Key:+ = from 15m handicap,  * = Tactical ride for double points,  ! = Tactical substitution from 15m
SHEFFIELD SPEEDWAY MATCH REPORTS 2008
SHEFFIELD WINDOW CENTRE 'Tigers' v Berwick 'Bandits' Premier League 7 August

Referee: Graham Flint

0102030405 0607080910 1112131415 Tot+Bp
1. Ricky Ashworth 7.93 ef 2 ef 2 4
2. Joel Parsons 5.85 1 tps 2 3 6
3. André Compton © 8.88 2' 3 2' 2' r 9+3
4. Paul Cooper 5.30 3 2' 3 3 2 13+1
5. Ben Wilson 7.12 0 3 2 1' 6+1
6. Kyle Hughes 3.00 0 0 0 - 0
7. John Oliver (g) 5.04 3 2 1' 0 3 1 10+1
Eric Boocock 1 3 5 2 5 3 3 2 5 3 2 5 3 4 2
Sheffield 'Tigers' 1 4 9 11 16 19 22 24 29 32 34 39 42 46 48 89
Berwick 'Bandits' 5 8 9 13 14 17 20 24 25 28 32 33 36 38 42 94
 Peter Waite 5 3 1 4 1 3 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 2 4
1. Adrian Rymel © 9.48 2' 1 3 3 3 12+1
2. Norbert Magosi r/r 6.60 - - - - (7)
3. Michal Makovsky 7.28 1 2 3 2 0 1 9
4. Paul Clews 5.32 0 0 1' 1' 0 2+2
5. Tero Aarnio 5.61 x2 1 3 fx 0 4
6. Guglielmi Franchetti 5.00 1' 0 1 - 2+1
7. Scott Smith 3.56 3 2 3 1 1 1 2 13
Track record: 59.3
Chris Holder, 6 Sept '07
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

61.4

62.1

62.9

62.0

61.9

62.5

63.3

63.1

awd

63.4

63.3

65.0

65.5

66.2

65.0

2008 Programme Birko had agreed to return to the Tigers lair as a stand-in for the injured Lee Smethills but then changed his mind again saying he had retired from the sport, despite assuring the Birmingham crowd on Wednesday evening that he'd be back there like a shot if it were possible! I was also looking forward to seeing Norbert Magosi ride but he had a domestic meeting in Hungary on Sunday so couldn't be bothered to make it to Owlerton.

Reserve Scott Smith (he was a heat leader when he last rode for the Tigers) exploded from the tapes to lead heat 1 from his skipper Adrian Rymel. Ricky retired from last place with a blown engine! The Tigers guest for the evening, John Oliver, took a convincing win in heat 2 and André and Paul team rode to a Tigers 5-1 in heat 3. Scud took another win from the tapes in heat 4 but John Oliver passed Tero Aarnio on the second bend to claim second place with Ben was well off the pace. André and Cooperman to the rescue once again in heat 5. The skipper did the job from the gate while Paul Cooper had to work a little harder rounding Paul Clews out of turn two and using his momentum to sweep around Adrian Rymel on the third turn. The Tigers lead by two points but the Bandits are making great use of Scud at reserve and the former Tiger has carded eight of their thirteen points.

Joel got suckered into the tapes in heat 6 and Ricky was slowly away in the rerun. Tero passed John to take the lead on the pits turn at the end of the first lap and Ricky eventually caught John on the third lap to take second place. Ben Wilson trapped and never looked like being caught by Michal Makovsky as he won heat 7 but Kyle Hughes was almost left standing as the tapes rose. Michal tasted shale at the start of heat 8 as Scud forgot to turn left forcing Joel out and across Michal's line. Graham Flint invited all four back for the restart and it was Michal who led down the back straight. Scud rounded John on the pits turn and the Bandits levelled the scores again. André led the way in heat 9 with Tero falling on the third bend while chasing hard. Joel and Ricky looked set for a comfortable 5-1 in heat 10 until Ricky's gremlins struck yet again. The Tigers lead by four points.

Adrian led Ben home in heat 11 and with Scud comfortably ahead of Kyle the Tigers lead got smaller. André trapped well in heat 12 and guest John scorched around the field to lead down the back straight for a vital win. Adrian rounded Ricky on the second turn to win heat 13 but Ben clung onto third place ahead of Tero to maintain the Tigers lead. Cooperman blasted around the field to lead by the back straight in heat 14 but all attention was on the three man scrap for second place between John, Scud and Paul Clews which eventually finished in Scud's favour. Eric nominated the Tigers two unbeaten riders, André and Cooperman, while Peter Waite went with his Czechians Michal and Adrian. André made a poor start and eventually retired from the back of the field while Paul gave his all but missed out on his inaugural premier league maximum as he followed Adrian home for second place.

Credit to the Bandits for giving the Tigers a ride for their money and entertaining the Owlerton faithful.

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