Around the Premier League Tracks 2008
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Saturday, 24 May
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Tonight’s matches were at Berwick where the Bandits raced Scunthorpe and at Stoke where the Potters took on Workington in Premier League matches.
Premier League: Berwick 48, Scunthorpe 42
Berwick were without Adrian Rymel and Norbert Magosi both racing abroad. They had Tomas Topinka as a guest at number 1 and used Rider Replacement at number 2 for Magosi. They also introduced new signings Tony Atkin ay number 4 and Paul Clews at number 6. Scunthorpe were again obliged to use Conference League guests for Benji Compton at number 4 and Viktor Bergstrom at number 6. Scott Richardson rode at 4 while Adam McKinna guested for them at number 6.
Berwick went into this match with their declared ‘dream team’ but they soon woke up to some harsh reality when they found themselves down to five riders and an arrears of eight points after heat 5. However, having clawed their way back into the match and leading by six points after heat 9, they then lost Tero Aarnio to a high speed accident leaving them with just four riders to complete the remaining six heats. Nonetheless they had sealed a remarkable victory with a heat to spare!
The Scorpions got off to a great start. They gated well in the opening heat and it took a round-the-third-bend swoop by Berwick’s guest, Tomas Topinka, to pass Carl Wilkinson and separate them with Andrew Moore winning the race. This gave the visitors a 2-4 and they added another in the reserves race as Adam McKinna gated to lead home Paul Clews. Scott Smith injured his leg again and Byron Bekker passed him to give the Scorpions a four point lead. Smith withdrew from the meeting depleting the Bandits’ resources further. Magnus Karlsson won heat 3 holding off a strong challenge from Michal Makovsky to do so for a shared race then the visitors went six points clear with another 2-4 in heat 4. This time it was Richard Hall who gated for the visitors to win the race from Paul Clews. Tero Aarnio was baulked by his partner and finished last. The score was now 9-15.
The Scorpions went eight points ahead with their fourth 2-4 of the match in heat 5. Andrew Moore and Carl Wilkinson made the start and, although Michal Makovsky drove hard under them both to pass them on the second bend, Moore regained his lead for the heat advantage. Berwick then woke up! Tomas Topinka saw off the challenge of Richard Hall on the second bend of heat 6 while Adam McKinna suffered an engine failure giving the Bandits a 4-2. They then added two 5-1s in heat 7 and 8. The first was a from-the-gate effort; the second saw Paul Clews gate to lead round the top bends with Michal Makovsky riding Carl Wilkinson out to the fence to successfully join his partner up front. Berwick had now turned their eight point arrears into a two point lead as the score stood at 25-23.
Heat 9 produced a third consecutive home 5-1 as this time Tony Atkin led from the gate. Michal Makovsky passed Adam McKinna and Richard Hall for the maximum then Berwick hit problems again in heat 10. Tomas Topinka and Tero Aarnio seemed well set to add a fourth 5-1 on the trot only for Aarnio to shed a chain on the third lap and clatter the fence. The race was awarded as a 3-3 while Aarnio withdrew from the meeting with suspected broken ribs. Down to just four riders, Berwick could only track Paul Clews in heat 11 and he succumbed to a Wilkinson/Moore 1-5 for the visitors cutting the gap to two points. Michal Makovsky, again the lone Bandit, produced a stunning race in heat 12 by passing Adam McKinna before chasing after Magnus Karlsson. He caught him off the last bend to take the win right on the line for a shared race which took the score to 37-35.
Tomas Topinka was on his own for the Bandits in heat 13 to win a close race with Andrew Moore for another 3-3 which kept the Bandits in front by two points but it was all over when the home side, at last able to track two riders again, scored a 5-1 in heat 14 to seal victory. It wasn’t easy though as Adam McKinna and Byron Bekker made the start. However the luck changed hands as McKinna fell and Bekker picked up a puncture leaving the Bandits to record their match winning maximum. In the last race Topinka won while behind him Makovsky, Moore and Karlsson had a terrific scrap for the minor places which eventually went to the visitors.
Scorers: For Berwick – Tomas Topinka 14 (5), Paul Clews 12+2 (7), Michal Makovsky 12+1 (6), Tony Atkin 7+2 (5), Tero Aarnio 3 (3), Scott Smith 0 (1).
For Scunthorpe – Andrew Moore 11+2 (5), Magnus Karlsson 10 (5), Richard Hall 6+1 (4), Adam McKinna 6+1 (5), Carl Wilkinson 5 (4), Byron Bekker 3 (4), Scott Richardson 1+1 (3).
Premier League: Stoke 36, Workington 59.
Stoke were at full strength but Workington without Barry Burchatt used Rider Replacement at number 2.
From the moment they lost a 1-5 in the opening race, Stoke were in trouble and never looked like pulling this match out of the fire. An 8-1 in heat 6 got them back to within three points of the Comets but the visitors just pulled away again. Nermark, Nieminen, Stonehewer and Haines scored enough between them to win the match for them!
It was depressing enough for the home fans watching Daniel Nermark win the opening heat with ease without having to watch Workington second string, Charles Wright, taking the R/R ride see off Mark Burrows and Lee Complin to follow him home for an opening 1-5. Joe Haines won the reserve race after John Branney had fallen so the result was a 3-3. Ben Barker was the first home race winner in heat 3 but his win was only good enough for a 3-3 as Kauko Nieminen and Charles Wright kept Barrie Evans at the back. The Comets added two points to their lead with a 2-4 in heat 4. Carl Stonehewer won the race from Emiliano Sanchez while John Branney passed Jesper Kristensen for third place to take the score to 9-15.
With the track already dry and dusty, gating was at a premium as passing was well nigh impossible. Nermark and Branney gated in heat 5 for a 1-5 which opened the Comets’ lead to 10 points. Stoke immediately gave Lee Complin a Tactical Ride in heat 6 and he and Mark Burrows struck gold after Carl Stonehewer fell and was excluded from the rerun. Joe Haines made the gate in the rerun but was passed by Mark Burrows at the end of lap 2 then by Lee Complin at the end of lap 3 for the Potters to score the big 8-1 and cut their arrears to three points. Workington replied to this set back with consecutive 1-5s in heats 7 and 8. In the former Nieminen and Wright made the gate against Sanchez and in the latter Haines and Branney did the damage after Mark Burrows had had to go from 15 metres back after tape touching. This took the score to 20-31.
Ben barker had a tapes-to-flag win in heat 9 for a 3-3 then in heat 10 Lee Complin and Mark Burrows made the gate but the Potters knew it wasn’t their night when Burrows hit the fence on the second lap and fell. He was excluded from the rerun in which Lee Complin cleverly cut back to pass Kauko Nieminen on the third lap resulting in a shared race. Daniel Nermark now rejoined the fray and duly won heat 11 from Emiliano Sanchez while John Branney beat Klaus Jacobsen for third and a 2-4. With the Comets reigning supreme at the gate Kauko Nieminen was next up for a tapes-to-flag win while Joe Haines followed him home for a Comets’ 1-5 which took the score to 29-46 clinching the match for them.
Yet another 1-5 went the Comets way when Stonehewer and Nermark led Sanchez home in heat 13 for a 21 point lead. This was Workington’s sixth 1-5 of the match. In heat 14 Stoke gave Ben Barker a Tactical Substitute ride from 15 metres back replacing Barrie Evans. Charles Wright was then excluded under the two minute time allowance and also had to go from 15 metres back. It was Joe Haines though who gated for the win. Barker made it through to second and Kristiansen finished third so the Potters took a 5-3 advantage from the heat. Finally the Comets sealed an excellent win with a 1-5 from Nermark, who completed his maximum, and Nieminen.
Scorers: For Stoke – Ben Barker 12 (6) (with 4 point TS), Lee Complin 9 (4) (with 6 point TR), Emiliano Sanchez 6 (5), Mark Burrows 4+1 (4), Jesper Kristensen 4+1 (5), Klaus Jakobsen 1+1 (3), Barrie Evans 0 (3).
For Workington – Daniel Nermark 14+1 (5) (paid maximum), Joe Haines 13+2 (6), Kauko Nieminen 12+1 (5), Carl Stonehewer 8 (4), Charles Wright 6+4 (5), John Branney 6+2 (5).
Tonight’s matches were at Berwick where the Bandits raced Scunthorpe and at Stoke where the Potters took on Workington in Premier League matches.
Premier League: Berwick 48, Scunthorpe 42
Berwick were without Adrian Rymel and Norbert Magosi both racing abroad. They had Tomas Topinka as a guest at number 1 and used Rider Replacement at number 2 for Magosi. They also introduced new signings Tony Atkin ay number 4 and Paul Clews at number 6. Scunthorpe were again obliged to use Conference League guests for Benji Compton at number 4 and Viktor Bergstrom at number 6. Scott Richardson rode at 4 while Adam McKinna guested for them at number 6.
Berwick went into this match with their declared ‘dream team’ but they soon woke up to some harsh reality when they found themselves down to five riders and an arrears of eight points after heat 5. However, having clawed their way back into the match and leading by six points after heat 9, they then lost Tero Aarnio to a high speed accident leaving them with just four riders to complete the remaining six heats. Nonetheless they had sealed a remarkable victory with a heat to spare!
The Scorpions got off to a great start. They gated well in the opening heat and it took a round-the-third-bend swoop by Berwick’s guest, Tomas Topinka, to pass Carl Wilkinson and separate them with Andrew Moore winning the race. This gave the visitors a 2-4 and they added another in the reserves race as Adam McKinna gated to lead home Paul Clews. Scott Smith injured his leg again and Byron Bekker passed him to give the Scorpions a four point lead. Smith withdrew from the meeting depleting the Bandits’ resources further. Magnus Karlsson won heat 3 holding off a strong challenge from Michal Makovsky to do so for a shared race then the visitors went six points clear with another 2-4 in heat 4. This time it was Richard Hall who gated for the visitors to win the race from Paul Clews. Tero Aarnio was baulked by his partner and finished last. The score was now 9-15.
The Scorpions went eight points ahead with their fourth 2-4 of the match in heat 5. Andrew Moore and Carl Wilkinson made the start and, although Michal Makovsky drove hard under them both to pass them on the second bend, Moore regained his lead for the heat advantage. Berwick then woke up! Tomas Topinka saw off the challenge of Richard Hall on the second bend of heat 6 while Adam McKinna suffered an engine failure giving the Bandits a 4-2. They then added two 5-1s in heat 7 and 8. The first was a from-the-gate effort; the second saw Paul Clews gate to lead round the top bends with Michal Makovsky riding Carl Wilkinson out to the fence to successfully join his partner up front. Berwick had now turned their eight point arrears into a two point lead as the score stood at 25-23.
Heat 9 produced a third consecutive home 5-1 as this time Tony Atkin led from the gate. Michal Makovsky passed Adam McKinna and Richard Hall for the maximum then Berwick hit problems again in heat 10. Tomas Topinka and Tero Aarnio seemed well set to add a fourth 5-1 on the trot only for Aarnio to shed a chain on the third lap and clatter the fence. The race was awarded as a 3-3 while Aarnio withdrew from the meeting with suspected broken ribs. Down to just four riders, Berwick could only track Paul Clews in heat 11 and he succumbed to a Wilkinson/Moore 1-5 for the visitors cutting the gap to two points. Michal Makovsky, again the lone Bandit, produced a stunning race in heat 12 by passing Adam McKinna before chasing after Magnus Karlsson. He caught him off the last bend to take the win right on the line for a shared race which took the score to 37-35.
Tomas Topinka was on his own for the Bandits in heat 13 to win a close race with Andrew Moore for another 3-3 which kept the Bandits in front by two points but it was all over when the home side, at last able to track two riders again, scored a 5-1 in heat 14 to seal victory. It wasn’t easy though as Adam McKinna and Byron Bekker made the start. However the luck changed hands as McKinna fell and Bekker picked up a puncture leaving the Bandits to record their match winning maximum. In the last race Topinka won while behind him Makovsky, Moore and Karlsson had a terrific scrap for the minor places which eventually went to the visitors.
Scorers: For Berwick – Tomas Topinka 14 (5), Paul Clews 12+2 (7), Michal Makovsky 12+1 (6), Tony Atkin 7+2 (5), Tero Aarnio 3 (3), Scott Smith 0 (1).
For Scunthorpe – Andrew Moore 11+2 (5), Magnus Karlsson 10 (5), Richard Hall 6+1 (4), Adam McKinna 6+1 (5), Carl Wilkinson 5 (4), Byron Bekker 3 (4), Scott Richardson 1+1 (3).
Premier League: Stoke 36, Workington 59.
Stoke were at full strength but Workington without Barry Burchatt used Rider Replacement at number 2.
From the moment they lost a 1-5 in the opening race, Stoke were in trouble and never looked like pulling this match out of the fire. An 8-1 in heat 6 got them back to within three points of the Comets but the visitors just pulled away again. Nermark, Nieminen, Stonehewer and Haines scored enough between them to win the match for them!
It was depressing enough for the home fans watching Daniel Nermark win the opening heat with ease without having to watch Workington second string, Charles Wright, taking the R/R ride see off Mark Burrows and Lee Complin to follow him home for an opening 1-5. Joe Haines won the reserve race after John Branney had fallen so the result was a 3-3. Ben Barker was the first home race winner in heat 3 but his win was only good enough for a 3-3 as Kauko Nieminen and Charles Wright kept Barrie Evans at the back. The Comets added two points to their lead with a 2-4 in heat 4. Carl Stonehewer won the race from Emiliano Sanchez while John Branney passed Jesper Kristensen for third place to take the score to 9-15.
With the track already dry and dusty, gating was at a premium as passing was well nigh impossible. Nermark and Branney gated in heat 5 for a 1-5 which opened the Comets’ lead to 10 points. Stoke immediately gave Lee Complin a Tactical Ride in heat 6 and he and Mark Burrows struck gold after Carl Stonehewer fell and was excluded from the rerun. Joe Haines made the gate in the rerun but was passed by Mark Burrows at the end of lap 2 then by Lee Complin at the end of lap 3 for the Potters to score the big 8-1 and cut their arrears to three points. Workington replied to this set back with consecutive 1-5s in heats 7 and 8. In the former Nieminen and Wright made the gate against Sanchez and in the latter Haines and Branney did the damage after Mark Burrows had had to go from 15 metres back after tape touching. This took the score to 20-31.
Ben barker had a tapes-to-flag win in heat 9 for a 3-3 then in heat 10 Lee Complin and Mark Burrows made the gate but the Potters knew it wasn’t their night when Burrows hit the fence on the second lap and fell. He was excluded from the rerun in which Lee Complin cleverly cut back to pass Kauko Nieminen on the third lap resulting in a shared race. Daniel Nermark now rejoined the fray and duly won heat 11 from Emiliano Sanchez while John Branney beat Klaus Jacobsen for third and a 2-4. With the Comets reigning supreme at the gate Kauko Nieminen was next up for a tapes-to-flag win while Joe Haines followed him home for a Comets’ 1-5 which took the score to 29-46 clinching the match for them.
Yet another 1-5 went the Comets way when Stonehewer and Nermark led Sanchez home in heat 13 for a 21 point lead. This was Workington’s sixth 1-5 of the match. In heat 14 Stoke gave Ben Barker a Tactical Substitute ride from 15 metres back replacing Barrie Evans. Charles Wright was then excluded under the two minute time allowance and also had to go from 15 metres back. It was Joe Haines though who gated for the win. Barker made it through to second and Kristiansen finished third so the Potters took a 5-3 advantage from the heat. Finally the Comets sealed an excellent win with a 1-5 from Nermark, who completed his maximum, and Nieminen.
Scorers: For Stoke – Ben Barker 12 (6) (with 4 point TS), Lee Complin 9 (4) (with 6 point TR), Emiliano Sanchez 6 (5), Mark Burrows 4+1 (4), Jesper Kristensen 4+1 (5), Klaus Jakobsen 1+1 (3), Barrie Evans 0 (3).
For Workington – Daniel Nermark 14+1 (5) (paid maximum), Joe Haines 13+2 (6), Kauko Nieminen 12+1 (5), Carl Stonehewer 8 (4), Charles Wright 6+4 (5), John Branney 6+2 (5).
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