Sheffield Speedway Match Reports 2006

Gary Havelock trapped to lead heat 1 with neither of the Tigers pair able to respond. The Bears reserves left our lads standing in heat 2 and it seemed as though Paul let Tai have first crack at them. Paul passed Tai on the third lap, just before Tai pulled up with engine problems, but by then he'd left it too late to mount a serious challenge on Jack in second place. Back out again in heat 3 Paul made a much better start and Emiliano rounded the field to take the lead on the back straight. Matt Tresarrieu was climbing all over Paul's back wheel but Paul seemed to know exactly where he was and blocked his every attempt to get past. André took an untroubled win in heat 4 but Tai retired soon after realizing his fuel hadn't been turned on! The Bears went back into the lead in heat 5 as first Paul's clutch nearly dragged him into the tapes, and then Emiliano ground to a halt on the first turn gifting Gary and Chris Kerr an easy 5-1. The Bears lead by 4 points and it's looking like the Stoke match all over again!

Ben and Ricky put the scores level with a comfortable win over Tomas Suchanek in heat 6, and although André wins heat 7 by a mile equalling the fastest time of the year around Owlerton, Paul trails the field for three laps before a cloud of blue smoke heralds another blown engine! Ben speeds to the front in heat 8 and Tai keeps pace with the Bears pairing as far as turn three before they pull clear. With both reserves suffering problems Reg throws No.8 David Speight into the pot as rider replacement for Kyle in heat 9. Tomas Suchanek traps and try as he might Emiliano can't find a way past. Matt Tresarrieu takes the lead in heat 10 but Ben and Ricky only succeeding in getting in each others way. Bears lead by two points and with our reserves struggling and out in three of the remaining five heats it is looking gloomy. Reg has the team out on the centre green for a pep-talk during the interval so everything will be OK!

I joke that Paul's role in heat 11 is to outgate Gary Havelock and deny him outside run on the first turn. Imagine my surprise when he does just that! Gary dived past him into the third turn but by then André was yards clear and that's how the race finished, back to level pegging. Reg takes Tai out of heat 12 and gambles on Paul again. He's not mistaken as Paul makes a perfect start and Emiliano settles in behind him to put the Tigers into the lead for the first time all night. Gary traps to lead heat 13 but André elects to stick with Ricky for a couple of laps until it is clear that Tomas is not a threat. André puts in a couple of fast laps but Gary is too far ahead to be caught. Emiliano takes the rider replacement ride in heat 14 and he blasts around Paul to lead down the back straight. Matt Tresarrieu gives chase but Paul has found a good line and is able to maintain the gap, until Emiliano slows to try and help him home and inadvertently takes Paul's line. Matt closes in and is so close to stealing second place on the finish line! André and Ben are Reg's choice for heat 15 (I would have gone for Emiliano!) against Gary and Matt for the Bears. Gary is the early leader but Ben dives under Matt on the third turn to move up to third place as André powers around the outside of Gary on the pits turn to take the lead. Gary piles on the pressure but André takes the win while Matt hounds Ben on every bend before swooping around him out of the very last turn to snatch third place back. Excellent speedway!

The Bears relied heavily on Gary with only Matt giving him any real support. Tai (like Mark Thompson) found the step up into the Premier to be a big one. Cooperman had more mechanical problems and only got us back into the match when he switched to his spare engine which he'd loaned for the day from Gary Flint. (Cheers Gary!) Most people would say Ricky had a poor meeting but the fact is he still upped his average (as long as you include bonus points). Ben went well except for the last bend in heat 15, and Emiliano claimed three 5-1's (all with Cooperman) in his five outings while André did a brilliant captains job again. The return match could be interesting as I'm sure the track will be considerably different to what it was like on the opening night back in April, (warmer too I hope).

Tai shrugged off his disappointing Premier debut and scorched home to win heat 1 of the second half junior challenge. David Speight rounded the field to take the lead on the back straight in heat 2 but soon found himself struggling with (I suspect) a slow puncture. Sam Dore took the lead and David looked able to nurse his bike home in second place until Sam's bike also failed on the last lap! Scott Richardson flashed past Maurice Crang on the second turn in heat 3, and then passed Rusty Hodgson on the pits turn to take an impressive win. Tai and Speighty were well clear when Karl took a nasty looking tumble on the third lap of heat 4. Luckily he was able to walk away but took no further part in the meeting. Rusty Harrison lead heat 6 until the last lap when Speighty dived through on the third bend to snatch the win.

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