Thursday 13 May 2004
PEBLEY BEACH SWINDON ROBINS 53
POOLE RIAS PIRATES 39
Elite League
Poole won 95-91 on aggregate
| Leigh Adams | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | 18 |
| David Ruud | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Steve Johnston | 3 | 2* | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | 11(1) |
| Andy Smith | 2* | 3 | 2 | 1* | 2* | - | - | 10(3) |
| Charlie Gjedde R/R | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rafal Kurmanski | 0 | 0 | 2* | 3 | - | - | - | 5(1) |
| Olly Allen | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2* | - | - | - | 5(1) |
POOLE
| Jason Lyons | 2 | 1 | 0 | R | - | - | - | 3 |
| Davey Watt | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 4 |
| Magnus Zetterstrom | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Bjarne Pedersen | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 9 |
| Ryan Sullivan | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1* | - | - | 13(1) |
| Daniel Davidsson | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Antonio Lindback | 3 | 2* | 2* | 1 | 0 | - | - | 8(2) |
| Ht 1: Adams, Lyons, Ruud, Watt, 64.68 | (4-2) |
| Ht 2: Lindback, Allen, Davidsson, Kurmanski, 66.08 | (6-6) |
| Ht 3: Johnston, Smith, Pedersen, Zetterstrom, 66.61 | (11-7) |
| Ht 4: Sullivan, Lindback, Allen, Ruud, 66.42 | (12-12) |
| Ht 5: (Re-Run) Smith, Johnston, Lyons, Watt, 66.37 | (17-13) |
| Ht 6: Adams, Sullivan, Ruud, Davidsson, 64.99 | (21-15) |
| Ht 7: Pedersen, Smith, Zetterstrom, Kurmanski, 66.92 | (23-19) |
| Ht 8: Watt, Lindback, Ruud, Allen, 66.96 | (24-24) |
| Ht 9: Sullivan, Johnston, Smith, Davidsson, 66.64 | (27-27) |
| Ht 10: Adams, Pedersen, Ruud, Zetterstrom, 65.11 | (31-29) |
| Ht 11: Adams, Kurmanski, Watt, Lyons, 67.43 | (36-30) |
| Ht 12: Johnston, Allen, Lindback, Zetterstrom, 66.61 | (41-31) |
|
Ht 13: Adams, Sullivan (TR), Johnston, Lyons (ret), 64.46 (Track Record) |
(45-35) |
| Ht 14: Kurmanski, Smith, Pedersen, Lindback (TR), 67.65 | (50-36) |
| Ht 15: (Nominated) Adams (b), Pedersen (y), Sullivan (g), Johnston (r), 65.15 | (53-39) |
Programme changes:-
Ht 4: R/R Ruud
Ht 7: R/R Smith
Ht 11: R/R Adams
Ht 12: Lindback replaced Davidsson
Ht 13: R/R Johnston; TR Sullivan (Double points)
Ht 14: TR Lindback
Second-half:-
| Race 1: Kyle Hughes (r), James Humby (g), Matthew Bates (y), Gary Cottham (b), 73.15 |
| Race 2: Nathan Irwin, (g), Lee Strudwick (r), Trevor Heath (b), 73.59(3 Riders Only) |
| Race 3: Gary Cottham (b), Kyle Hughes (r), Matthew Bates (y), James Humby (g; fell), 73.99 |
| Race 4: Nathan Irwin (g), Lee Strudwick (r), Trevor Heath (b), 72.58 (3 Riders Only) |
This was a night to savour for the statistically minded as the Abbey Stadium played host to meeting number 1,513 in its fifty-six year history. Two men in particular stole the show as the Pebley Beach Robins defeated Poole 53-39, with one being the amazing Leigh Adams, who not only recorded his sixth full maximum in nine league matches this term, but also lowered the Blunsdon track record to 64.46 seconds late on in heat thirteen. The other was Pole Rafal Kurmanski, who became the 1,925th rider to appear on the circuit and celebrated his home debut with a paid win and a race victory.
The match opened with Adams collecting a big win ahead of Jason Lyons and giving an indication of what was to come, he was clocked at just three-hundredths of a second outside the 361.2 metre circuit’s record time. Meanwhile, after driving underneath Davey Watt as they exited the second turn, David Ruud picked up a good point to put Swindon ahead. The Pirates levelled things up in the reserves’ race, however, when Antonio Lindback posted a fine win from Olly Allen, while Daniel Davidsson scooped the odd-point from Kurmanski.
Swindon again moved ahead in heat three, when Steve Johnston raced to victory, while Andy Smith showed all his usual grit to keep Bjarne Pedersen in third spot. Once more Poole came back to restore parity through a ‘fiver’ of their own from Ryan Sullivan and the stylish Lindback, with Allen in third place after Ruud had locked-up on the pits bend of the opening lap. The fifth heat had to be re-started after Smudger had tested the air barrier following a brush with Lyons on the first corner. The battling Yorkshireman dusted himself down to surge around the pack at the second attempt and he was quickly joined up front by Johno for super 5-1.
Swindon then extended their 17-13 lead, as Adams produced an awesome ride to defeat Sullivan, with Rodney taking care of Davidsson for a 4-2. Poole showed their mettle to net successive heat advantages, wiping out the Pebley Beach Robins’ lead in the process and leaving the scores locked together at 24-points apiece. Heat nine was evenly shared, prior to the homesters narrowly moving ahead courtesy of a 4-2 from Adams and Ruud. The Blunsdon crowd were then treated to something really special, as Swindon’s out and out number one took a rider replacement outing alongside Kurmanski. Showing lightning reactions, it was Adams to the fore and with him on the first corner went his new colleague. Four laps of superb team-riding followed, as the Aussie demonstrated all his skills in slowing the race down, while keeping a constant eye on his partner. Watt and Lyons simply had no answer to the tactics, as the Robins duo raced to a full-house and put their side 36-30 to the good.
Things looked even better after the twelfth heat had seen Johno dash home, while Allen made it another 5-1 after successfully blocking the pressing Lindback on the second bend of lap two. Following a short interval, Adams fairly fizzed around the raceway to thwart Sullivan (taking a tactical ride), and there was great joy when it was announced he had established a new track record. Making it all the more sweet was the fact that he had defeated Blunsdon’s previous quickest rider in achieving the feat!
There was yet more for those present to drool over in the penultimate race, when Kurmanski made the start, with Smudger darting past Pedersen to link with him up front on the back straight. Smith then called upon his vast experience to hold up the opposition and guide the Pole home; their combined efforts bringing warm and well-deserved applause from an appreciative audience. All that was left was for Adams to wrap-up his maximum, although Swindon had got themselves within grasping distance of an unlikely run-off for the bonus point. While Adams was never going to be headed, Sullivan shut out Johno on the first turn, giving Pedersen the run around the outside and an even split of the points. The win was the main thing for the Pebley Beach Robins though and the gutsy performance of the boys in Red and White followed on from their Knock-Out Cup showing against Wolverhampton the previous week.