Sheffield Speedway Match Reports 2006

 Ben Wilson makes a lovely start to lead heat 1 with Ricky tucked in behind him. Chris Holder is all over Ricky like a rash and he dives through into second place on the first turn of lap three and although he closes right in Ben kept it all wound on for the win. Chris Johnson is leading heat 2 from team mate Nick Simmons when he lifts on the apex on the first and second turns on the second lap taking an awkward looking tumble. How Nick and Paul missed him I don't know and Mark Thompson is quick to lay his bike down. Paul leads the rerun briefly until Nick powers past him down the back straight on the second lap. Ray Morton makes a quick start to lead heat 3 with Kyle keeping him on his toes while new father Krystof Stojanowski was never troubled by Emiliano at the back of the field. André made a blinding start to lead heat 4 from Jason Doyle but the heat was shared with Nick Simmons easily outpacing Mark. Ben Wilson made it two races, two wins as he sped clear of Ray Morton in heat 5 but it was another shared heat as Krzystof rounded Ricky out of turn two. After 5 heats the scores are dead level and the Tigers are managing to contain the Islanders.

Heat 6 and the first clash between André and Noddy (Chris Holder) fizzles out as the Tigers skipper is left spluttering around at the back of the field with mechanical gremlins and Cooperman unable to get on terms with the rampant Islanders pair. Jason Doyle speeds into an early lead in heat 7 but Kyle and Emiliano take a share of the points with Chris Johnson retiring at the back. Heat 8 sees unbeaten Ben Wilson make another good start but Jason Bunyan had other ideas and dived into the lead on the inside of turn three. Nick Simmons takes another point ahead of Thomo and the Islanders extend their lead. André has sorted his mechanical problems and takes a big win in heat 9 ahead of Ray and Krystof with Cooperman trailing the field unable to match their pace. Kyle shows first in heat 10 but Noddy swoops past him out of turn two and into the lead. Jason Bunyan gives his all trying to pass Emiliano on the second lap but overcooks it on the second turn, earning the praise of ref. Chris Durno for quickly clearing the track. The Islanders lead by 6 points.

Ricky (having changed his kevlars) looked revitalized in heat 11 and gave Jason Doyle a very good run all the way to the line. Kyle trapped well from the outside gate to lead heat 12 and Cooperman was ahead of Nick in third place until his chain went in a shower of sparks down the back straight. Jason Doyle sped into the lead in heat 13 with André in second place. Noddy dived past André at the start of lap two and the Islanders extend their lead to ten points. Emiliano is entrusted with the black & white helmet colour in heat 14 even through he's only managed two points so far. Mark Thompson nudges the tapes to earn himself an exclusion and he's replaced by Cooperman who has just had time to finish repairs to his bike. "Cometh the hour, cometh the man" and Emiliano speeds into the lead. Cooperman's chain only makes it as far as the first turn this time but Emiliano's six point win trims the Islanders lead back to seven points. Ben is nominated to partner André in heat 15, with Noddy and Jason Doyle representing the Islanders. It's Jason who traps first and it's looking good for the Islanders with Chris hot on his tail. André too stays in close contention meaning Chris has to keep it all wound on scraping the boards and it ends in tears as he takes a nasty very high speed tumble on the pits bend on the third lap. Amazingly after a couple of minutes of attention from the paramedics on track he is able to jump to his feet and walk back into the pits. Lucky lad!

So the Islanders will be defending a 7 point lead at Owlerton on Thursday. We whupped them by 33 points back in June but I guess they will put up a much better fight this time around.

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