Monday 26 July 2004
WIMBLEDON GMB DONS 57
TEAM ARTDEANS SWINDON SPROCKETS 38
Conference League
Wimbledon won 98-91 on aggregate
WIMBLEDON
| Barrie Evans R/R | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Matthew Wright | 1* | 2* | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 7(2) |
| Wayne Broadhurst | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2* | - | - | 10(1) |
| Marc Norris | 1 | 1* | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | 8(1) |
| Mark Burrows | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | - | 16 |
| Andre Cross | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 |
| James Clement | 1 | 2* | 3 | 1* | 3 | 1* | - | 11(3) |
| Keith Yorke (No.8) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
SWINDON
| Malcolm Holloway | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | - | 20 |
| Steve Braidford R/R | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Martin Elliott | R | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Danny Warwick | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | 11 |
| Jordan Frampton | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 |
| Daniel Harding | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 2 |
| Nathan Irwin | X | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Trevor Heath (No.8) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ht 1: Holloway, Broadhurst, Wright, Frampton (f,rem), 63.7 | (3-3) |
| Ht 2: (Awarded) Cross, Harding, Clement, Irwin (f,rem, f,ex), No Time | (7-5) |
| Ht 3: Broadhurst, Warwick, Norris, Elliott (ret), 65.0 | (11-7) |
| Ht 4: Burrows, Clement, Frampton, Irwin, 64.5 | (16-8) |
| Ht 5: Holloway, Broadhurst, Norris, Harding, 62.6 | (19-11) |
| Ht 6: Clement, Wright, Frampton, Harding, 64.5 | (24-12) |
| Ht 7: Burrows, Warwick, Cross, Elliott, 62.7 | (28-14) |
| Ht 8: Holloway (TR), Wright, Clement, Irwin, 62.5 | (31-20) |
| Ht 9: (Re-Run) Norris, Frampton, Broadhurst, Harding, 65.7 | (35-22) |
| Ht 10: Burrows, Warwick (TR), Wright, Elliott, 63.6 | (39-26) |
| Ht 11: Holloway, Burrows, Warwick, Cross, 62.3 | (41-30) |
| Ht 12: Clement, Broadhurst, Irwin, Harding, 65.7 | (46-31) |
| Ht 13: Burrows, Holloway, Wright, Frampton (f,rem), 62.6 | (50-33) |
| Ht 14: Norris, Warwick, Cross, Frampton (T/S), 64.4 | (54-35) |
| Ht 15: (Nominated; Re-Run) Holloway (g), Burrows (b), Clement (r), Warwick (y), 62.9 | (57-38) |
Programme changes:-
Ht 1: R/R Broadhurst; R/R Frampton
Ht 5: R/R Harding
Ht 6: R/R Clement
Ht 8: R/R TR Holloway (Double points)
Ht 10: R/R Burrows; TR Warwick (Double points)
Ht 11: R/R Warwick
Ht 12: Irwin replaced Elliott
Ht 13: R/R Wright
Ht 14: T/S Frampton for Irwin
Second-half:-
| Race 1: Keith Yorke (r), Martin Elliott (b), Stefan De Groot (g), 71.1 (3 Riders Only) |
| Race 2: Carl Warwick (g), Andre Cross (y), Trevor Heath (r), Lee Strudwick (b), 66.5 |
| Race 3: Niall Strudwick (b), Nick Lawrence (r), 54.8 (3 Laps Only; 2 Riders Only) |
| Race 4: Trevor Heath (r), Lee Strudwick (b), Keith Yorke (g), 68.9 (3 Riders Only) |
| Race 5: Martin Elliott (r), Stefan De Groot (g), Carl Warwick (b; ret), 71.1 (3 Riders Only) |
| Race 6: Niall Strudwick (b), Nick Lawrence (r; ret), 72.6 (2 Riders Only) |
With several regulars missing, either through injury or unavailability, the patched-up Team Artdeans Sprockets went down fighting against London’s finest, courtesy of fine showings from Malcolm Holloway and Danny Warwick. Indeed, the ever-youthful Wellie produced a real captain’s innings, racing to a magnificent 20-point haul as he constantly took the battle to the Dons.
Having had a good pre-match soaking from the track staff, the track surface was initially on the slippery side, but Holloway made light of the conditions to comfortably defeat Wayne Broadhurst in the opener. It looked as if Swindon might take the lead, since Jordan Frampton held third spot and seemed on the pace. However, the Poole-born rider over-slid entering the first bend of lap three, allowing Matthew Wright through to share the spoils.
Nathan Irwin and Daniel Harding were fast off the block in heat two, only for the former to fall on the first corner. The race continued on, with Andre Cross passing Harding on the back straight of lap two. The Team Artdeans Sprockets’ Aussie representative then held off the strong presence of James Clement, with the race abruptly ending on the final lap when the remounted Irwin again tumbled on the first turn. Referee Rod Smith sensibly awarded the result, with the 4-2 giving Wimbledon the lead.
Broadhurst and comeback kid Marc Norris appeared set for a 5-1 in the next race, but a mistake on the last bend was seized upon by Warwick, who sped through to grab second place. Following another ‘fiver’ for the Dons in heat four, the inimitable Holloway stormed to a huge win as Swindon trailed 19-11.
The homesters increased their lead with maximum points from Clement and Wright, prior to an entertaining seventh race. This saw Danny Boy jet from the tapes and produce a superb first turn to thwart Buzz Burrows. Never beaten until the flag, Burrows gave chase and powered underneath the Sprockets’ number four on the entry to the first bend of lap two. Warwick continued to plug away for the duration and although close, just couldn’t quite mount a telling challenge on Wimbledon’s all-action Testimonial man.
Team boss Martin Satchell elected to give Holloway a tactical ride in heat eight and the wily campaigner responded with a classy win for six-points. Meanwhile, Irwin initially held third position, but was passed by Clement through the first turn of lap two. With Frampton away well, the ninth heat was called back when Broadhurst and Harding hit the deck on the apex of the first corner. Frampton again gated ahead in the re-start and looked set for the first race win of his Swindon career. Unfortunately, he suffered a puncture entering the third bend of the final lap, with Norris darting through to collect the win. Frampton could only coast home in second position, but it had been a mighty impressive effort.
Warwick was nominated for a tactical outing in heat ten and duly outpaced Burrows from the tapes. Span brilliantly kept the home crowd favourite at bay until the third lap, when Burrows darted inside as they exited the fourth turn. Still, a good second place for Warwick at least saw the points evenly split, with Wright occupying third spot. Following a fierce first turn in heat eleven, Wellie brilliantly swept around Burrows to lead up the back straight. A super race developed as the two sprightly veterans fought neck-and-neck, with Buzz cutting inside on the second lap, only for Holloway to re-take the lead with a determined drive going down the back straight. The pair continued to slug it out, with the Swindon skipper holding on for an excellent win.
Clement and Broadhurst kept a pressing Irwin at bay to put Wimbledon 46-31 ahead in heat twelve, before the meeting’s two leading entertainers again squared-up in the anti-penultimate race. Amazingly, Holloway and Burrows raced side-by-side up the back straight, but it was the home man who had the quicker outside line and used it to good effect, edging ahead to lower Wellie’s colours for what was to be the only time.
In a last throw of the dice, Frampton took a tactical substitute outing in heat fourteen, but the ultra-keen youngster was unable to overcome the 15-metre handicap as the Dons collected a 4-2. A full complement of riders contested a re-run last heat after Warwick had tumbled at the first time of asking. The re-run featured another monumental scrap between Holloway and Burrows, with the Swindon leader holding the perfect line to block his ever-probing opponent and post a fifth victory of the night.