rocketed into an eleven point lead in heat 11. Tomas Topinka won the race while Shaun Tacey completed a four ride paid maximum by passing Robert Ksiezak on the third lap for second although he almost made a mess of it after locking up. Now struggling badly Glasgow gave Trent Leverington a TR in heat 12 but he could only finish behind Doolan. Lee Dicken’s third place gave the Tigers a 5-3 advantage from the race taking the score to 33-42.

Glasgow came roaring back into the match with a 5-1 in heat 13. Shane Parker opened a gap on the first lap to allow Robert Ksiezak through for the maximum cutting King’s Lynn’s lead to just five points. Heat 14 was stopped when Mitchell Davey and Kozza Smith collided with Smith excluded. Glasgow replaced Mitchell Davey with Lee Dicken so presumably Davey must have been unfit to take his place in the rerun since he had only taken two rides up to this heat. Incredibly King’s Lynn failed to substitute Simon Lambert, who hadn’t beaten an opponent, with John Oliver and it was no surprise when they lost the inevitable 5-1 to Grajczonek and Dicken which left them just one point ahead going into the last race. Kevin Doolan won heat 15 however to see the visitors home in what was a nail-biting finish. Shane Parker and Trent Leverington finished behind Doolan and ahead of Shaun Tacey for a shared race.

Scorers: For Glasgow – Shane Parker 14+1 (6) (with 2 point TS), Trent Leverington 11+1 (5) (with 4 point TR), Lee Dicken 10+2 (6), Robert Ksiezak 5+1 (4), Josh Grajczonek 4 (3), Ross Brady 2 (4), Mitchell Davey 0 (2).

For King’s Lynn – Kevin Doolan 14 (5), Shaun Tacey 11+1 (5), Rusty Harrison 7 (4), Tomas Topinka 5 (4), Kozza Smith 4+2 (4), John Oliver 4+1 (4), Simon Lambert 2 (4).



Premier League: Newcastle 42, Workington 48


Newcastle were again without George Stancl so used Rider Replacement at number 2. Workington were at full strength.

Newcastle were anxious to get a good win under their belt to maintain their home form but Workington were looking to recover from the point they dropped at home last night to King’s Lynn. In the end the Comets had too many race winners – nine in all and with sparkling performances from their two reserves who scored 15 to their opponents 10.

After Josef Franc had beaten Daniel Nermark to share the opening race, Workington drew first blood by winning the reserves race 1-5 for a four point lead. Christian Henry beat Carl Stonehewer in heat 3 with third place going to Ben Powell for a 4-2 which pulled two points back but the Comets replied with a 2-4 from Nieminen and Branney to lead by four again with the score 10-14.

The next three races, all won by the Workington big three, were shared but Newcastle shaved two points from the lead with a 4-2 in heat 8 when Josef Franc (R/R) beat John Branney with Sean Stoddart taking third. This took the score to 23-25.

Christian Henry won heat 9 for a shared race then the Diamonds levelled the scores with a 4-2 from Josef Franc and Jason King in heat 10. Daniel Nermark won heat 11 but Jaimie Robertson and Jason King kept John Branney at the back for a 3-3 to keep the scores tied. Carl Stonehewer won heat 12 from Sean Stoddart and, with Christian Henry failing to score, the Comets were back in front again with the 2-4 which took the score to 35-37.

Things began to look black for the Diamonds when they lost another 2-4 to Nieminen and Nermark. Jason King split the visiting pair while Josef Franc finished last. A third consecutive 2-4 for the Comets in heat 14 as John Branney won from Ben Powell and Joe Haines sealed victory for the visitors. Christian Henry had the consolation of beating Daniel Nermark and Kauko Nieminen in a rerun heat 15 after Josef Franc had fallen and been excluded.

Scorers: For Newcastle – Christian Henry 11 (5), Josef Franc 11 (6), Jason King 6+1 (5), Jaimie Robertson 6+1 (5), Sean Stoddart 4+1 (4), Ben Powell 4+1 (5).

For Workington – Kauko Nieminen 11+2 (5), Daniel Nermark 11 (5), Carl Stonehewer 10 (4), John Branney 9 (5), Joe Haines 6+1 (5), Scott Smith 1+1 (3), Charles Wright 0 (3).

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