Sheffield Speedway Match Reports 2007

Key:+ = from 15m handicap,  * = Tactical ride for double points,  ! = Tactical substitution from 15m
Sheffield Window Center 'Tigers' v King's Lynn 'Stars' Premier League 16th August

Referee: Paul Ackroyd

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 Tot+Bp
1. Ricky Ashworth 7.40 2' 2' 2 2 1 9+2
2. Ben Wilson 6.56 3 3 3 1' 10+1
3. André Compton © 9.76 3 3 3 3 3 15
4. James Birkinshaw r/r 5.18 - - - - (7+1)
5. Joel Parsons 6.04 3 2 2 fx 1 8
6. Paul Cooper 5.01 ef 1 1 r 1' 3 6+1
7. James Cockle 3.20 2 1 2' 2' 0 7+2
 Reg Wilson 5 2 4 4 4 5 2 5 5 3 3 3 2 4 4
Sheffield 'Tigers' 5 7 11 15 19 24 26 31 36 39 42 45 47 51 55
King's Lynn 'Stars' 1 4 6 8 10 11 18 19 20 23 26 29 33 35 37
 Rob Lyon 1 3 2 2 2 1 7 1 1 3 3 3 4 2 2
1. Tomas Topinka © 8.89 0 2 3 3 r 8
2. Chris Mills 5.82 1 0 1 0 2
3. Daniel Nermark 9.28 2 *6 3 2 2 15
4. Paul Lee 6.78 0 1 0 2 3
5. Trevor Harding 6.23 fx 1 r - 1
6. James Brundle 5.56 3 2 - 0 - - 0 5
7. Benji Compton 3.00 fx - 0 - 1 1' 1 - 3+1
Track Record: 59.5
S. Stead, & C. Holder
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

60.3

62.5

60.1

64.1

60.5

62.5

61.2

62.0

63.6

60.6

62.7

62.0

62.1

63.0

62.1

2007 Programme The track looked in good nick despite the showers which had fallen intermittently throughout the day. Prospects of rescuing the bonus point looked dire, even when it was announced that Birko would not be riding, and I was expecting a narrow win after a good close battle. The Tigers got off to a great start despite losing the toss with Ben Wilson and Ricky Ashworth storming off into an unassailable lead, and Tomas Topinka not even attempting to pass his team mate. Paul Cooper just beat the two minute allowance for heat 2, but obviously had a problem and pulled off the track after a couple of laps, just as Benji Compton gave us his trademark fall (those who nominated the second bend were in the money!). James Brundle made another cracking start to win the rerun. André left Daniel Nermark trailing on his way to his fastest time of the year in heat 3, and the battle of the Pauls went to the home rider, despite him looking down on power. James Cockle led heat 4 from Trevor Harding with Joel Parsons stealing second place down the back straight. Trevor then got out of shape on the third turn and high-sided it but was able to walk away rubbing his bruises. Joel passed his team mate in the rerun and we were set for a 5-1 until James slid off on the first turn of the second lap. He jumped back on but there was something wrong with the bike as Joel had to slow to avoid overtaking him as he pottered around for the point. André took another big win in heat 5 ahead of Tomas while Cooperman resorted to Simon Lambert's bike and took a point from Chris Mills who survived a very hairy moment on the third bend of the second lap (good job we don't have one of those air fence's otherwise he wouldn't have made it!). The Tigers lead by a surprisingly comfortable 9 points.

Trevor trapped ahead in heat 6 but Ben went around him into the third bend. Ricky nearly got him on the inside on the pits turn, and again on the second bend before making it stick at the start of lap 3. Joel Parsons trapped (!) to lead heat 7 but Daniel just blasted around him down the back straight. Cooperman held third place but his engine sounded sick and Paul Lee cut back inside to pass him out of the pits bend at the end of lap 2. Ben and James Cockle trapped for an easy win in heat 8. André made a shockingly bad start and trailed the field in heat 9 but passed his brother on the third turn and led by the end of lap 2. Daniel blasted high and wide past Ben and Ricky to win heat 10 but the Tigers now lead by 16 points.

Tomas trapped and looked untouchable in heat 11 while Cooperman rounded Chris Mills at the end of the first lap for another shared heat. André took another easy win in heat 12 with Daniel passing Benji at the end of the first lap. Ricky led heat 13 but Joel came from yards behind to pass Tomas with a third bend dive that the B-52 would have been proud of, before inexplicably falling on the second turn! Tomas trapped in the rerun and resisted every move that Ricky tried. Joel was back out as rider replacement in heat 14 but it was Cooperman who passed Paul Lee out of the second turn to lead the way home. Joel dived past James Brundle on the third turn but then seemed content to settle for the 4-2. André traps to lead heat 15 with Daniel making contact with his team mate Tomas on the back straight and then Tomas retiring after losing third place to Ricky.

The Stars just didn't seem interested with only Daniel making passing maneuvers and Tomas not wanting to know if he didn't have a clear track in front of him. Their second strings were shockingly bad, their reserves no better, and aside from Paul Lee's second place ahead of Joel in heat 14 they only finished ahead of James Cockle to score all their remaining points.

Power house performance from the skipper, great return to the track for Ben and a good night for Ricky despite not winning a race. Joel once again was entertaining, Paul once again was suffering mechanically, and James continues to improve despite a silly fall.

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