Monday 12 July 2004
TEAM ARTDEANS SWINDON SPROCKETS 65
Conference League
| Malcolm Holloway | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2* | - | - | - | 11(1) |
| Chris Johnson | 2* | 2* | 3 | 2* | - | - | - | 9(3) |
| Simon Walker | 2* | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | 11(1) |
| Danny Warwick | 3 | 2* | 2* | 3 | - | - | - | 10(2) |
| Mark Thompson | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | 12 |
| Daniel Harding | 1 | 0 | 2* | 1 | 0 | - | - | 4(1) |
| Nathan Irwin | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2* | 1 | - | - | 8(1) |
NEWPORT
| Karl Mason | 1 | 1 | X | 1 | 3 | - | - | 6 |
| Billy Legg | T | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Paul Candy | R | 1* | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 2(1) |
| Matt Tutton | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 3 |
| Jamie Westacott | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 4 |
| Sam Hurst | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Karlis Ezergailis | F | 2 | F | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2* | 11(1) |
| Ht 1: (Re-Run) Holloway, Johnson, Mason, Ezergailis (fell), Legg (ex, tapes), 69.81 | (5-1) |
| Ht 2: Irwin, Ezergailis, Harding, Hurst, 70.59 | (9-3) |
| Ht 3: Warwick, Walker, Tutton, Candy (ret), 69.83 | (14-4) |
| Ht 4: Thompson, Westacott, Irwin, Ezergailis (fell), 70.84 | (18-6) |
| Ht 5: Walker, Warwick, Mason, Legg, 70.23 | (23-7) |
| Ht 6: Holloway, Johnson, Westacott, Hurst, 68.51 | (28-8) |
| Ht 7: Thompson, Tutton, Candy, Harding (f,rem), 73.14 | (31-11) |
| Ht 8: Johnson, Ezergailis, Irwin, Legg, 70.74 | (35-13) |
| Ht 9: Walker, Warwick, Westacott, Hurst, 70.21 | (40-14) |
| Ht 10: Holloway, Johnson, Candy, Tutton, 69.13 | (45-15) |
| Ht 11: (Awarded) Thompson, Harding, Legg, Mason (TR; f,ex), No Time | (50-16) |
| Ht 12: Walker, Irwin, Ezergailis, Candy, 70.95 | (55-17) |
| Ht 13: Thompson, Holloway, Mason, Westacott, 69.50 | (60-18) |
| Ht 14: Warwick, Ezergailis (TR), Harding, Tutton, 71.57 | (64-22) |
| Ht 15: (Nominated) Mason (g), Ezergailis (y), Irwin (b), Harding (r), 72.41 | (65-27) |
Programme changes:-
Ht 1: Ezergailis replaced Legg in the re-run
Ht 14: TR Ezergailis (Double points)
Second-half:
| Race 1: James Purchase (g), Billy Legg (y), Russell Barnett (b), Marc Andrews (r), 73.93 |
| Race 2: James Humby (r), David Tutton (b), 81.05 (2 Riders Only) |
| Race 3: James Purchase (g), Billy Legg (y), Russell Barnett (b), Marc Andrews (r; fell), 73.82 |
| Race 4: (Awarded) James Humby (r), David Tutton (b; f,ex), No Time |
Fresh from their marvellous triumph at the Saddlebow Road home of Boston the previous day, the Team Artdeans Sprockets literally went to town against a relatively inexperienced Newport side. Nine 5-1s were registered along the way as Swindon swept to a massive victory, with each of their top five teamsters going through the card unbeaten by an opponent.
On a very pleasant evening, the first heat had to be re-started after an over-anxious Billy Legg had nudged the tapes. The 15-year-old was replaced by the intriguingly named Karlis Ezergailis in the re-run, but it was Malcolm Holloway who sped from the gate to win, while Chris Johnson got the better of a terrific duel with Karl Mason on the second lap to join his skipper on the maximum quota of points.
In the reserves’ race, crowd favourite Nathan Irwin rounded the pack from the outside gate and raced on for a super smooth victory ahead of Ezergailis, while Daniel Harding comfortably claimed third spot. Danny Warwick and Simon Walker quickly took control of the third heat, even though the latter took a hefty knock from Paul Candy as they left the gate. Walker showed no ill effects, however, and the home duo cantered away to collect a full-house.
The points kept on coming, with Mark Thompson and Irwin’s fourth heat 4-2 followed by an impressive ‘fiver’ from Walker and Warwick. Jamie Westacott gated ahead in heat six, only for Wellie to burst past on the apex of the first corner. Then, on lap two, Johno wound it up and cruised by on the back straight, as Swindon’s opening pairing carded their second 5-1 of the match, with Holloway not far off the CL track record in clocking 68.51 seconds.
Tommo jetted clear in the seventh heat and allowed Harding to take up the running on the back straight. Regrettably, with the Aussie looking good for a morale-boosting win, he came down on the first bend of lap three, leaving his partner to race home unchallenged. In heat eight, a somewhat hairy initial lap saw Ezergailis get the better of Johnson to lead on the pits bend. The Team Artdeans Sprocket gave chase and gradually reeled in his opponent, before a super outside surge off the last bend saw him snatch victory on the line. Meanwhile, with Irwin steady in third place throughout, the 4-2 extended Swindon’s big lead to 35-13.
The quite brilliant middle-order pairing of Walker and Warwick happily continued on their way in heat nine, collecting their third 5-1; Walker riding in his familiar exciting round-the-boards style, with Warwick very much more upright in his manner. Wellie scurried around the circuit to win heat ten, with Johnson following him home to complete his paid maximum ahead of a distant Candy. A bizarre eleventh race saw Thompson repel Mason (taking a tactical ride), until the Mavericks representative took a tumble on the third bend of lap three. Harding managed to steer his machine past the stricken rider, only for Mason to re-mount and inadvertently send his team-mate, Legg, tumbling to the ground. Newly qualified referee Rod Smith had little option than to halt the race; sensibly awarding the points as a 5-1 to Swindon, with Mason correctly deemed at fault for the stoppage.
With Walker trapping and Irwin outpacing Ezergailis and Candy on his favoured outside line, the Team Artdeans Sprockets notched another fiver in heat twelve. That rounded off Walker’s maximum in fine style and left those in attendance to wonder just what the final margin of victory would amount to. The massacre continued unabated in the next race, as Tommo and Wellie polished off their opponents to complete maximums numbers three and four in the home camp. Thompson was particularly impressive, riding a super mid-track line in his full-throttle, leaning style for his fourth win of the night.
Heat fourteen was a thriller, with Warwick holding the advantage after the opening exchanges. The closely following Ezergailis (in for a tactical ride) burst inside on the entry to the pits bend and it seemed the Poole-born racer would be denied his full-house. However, he went right out in the dirt to find a brilliant outside line and going like a rocket, steamed past the Australian on lap two.
Team boss Martin Satchell elected to give his reserve duo the extra outing in the nominated race, but it was Newport skipper Mason who sprinted clear to net his side’s only race win of a one-sided contest. Joining him for a 5-1 was the Mavericks top scorer, Ezergailis, on what, when all said and done, had been an impressive Blunsdon debut performance.