Key:+ = from 15m handicap,  * = Tactical ride for double points
SHEFFIELD SPEEDWAY MATCH REPORTS 2015
Rye House 'Rockets' v SHEFFIELD WINDOW CENTRE 'Tigers' Premier League 18th April

Referee: Dave Robinson

0102030405 0607080910 1112131415 Tot+Bp
1. Edward Kennett © 8.38 1 *6 3 3 1 14
2. NB Jakobsen r/r 7.00 - - - -  
3. Anders Mellgren 6.57 2 1 2' 3 1' 9+2
4. Steve Boxall 5.36 fx 0 2' fx - 2+1
5. Robin Aspegren 6.39 f fx 0 2 0 2
6. Robert Branford (g) 3.96 1' 1 0 f 2+1
7. Nico Covatti (g) 4.65 2 2 1 2 1 8
John Sampford 1 3 2 2 1 8 1 4 5 3 2 3 1 1  
Rye House 'Rockets' 1 4 6 8 9 17 18 22 27 30 32 35 36 37  
Sheffield 'Tigers' 5 8 12 16 21 22 27 29 30 33 37 40 45 50  
Jack Lee 5 3 4 4 5 1 5 2 1 3 4 3 5 5  
1. Simon Stead © 9.96 3 2' 3 3 fx 11+1
2. Ashley Birks 5.68 2' 3 0 1 6+1
3. David Bellego 6.06 1 2' 1' 3 7+2
4. Ty Proctor 6.07 3 3 2 2' 10+1
5. Andre Compton 5.59 3 1 tps 2' 6+1
6. Josh Bates 3.53 3 f 1 0 4
7. Arthur Sissis 5.00 0 1 2 0 3 6
Track record: 55.1
Chris Neath, 31 May 2010
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

56.4

57.7

58.2

57.3

58.1

57.1

58.8

57.2

57.7

57.2

57.3

57.9

56.9

awd

 

rye House programme After a short delay for the setting sun it was Ashley Birks who made a flying start to heat 1. Simon passed him as they exited the second turn and they looked quite at ease. Ed Kennett straight-lined it into turn 3 on the third lap and Ron Aspegren fell as he took avoiding action. Simon's time was the quickest so far this season. Josh Bates passed guest Rob Branford on the second lap of heat 2 and held onto the lead while Arthur was hot on the heels of Nico Covatti at the back. Steve Boxall passed Ty Proctor who went wide on the fourth turn, but then fell on the second turn earning him an exclusion. Ty and David lead from Anders Mellgren in the rerun until David gets it all wrong at the end of the third lap allowing Anders up into second place. Andre gates ahead in heat 4 and Robin Aspegren dives under him into turn three, but then cannot hold it and slides into the fourth bend fence. Andre is untroubled by Nico Covatti in the rerun. Ashley traps to lead heat 5 and Simon rides around Anders Mellgren into turn three and around Steve Boxall out of turn four to join his partner in another maximum heat win and a twelve point lead!

Ed Kennett is on a tactical in heat 6 and along with Anders Mellgren fights back with an 8-1. Andre gave chase and Josh wasn't far off the pace before sliding off on the last turn. David traps to lead heat 7 from team mate Ty Proctor. Ty rounds him out of the last turn and Rob Branford follows suit. David sticks to the inside line and after trading places with Rob for a couple of laps he pulls clear on the last lap. Ashley flies from the tapes in heat 8 only to be called back by the referee. He can't repeat it in the rerun and trails home last while Arthur rides a good steady race to hold off challenges from Nico Covatti. Andre hits the tapes and is replaced by Arthur in heat 9 and the home pair romp to a comfortable 5-1 to reduce their deficit to just three points. Steve Boxall passed David on the second lap of heat 10 and was shaping up to pass Ty and join his partner at the front when his throttle stuck open and he hurtled into and under the fence on the third turn aggravating an old shoulder injury in the process.

Simon passes Robin who went too wide and hit the fence on the fourth turn on the first lap of heat 11. Ashley rounds Rob Branford but Rob battles back until he makes the same mistake as his partner and Ashley gratefully accepts third place to extend the lead. David rides a perfect line to win heat 12 from Nico with Josh unable to get the better of Anders and finishing last. Pressure is on Ed and Robin in heat 13. Robin is pulled back for a flier and after a blanket start it is Simon leading down the back straight. Andre closes the door on Robin on the second turn and then rounds Ed as they enter the third turn and then does just enough to stay ahead of the home skipper. Arthur rides around the field to lead down the back straight in heat 14. Ty passes Nico out of turn four but Nico regains second place with an inside pass on turn two. Ty passes Nico again out of turn four as Rob in last place dumps his bike in the fence and the race is awarded. Simon passes Anders exiting the second turn to lead heat 15 but hits a patch on the apex of the third and fourth turns on the second lap which sends him wide and he hits the fence and somersaults over the bars. Anders and Ed avoid the stricken rider but David is giving it all he has to get back into contention and hits his team mate in a terrible looking smash. David limped back to the pits in a lot of pain but the air ambulance is called for Simon who suffered a broken femur and upper arm.

A magnificent win, but at a terrible cost.

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