Saturday 21 August 2004

RYE HOUSE ELMSIDE RAIDERS 65

TEAM ARTDEANS SWINDON SPROCKETS 26

Conference League

Programme changes:-

Ht 5: TR Holloway

Ht 6: Irwin replaced Braidford

Ht 9: Irwin replaced Braidford

Ht 10: Cook replaced Clifton

Ht 11: TR Johnson (Double points)

Ht 12: Irwin replaced Harding; Harding subsequently replaced Walker in the re-run

Ht 13: Harding replaced Braidford

Second-half:

Following on from the Pebley Beach Robins earlier hefty defeat at Eastbourne, this thrashing for the Team Artdeans Sprockets completed a bad day at the office for Swindon. Run on a pleasant summer’s evening at the well-appointed Rye House Stadium, the Sprockets had no answer to an efficient home septet and were soundly beaten. They were, however, hampered by the loss of Steve Braidford after a fourth heat fall had aggravated a hip injury, and later in the match, Simon Walker was forced to pull out following a spectacular spill at the start of heat twelve.

The Team Artdeans Sprockets were simply not set up for a slick surface and often found themselves spinning as the homesters dashed into the distance. Despite this, Chris Johnson and Nathan Irwin showed their commitment to the cause throughout, with the former riding with great determination to post Swindon’s only race win in the final heat of the night.

Skipper Malcolm Holloway made a great start to the opening heat, but was beaten for pace after the stylish Joel Parsons had squeezed underneath entering the first turn. The points were split though, with Johno determinedly holding Luke Clifton at the rear for the duration. The reserves’ race resulted in a wipe out for the Raiders, with Harland Cook and Barry Burchatt racing away to maximum points from Irwin.

Walker initially led heat three, but couldn’t prevent Steve Boxall from edging ahead towards the end of the back straight. Behind, Danny Warwick attempted to take the long route around the outside, but unfortunately lost control and fell. Referee Phil Griffin wisely brought the race to a halt, with the Poole-born rider excluded for his troubles. Walker again led the charge in the re-run, only for Boxall to whip around the outside entering the back straight. A wide entry into the first bend of lap two took Walker right across the turn and Luke Bowen was on hand to cut through, giving Rye House a second successive 5-1.

The first running of heat four saw Braidford come down on a tight first corner. With all four riders brought back to the line, it was Irwin who made the break at the second attempt. Former Swindon rider Tommy Allen spurted outside on the second bend to lead, with Irwin just holding off a similar charge from Burchatt. Going into the third bend, back marker Braidford made an audacious outside bid, but lost the back end and crashed down. The rider dragged himself off the circuit to allow the race to continue and while Allen took a clear win, Irwin got the better of a terrific scrap with Burchatt after the two had traded places on several occasions.

With Braidford ruled out of any further action, it was clearly going to be a long haul for the Team Artdeans Sprockets and matters didn’t improve when Boxall and Bowen outpaced an ever-trying Johnson for the Raiders third maximum advantage in five heats. Meanwhile, Wellie, taking a tactical ride, just couldn’t get on terms after missing the start from grid four and trundled home a disappointing last.

The 5-1s kept on coming for the Raiders in heats six and seven, prior to brief respite from the onslaught in heat eight. This saw Burchatt hold off a battling Johnson, while Irwin made it an even split of the points after Clifton had retired at the end of lap one. The home side quickly got back in the ‘fiver’ routine, with a brace of maximums then taking the score to 45-15 after heat ten.

Allen sprinted to success from Holloway in heat eleven, and with tactical rider Johnson some way behind and under pressure from Cook, it was impossible to maximize his double return. At least Swindon were able to register a 4-3 score, it being their first advantage of the match.

Heat twelve saw Burchatt and Walker collide on the first turn, with the Bristolian landing on his head after being thrown alarmingly from his steed. Following medical attention, Walker gingerly returned to the pits and was clearly unfit to partake in the re-run, which subsequently saw Boxall and Burchatt gleefully accept another 5-1 opportunity.

There was more of the same in heat thirteen, prior to a considerable delay after Walker had complained of neck pains, with the paramedics feeling it necessary that the rider visit hospital for a precautionary check. Upon the resumption of racing, Warwick got the drop in heat fourteen, but simply couldn’t contain Cook and Bowen, who sped past on their way to the Raiders’ tenth maximum.

The best was saved until last, with a super four laps served up to close the match. Johno made a rapid start from the inside gate to lead from Bowen, while Wellie drove hard inside Burchatt on the first corner. For the entire race, Bowen nipped away at Johnson, and it turn, Holloway put tremendous pressure on the Raider for second place. Anything could have happened, but the positions somehow remained unchanged as the Team Artdeans Sprockets collected only their second advantage of a one-sided encounter.

MEETING REPORT BY ROBERT BAMFORD