Sheffield Speedway Match Reports 2005

Key:   + = from 15m handicap    * = Tactical ride for double points    ! = Golden Double Tactical Substitute from 15m
Sheffield PIRTEK 'Tigers' v Glasgow Premier Travel Inn 'Tigers' Premier Trophy 7th April
Rider010203040506070809101112131415Tot+Bp
Sean Wilson © 9.46 3 3 3 3 3 15
Ben Wilson 4.96 2' 1 3 1 7+1
Richard Hall 5.38 1 ef' 1' 2 4+1
Ricky Ashworth 8.31 3 3 2 3 11
André Compton 8.70 3 3 3 2' 1 12+1
Paul Cooper 3.00 3 1 0 2' 6+1
Kyle Legault 4.00 2' 2' 1 1' 6+3
Reg Wilson 5 5 4 5 3 4 4 4 3 4 3 3 5 5 4
PIRTEK 'Tigers' 5 10 14 19 22 26 30 34 37 41 44 47 52 57 61
Premier Travel Inn 'Tigers'  1 2 4 5 10 12 14 18 24 26 29 32 33 34 36
Stewart Dickson 1 1 2 1 5 2 2 4 6 2 3 3 1 1 2
George Stancl 8.68 1 *4 2 r 7
Matthew Wethers 5.35 0 1' 0 1' 2+2
James Birkinshaw 5.35 2 2 !4 2 3 fx 13
Paul Bentley 7.93 r r r - 0
Shane Parker © 9.57 1 2 *6 1 2 12
Mark Thompson (G) 3.00 r 0 0 - 0 0
Trent Leverington 5.11 1 r - 0 1 2
Heat
times
01020304050607 0809101112131415
64.366.465.065.164.6 63.963.264.964.063.8 64.564.463.865.563.8

The track had taken some rain throughout the day and was a little on the heavy side for the opening few heats, but as the meeting progressed and the riders dialled themselves in we were shown some excellent speedway. Sean sped into the lead in heat 1 and Ben inched past George Stancl down the back straight and then rode an excellent line on the 3rd & 4th turns to keep second place. Kyle passed Trent Leverington out of turn 2 and followed Paul home for another maximum in heat 2, Ricky flew to a convincing win in heat 3, as did André in heat 4. Kyle made a good start in heat 4 and blocked Shane Parker on the first turn before extending a considerable lead over the Glasgow skipper. Ricky passed his team mate on the back straight to win heat 5 but Richard suffered more engine problems gifting George Stancl 2 extra points on a tactical ride.

Sean drove around Shane out of turn 2 and just held off Shane's challenge on the pits turn to win heat 6, and Paul Cooper just didn't have an answer to Birko in heat 7, although he was never troubled by the embarrassing Paul Bentley who declined to cross the finish line yet again. Birko was given a tactical substitute ride in heat 8 but Kyle passed Matthew Wethers out of turn 2 and rode an excellent line behind his team mate Ben. Birko took his time to make up the handicap bouncing off the fence on the last turn at the end of lap 2, but passed Kyle with another hair-raising swoop on the very last corner. Shane Parker exhausted Stewart Dickson's tactical options by beating Ricky Ashworth to claim six points in heat 9, and Sean had to work to beat Birko in heat 10.

André moved from 3rd to win heat 11 while Paul Cooper battled to find his way back past George Stancl but found that clouting the fence exiting turn 4 was not the way and he paid the penalty as Matthew Wethers picked up third place. Birko claimed his first win ahead of Richard Hall in heat 12 while at the back Kyle passed Trent Leverington with a copybook outside manoeuvre. Heat 13 saw the home favourites dominant from the gate, as were Paul and Ricky in heat 14. Heat 15 saw Birko clip André's rear wheel on the second turn and take a purler into the fence, and Shane falling in the first bend scrummage in the restart. Don't know what he was gesticulating about in the second restart but he was obviously fired up by something. André blasted around the outside to join Sean at the front but ran out of track as they both went wide on the pits corner allowing Shane back into second with Sean having to close the door entering turn one to preserve his lead and his full maximum.

The Sheffield lads were very happy with the track conditions and will be happy if it can be prepared like this on a regular basis. The return match on Sunday should be interesting with potentially more than just the bonus point to aim for.

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