Key:  + = from 15m handicap,  * = Tactical ride for double points
SHEFFIELD SPEEDWAY MATCH REPORTS 2009
Henderson Insurance Scorpions v SHEFFIELD WINDOW CENTRE Tigers ChallengeMarch 20

Referee: Margaret Vardy

010203040506070809101112131415Tot+Bp
1. David Howe 10.00 1 3 3 1 8
2. Simon Lambert 5.89 3 0 1 2' 6+1
3. Carl Wilkinson 6.05 3 1 2 3 1 10
4. Viktor Bergstrom 5.63 2 3 1' 2' 8+2
5. Magnus Karlsson © 7.75 2 3 3 3 3 14
6. Jerran Hart 3.00 3 2' 2' 3 10+2
7. Byron Bekker 3.86 2' 1' 0 1 4+2
Kenny Smith 4 5 5 3 4 3 5 1 3 5 5 4 4 5 4
Scunthorpe Scorpions 4 9 14 17 21 24 29 30 33 38 43 47 51 56 60
Sheffield Tigers 2 3 4 7 9 14 15 20 23 24 25 27 29 30 32
Eric Boocock 2 1 1 3 2 5 1 5 3 1 1 2 2 1 2
1. Ricky Ashworth © 7.57 0 0 1 2 3
2. Joel Parsons 6.06 2 2 3 *0 0 7
3. Paul Cooper 5.51 1 1 0 ef 2
4. Ritchie Hawkins 5.44 r 0 1 1 2
5. Richard Hall 6.83 3 *4 3 0 2 12
6. Chris Mills 4.93 fx 1' 0 2 3+1
7. Josh Auty 4.55 1 0 2' 0 3+1
Track record = 56.39
Richard Hall, 25 Aug 2008
0102030405060708091011121314 15
57.45awd 58.1558.2158.29 58.1060.0259.9858.6859.07 59.6459.5959.2459.28 59.21

First outing for the Tigers with four fresh faces. I got the impression that the Scorpions were on a mission to lay to rest their poor record against the Tigers. Played six, lost six was becoming a millstone around their necks but they certainly cast it aside in this meeting. No bikes on track for the parade to ensure the Sheffield lads had as little knowledge of the track as possible, and it looked quite slick compared with my visits last year. Ricky Ashworth won the toss and gave himself gate 4. Simon Lambert off gate 1 took an early lead with Joel Parsons on his tail. Ricky held third place until David Howe dived past on the first turn of the third lap. Chris Mills (gate 1) led heat 2 but fell on the second turn of lap three. Paul Cooper trapped in heat 3 but Carl Wilkinson and Ritchie Hawkins clashed on the first corner. All 4 back said Margaret Vardy, but Paul couldn't repeat his quick start and the Scorpions were untroubled. Richard Hall made a fantastic start from the outside gate to win heat 4 but Josh Auty was unable to get past Byron Bekker and the heat was shared. Viktor Bergstrom rounded Joel to lead down the back straight and Carl put him under extreme pressure but couldn't pass him. Ricky trailed in last again. Scorpions lead by 12 points and passing is proving to be difficult.

Richard was on a tactical ride in heat 6 but David Howe gated ahead and made sure he didn't get around him on the first two corners. After that he pulled away. Ritchie fell again on the first turn of heat 7 collecting Jerran Hart and there was a lengthy delay while bikes were straightened out. Paul trapped ahead in the rerun but Jerran Hart blasted around him out of turn two. Magnus Karlsson rounded him on turn three but Paul reclaimed second place out of turn four. Magnus passed him again on lap two and made it stick this time. Joel and Josh gated ahead in heat 8 and rode well for a Tigers 5-1. Richard gated to lead heat 9 and held off a stern challenge by Carl on the fourth turn. David and Simon gated ahead in heat 10 with Paul third until his bike developed problems on the third lap. Scorpions now 14 points ahead and our No.1 has yet to score!

Eric puts Joel on a tactical in heat 11 but he's off gate 4 and Jerran Hart does exactly what was needed to stop him swooping around the first turns. Magnus wins from Jerran and Ricky was in no mood to let his partner try to catch the Scorpions so the tactical ride was completely wasted. Carl took Chris and Paul very wide on the first corners in heat 12 and Byron dived past Paul on the third turn. Paul slowed and retired from last place on the third lap. Ricky made a flying start to lead heat 13 but Magnus passed him out of the fourth corner. Ricky fought back but Magnus repeated the move on the second lap and held onto the lead. David and Richard were both hot on their heels but that was how they finished. Viktor and Jerran led from the gate and never looked like being caught in heat 14, and heat 15 went to Magnus with Richard keeping him honest.

The Scorpions can celebrate their first win against the Tigers and by quite a margin. If the Tigers don't get their act together I can see Sunday becoming the Scorpions second win. It's very early days and there are Tigers who have been away from the track for quite some time recuperating from injuries so people shouldn't be too critical just yet...

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