Sheffield Speedway Match Reports 2007

Michal Makovsky made a blistering start to heat 1 from the outside gate position and was right on the white line by the first turn. Joel didn't have the speed to catch him and Ricky was never troubled by Mattia Carpanese who looked as if he needed a map. Birko and Paul took an early lead in heat 2 with Jamie Robertson experiencing some mechanical problem. Charles Wright kept the pressure on and was getting close to Paul by the chequered flag. James Cockle trapped well and followed in André's tyre tracks as the Tigers wiped out the Comets lead from the first leg. Ben Wilson made a lightning start in heat 4 to lead Kauko Nieminen and Paul resisted a firm challenge from Jamie Robertson on the first turn and went on to consolidate third place. André trapped ahead of Michal in heat 5 and the Tigers lead was extended with James Cockle passing Mattia on the second turn. The Tigers lead by 12 points on the night, and by 4 on aggregate.

Kauko made a flying start to heat 6 and drifted wide on turn two to stop Ricky swooping past. Ricky didn't seem to have Kauko's pace it looked set to be a drawn heat until Kauko made a mistake at the end of lap three and just avoided hitting the fence. Ricky gratefully accepted the lead and Joel very nearly took second place on the first turn but Kauko again blocked the pass. Joel never stops trying though and a superb wide line around turns three and four was rewarded with the narrowest of margins as they crossed the finish line. Ben and Birko were untroubled winning heat 7 from tapes to flag. Paul trapped ahead in heat 8 and Joel rounded the whole field to lead down the back straight. Charles Wright again closed in on Paul but never close enough to mount a passing manoeuvre. André led heat 9 from Kauko with James Cockle chasing hard. James tried a little too hard and fell on the apex of turns three and four on the second lap, but he jumped straight back on and finished the race. Ricky and Joel took another maximum in heat 10 but Kenneth Hansen looked better this time out. The Tigers now lead by 28 point on the night, and by 20 on aggregate.

Michal Makovsky was on double points in heat 11, but that didn't effect Ben who made another perfect start. Birko closed Michal down and passed him on the outside of the pits turn at the end of lap three, but Michal responded immediately reclaiming second position on the first turn and blocking Birko's challenge on the third turn. André trapped to lead heat 12, but Paul made his worst start of the night to trail the field. His wide line on the third turn took him past Charles Wright and he kept it wound on to draw alongside Kenneth Hansen as they crossed the line to finish the first lap. Paul completed the move as they entered the first turn and then pulled clear for another 5-1.  Ben flashed past the field to lead down the back straight in heat 13 with Ricky in close attendance. Ricky stole the lead on the third lap but Ben easily outpaced Michal for yet another maximum win. Charles Wright replaced Jamie Robertson (machine problems?) in heat 14, but it was Birko who was left standing on the start line. James Cockle sped away into the lead and then rode smoothly and confidently to win comfortably, his first win at Owlerton since he joined the Tigers. Ricky made his best gate of the night to lead heat 15 and despite his best efforts it looked like André would have to accept third place behind Kauko, but on the last lap his line around the first two turns set him up perfectly and he powered around him exiting the last bend to snatch second place on the line.

The Comets were the victims of a post King's Lynn push with virtually the whole team making an extra effort to try and atone. Hopefully this is the form we can carry with us into the League and KO Cup campaigns.

Tommy Hedden was the star of the 'Dream Team' with a barnstorming performance. After a poor start he passed David Speight around the outside of turn two on the third lap of heat 1. David fought back but Tommy just grabbed another handful of throttle to take the win. Both Ben Hopwood and Scott Richardson had to pick their way past Kenny Ingalls to win heat 3, but the ride of the night was from Tommy Hedden in heat 4. David Speight led until Sam Dore passed him at the end of the first lap. Tommy Hedden then scraped the fence around the third and fourth turns to pass both Brits (thought Sam was an Aussie?) with the whole stadium collectively holding their breath with astonishment. Great entertainment!

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