Sheffield Speedway Match Reports 2007

Key:+ = from 15m handicap,  * = Tactical ride for double points,  ! = Tactical substitution from 15m
Scunthorpe Lincs FM  'Scorpions'  v Sheffield Window Center 'Tigers' Challenge 30th Oct

Referee: Dave Dowling

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 Tot+Bp
1. Tai Woffinden G6 3 3 fx - - 6
2. Adam Roynon  (g) 0 3 2 3 3 f/r 11
3. Josh Auty r/r   - - - - (8)
4. Benji Compton G7 fx 0 3 2 2 7
5. Carl Wilkinson (g) 2 1 fx 3 3 2 11
6. Scot Richardson G2 1 0 2' 0  0 3+1
7. Byron Bekker G6 3 1' 1 1' 6+2
 Kenny Smith 3 4 3 3 3 2 1 4 3 3 5 3 3 2 2
Scunthorpe 'Scorpions' 3 7 10 13 16 18 19 23 26 29 34 37 40 42 44
Sheffield 'Tigers' 3 5 8 11 14 18 23 25 28 31 32 35 38 42 45
Neil Machin 3 2 3 3 3 4 5 2 3 3 1 3 2 4 3
1. Ricky Ashworth r/r 7.75 - - - - (5+1)
2. Simon Lambert (g) 6.82 2 1' 2 1 2 8+1
3. André Compton © 10.00 2 3 2 +x 3 3 13
4. Paul Cooper 5.21 1' 2 2' 1' 3 fx 9+3
5. Joel Parsons 5.97 1' 3 3 2 1' 10+2
6. Ricky Scarboro (g) 3.00 0 1 1' 0 2+1
7. Luke Priest (g) 3.00 2 0 0 1 3
Track Record: 56.92
Tai Woffinden, 7 Oct '07
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

58.18

61.78

58.58

60.76

59.86

59.87

60.45

59.92

61.12

60.37

61.54

60.89

61.15

61.59

awd

2007 Programme

Simon Lambert is the early leader of heat 1 but Tai Woffinden wastes little time picking him off on the second bend of the second lap. Luke Priest makes a blinding start to lead heat 2 but Byron Bekker goes hard underneath him on the second lap and everyone in the stadium must have caught their breath as Luke headed towards the fence! Paul Cooper led heat 3 and André looked to be shaping up to team ride but, entering turn 3 he was passed on the inside by brother Benji, and simultaneously on the outside by Tai, who also scorched right around to blast past Paul as well. The elation of passing his brother must have gone to Benji's head as he fell on the third turn on the next lap. Carl Wilkinson and Byron Bekker made the gate to lead heat 4 but Joel battled past Byron on the second lap and Carl on the third to rescue a share of the points. Scunthorpe just ahead by 2 points.

Tai clipped Joel's rear wheel on the first bend of heat 6 and took a heavy spill. While he was receiving medical attention the crowd were entertained by a tractor race. Four tractors (plenty of width on the track!) over 3 laps. Graham Trollope was actually grading the track at one stage(!) and although he was third over the finish line he was awarded first place due to the others being disqualified for not showing a flashing amber light! When heat 6 eventually re-started we had one of the best races of the night as Joel and Adam diced for the lead. Joel went ahead out of turn four on the first lap. After that Adam kept catching him as they exited the second bend, but Joel seemed faster everywhere else. André trapped to lead heat 7, and Paul passed Carl on the last bend of the first lap to set up a 5-1. Carl tried everything he could but Paul held on and put the Tigers ahead for the first time. Adam trapped in heat 8 but team mate Byron was at the back. Byron dived under Luke on the third lap and very nearly caught Simon on the race to the line. Carl Wilkinson trapped to lead heat 9 but Joel dived up the inside of him into turn 3. Carl bailed out and wasn't too happy about Joel's tactics, but I didn't see any problem. Benji gave Joel a big shove at the start of the rerun, but Joel soon fought back into the lead. Benji then dived up the inside on the third turn on the last lap (a much harder challenge than the one Carl wasn't happy with!) to steal the win and share the heat. It's André who traps to lead heat 10 closely pursued by Adam and Paul who were having a right scrap. Adam left it to the last moment before diving under André on the last turn to steal the win. The Tigers are just hanging on to the 2 point advantage.

André was named as rider replacement for heat 11 and would have expected extra time for two on the trot. Just as he rode out onto the track his exclusion was announced, a brilliant bit of refereeing which slowed down proceeding rather than speeding them up! André elected to go off 15 metres and with Simon Lambert leading he'd caught the pack by the third turn. André sped through on the inside and Scott Richardson slid off in surprise, but guess who picked up an exclusion! Simon was out manoeuvred in the rerun and the Scorpions are back ahead. André was out again for heat 12 and took the lead by shutting the door on his little brother on the first bend. Benji and Byron then knocked lumps out of each other as they battled all the way to the finish line. Simon led heat 13 but Carl went around him on the fourth turn. Joel was stuck at the back until Scott made a mess of the second turn on the last lap. Paul made a great start to lead heat 14 from Benji and Scott. Luke was having none of that and he dived under Scott on the third turn, lap three to level the match scores into the nominated final heat. The Scorpions strangely elected to go with their guests Carl and Adam, while the Tigers pinned their hopes on André and Paul. André trapped and Adam fell on the second turn and it looked like the Tigers had it in the bag. Adam remounted but retired soon after while everyone's attention was on the scrap between Paul and Carl. Paul kept on trying to squeeze between Carl's back wheel and the fence with Carl simply going wider each lap. Paul got alongside him out of turn 2 on the last lap but Carl left him with nowhere to go and he hurtled straight into the fence on the third turn. (Some friendly match!) Paul was thankfully quickly on his feet with only a pain in his wallet. Front wheel, forks, silencer and chain were the major casualties. 

Some great racing, the best I've seen at Normanby Road, and a taster of what might be in store for the Scorpions fans next year if their application is accepted. Rumours abound that André and Ben could both be joining them next season, but there's a lot of water to flow under the bridge before next March...

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