Sheffield Speedway Match Reports 2007

Key:   + = from 15m handicap,  * = Tactical ride for double points,  ! = Tactical substitution from 15m
Sheffield Window Center 'Tigers' v. Rye House SilverSki 'Rockets' Premier League 31st May

Referee: Stuart Wilson

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 Tot+Bp
1. Ricky Ashworth 6.76 1 3 2 3 9
2. James Birkinshaw 5.08 0 2' 3 1' 6+2
3. André Compton © 10.56 3 3 3 3 3 15
4. Ben Wilson 5.60 2' 2' 2' 3 2' 11+4
5. Joel Parsons 6.15 1' 2 2 2' 7+2
6. Ben Hopwood (g) 3.48 0 0 0 - 0
7. Paul Cooper 4.00 3 2 2' 1 ef 8+1
 Reg Wilson 1 3 5 3 5 5 2 5 5 3 2 4 5 3 5
Sheffield 'Tigers' 1 4 9 12 17 22 24 29 34 37 39 43 48 51 56
Rye House 'Rockets' 5 8 9 12 13 14 18 19 20 26 30 32 33 36 37
John Sampford 5 3 1 3 1 1 4 1 1 6 4 2 1 3 1
1. Chris Neath © 9.60 3 r 3 0 6
2. Ray Morton 7.19 2' 1 0 1 4+1
3. Tai Woffinden 9.17 1 3 *6 2 1 13
4. Tommy Allen 6.00 r 1 0 2 3
5. Steve Boxall 8.31 3 1 1 1 0 6
6. Luke Bowen 3.48 2 0 0 0 2
7. Adam Roynon 5.93 1' 0 1 1' 3+2

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

63.0

60.1

61.2

60.2

62.0

61.3

62.6

60.7

61.1

62.0

60.5

61.9

62.1

61.2

Programme image The track looked smooth following another stock car meeting, and this week it hadn't been over watered by either Graham or the elements, indeed to my eye it looked as if it needed a little more water. Chris Neath and Ray Morton sped to the front in heat 1 and try as he might Ricky Ashworth couldn't get past. Paul Cooper ran out easy winner of heat 2 and although young Ben Hopwood making his home debut (and not able to use his Sheffield bike) matched the pace of the visiting reserves he never looked like troubling them. André and Ben Wilson got the drop on Tai in heat 3 with Tai pressing Ben all the way to the flag, although Tommy Allen couldn't even be bothered to do four laps. Steve Boxall led from the tapes in heat 4 with Paul keeping him on his toes. Chris and Ray might have taken a 1-5 in heat 1 but they had no answer to André and Ben Wilson who tuned the tables on them in heat 5 (Chris Neath another visitor who retired to the pits without finishing) to put the Sheffield Window Centre Tigers ahead by 4 points.

Ricky and James bounced back to record their own 5-1 in heat 6 against Steve and Luke Bowen with James passing Steve out of the second turn, and Ricky diving past on the first turn on the second lap. The "Thunder from down under" met the "Wizard of Oz" in heat 7. Joel was the early leader but Tai made a lovely inside pass on turns 3&4 on the second lap, and with Tommy Allen beating Ben Hopwood the Rockets claimed their second heat advantage. Tight formation on the first bend in heat 8 but James and Paul got their noses in front and never looked like being caught. André and Ben Wilson claimed another maximum in heat 9 to put the Tigers 14 points ahead so it wasn't much of a surprise to see Tai in the black & white in heat 10. After a poor start Tai breezed past James and set off after Ricky who was riding high and wide. With just over a lap to go Tai suddenly started taking yards out of Ricky's lead and he passed him on the inside of turn 2 on the last lap. Ricky made a point of showing everyone he'd picked up a puncture! The Sheffield Window Centre Tigers lead by 11 points.

Chris Neath and Ray Morton sped into the lead of heat 11 but Joel soon got the better of Ray. André and Paul trapped ahead of Tai in heat 12 but Tai was much faster than Paul and soon moved into second place at the start of lap 2, although he was by then nearly a straight length behind André. Ricky and Joel trapped ahead of Chris and Steve in heat 13. Joel tried to get alongside Ricky at the start of the second lap but Ricky was having none of that and shut the door in his face, finishing the race without a single backwards glance. Paul picked up an extra start in heat 14 in place of young Ben and was sitting pretty in second place when his primary chain snapped on the third turn. Adam Roynon did very well to avoid both Paul and the fence! Unbeaten André and Ben Wilson were Reg's choice for heat 15, to face Tai and Steve for the Rockets. The home pair scorched into the lead again although Tai made it a very good race by challenging Ben all the way to the flag.

The new green sheet averages promote Paul into the body of the Sheffield Window Centre Tigers team for June with Birko dropping down to reserve. It will be interesting to see which race vest they give to Paul. James Cockle should be fit for next week, although his new engine won't!

Return to Sheffield Speedway fixtures and results
Return to Sheffield Speedway homepage