Friday 19 March 2004

WEYMOUTH HAVEN WILDCATS 47

TEAM ARTDEANS SWINDON SPROCKETS 46

Conference Challenge

WEYMOUTH

SWINDON

Programme changes:-

Ht 4: Harding replaced Frampton

Ht 10: TR Braidford (Double points)

Ht 14: Gledhill replaced Irwin; Harding replaced Andrews

Second-half:-

Despite heavy overnight rainfall, the Team Artdeans Sprockets began their campaign with this challenge match at Weymouth and on a spongey track surface, both sides served up a thrilling encounter. Due to the unavailability of Tony Dart, Swindon manager Martin Satchell was forced to blood Poole-born novice Marc Andrews at number four, but the seventeen-year-old rode sensibly and revealed plenty of promise for the future. ‘Satch’ could rightly be proud of his troops, since they gave the match everything they had on an increasingly difficult track surface, with Steve Braidford being particularly impressive on his club debut. Both Chris Johnson and the evergreen Malcolm Holloway contributed well, while new boys Daniel Harding and James Purchase put in very encouraging performances. Meanwhile, at number seven, Jordan Frampton had a good opening ride, but was unfortunately beset with mechanical problems thereafter.

Justin Elkins set the ball rolling with a speedy ‘tapes-to-flag’ success over ‘Wellie’, but with Purchase steady in third spot, the points were evenly split. Parity remained after Nathan Irwin’s machine had expired at the start of heat two, with former Sprocket Jack Gledhill showing a clean pair of heels to Harding and Frampton. The deadlock seemed certain to be broken in the third race as Mark Thompson and Dan Warwick held the upper hand. However, a snapped chain brought the latter crashing down on lap two, leaving Braidford and Andrews to secure a shared result.

Comeback man Chris Courage was a good winner of the fourth, but with Gledhill twice falling, Johnson and Harding were able to keep the scores level at 12-12. There were panic stations prior to heat five, when Holloway’s chain snapped, but it didn’t stop the veteran from posting a stylish win on board the Braidford steed. The sides still couldn’t be separated though, as Thompson and Warwick filled the minor scoring positions ahead of the pressing Purchase.

The Wildcats finally moved ahead when a sixth heat fall from Harding brought the sixth heat to an abrupt halt. With Elkins flying clear from Johnson and Paul Candy on the third lap, referee Mick Posselwhite wisely awarded the points. A further treble of 4-2s saw Weymouth ease into a 31-23 lead, but an eight-point deficit at least gave Satch the opportunity to employ the new tactical ride rule. Braidford was duly given the nod for a potential six-pointer and the lad from Maidstone came up with the goods in emphatic fashion after the initially leading Elkins had ground to a halt on the second turn of lap one!

Having reduced the homesters lead to 33-30, Swindon amazingly took the lead in the next race albeit fortuitously. Courage sped from the tapes and appeared to have the race under control, but he got into difficulties entering the third turn and tumbled down untidily. The closely following duo of Holloway and Purchase managed to avoid the stricken rider and without the need for heroics, completed the remaining laps for the Sprockets first ‘fiver’ of the season.

Swindon immediately hit a second 5-1 through Braidford and Harding in a re-run heat twelve after Thompson had hit the deck on the difficult third bend. The Essex boy was excluded for his troubles and despite being struck by Gledhill in the original melee, Braidford’s steed took him to victory from Harding at the second attempt. The Sprockets were a tad on the lucky side, however, as a terrific outside swoop had taken Gledhill ahead, only for him to come down on the third turn (where else?) of lap three.

With Swindon having taken a 40-35 lead, the Wildcats responded with a full-house from Elkins and Courage, with Holloway unable to get into contention after being out-trapped. Drama before the penultimate heat saw Warwick’s machine engulfed in flames, although a fast-acting steward was quickly on hand with a fire extinguisher. Unruffled by the incident, Warwick returned to the line in the nick of time to post a win from Harding, but with Gledhill picking up the odd-point, the homesters edged 44-43 ahead. 

Closing out an entertaining meeting, Courage and Elkins made the break, only for the latter to slow dramatically in mid-race! Courage dashed on to give Weymouth victory by the narrowest margin, while Johnson and Braidford split the points ahead of a toiling Elkins. All three finishers in fact lapped the mechanically challenged home number one, with Braidford doing exceptionally well to keep going after experiencing gremlins of his own on the opening lap.

MATCH REPORT BY ROBERT BAMFORD