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Report: Cycle Speedway British Premier League
Wednesfield V Leicester
Posted September 27 2010
Words and Photography By Andy Whitehouse
With Horspath pretty much holding court at the top of the British Premier League both hosts Wednesfield Aces and visitors Leicester Monarchs were out to secure a win at Ashmore Park and keep the chances of runner-up spot alive. With Leicester taking victory recently against Wednesfield in the Team Championships, the Black country side were out for revenge but Leicester had other ideas and fielded a strong side with British Grand Prix champion Lucasz Nowacki and top team championship scorer Adam Peck.
The day started poorly for Wednesfield with current British Under 16 champion Matt Beharral excluded in the first heat for moving at the tapes but with Leicester's Adam Peck given his marching orders in the next heat for causing Lee Aris to crash it looked like the match would be evened up - but not before Wednesfield's Sam Smith got his marching orders from referee Andy Moody in the re-run for moving on the grid.
A classic Nowacki/Aris scrap in heat eight saw two of the country's top riders head to head for four laps, but the Polish rider just held on to take the four points on the line. Adam Peck taking his second win of the half and Leicester's seventh, the visiting side had pulled a twelve point lead going into the interval 47-39.
Magda Nowacki's Photostream
An easy 7-2 from Leicester in heat ten pulled out a bigger lead and with Sam Smith's second exclusion in the following heat - this time for causing the stoppage after a crash - the match was slipping away from the home side.
A captain's ride in heat thirteen by Chris Jewkes taking his second win of the day helped Wednesfield hold a drawn heat but back to back 7-3 heat wins from Leicester in the following rides saw Leicester pretty much sew the day up riding out twenty six points to the good 100-74.
An untroubled victory by the East Midlands side over Wednesfield saw the visitors take eleven heat wins and with seven of the riders scoring double figures it was a solid performance which the home side were unable to match on the day.
WEDNESFIELD 74 POINTS
Chris Jewkes 18, Lee Aris 18, Terry Norman 11+2, Luke Draisey 8, Ben Higham 7, Matt Beharrel 7, Roger Cox 4+1, Sam Smith 1
LEICESTER 100 POINTS
Lucasz Nowacki 17+2,Craig Marchant 17+1, Mark Newey 15+1, Jason Ashford 15+1, Adam Peck 14, Adam Stepheson 11+1, Kevin Burns 10+2, Matt Hartshorn 1
PREMIER COMBINATION
A closer contest between the two sides in the combination encounter saw some interesting racing, with points shared fairly evenly between experience and youth, fine rides by Leicester's veterans, Norm Venson and Mick Skinner took the bulk of the points for the visitors, taking seventeen and fifteen respectively but four wins from four outings from Wednesfield's Luke Draisey saw the youngster wrap up a good weekend after securing the British Youth And Junior Under 18's title the previous day at East Newport.
Leicester's two girls, Amy Couch and Michelle Whitehead were off the pace taking five points apiece but good, determined riding from team mate Charlie Cooper helped The Monarchs on their way to victory. Wednesfield's youngsters, Matt Turley. Micki Bassi, Jordon Holdcroft and Harry Evitts all gave a good account of themselves but it was the visitors who rode out victors 67-60.
WEDNESFIELD 60 POINTS
Luke Draisey 16, Mick Aris 11, Jordon Holdcroft 11, Matt Turley 8, Harry Evitts 8, Micki Bassi 6+2
LEICESTER 67 POINTS
Norm Venson 17+1, Mick Skinner 15, Ashley Doherty 11,Charlie Cooper 9+1, Amy Crouch 5+1, Michelle Whitehead 5+1, Matt Hartshorne 5+1
