Sun
day 26 September 2004NEWPORT GMB MAVERICKS 49
TEAM ARTDEANS SWINDON SPROCKETS 43
Conference League
Swindon won 108-76 on aggregate
| Scott Pegler | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | 10 |
| Sam Hurst | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1* | - | - | - | 1(1) |
| Jamie Westacott | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | 8 |
| Billy Legg | 1* | 0 | X | 0 | - | - | - | 1(1) |
| Karl Mason | 2* | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1* | - | - | 9(2) |
| Matt Tutton | 1 | 1* | 1 | - | - | - | - | 3(1) |
| Karlis Ezergailis | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | 17 |
SWINDON
| Malcolm Holloway | 3 | 3 | F | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| Danny Warwick | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 6 |
| Trevor Harding | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | - | 18 |
| Mark Thompson | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| Simon Walker | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | 7 |
| Jordan Frampton | 0 | X | 1* | 0 | - | - | - | 1(1) |
| Nathan Irwin | 2 | 0 | 1* | 1* | R | 0 | 1* | 5(3) |
| Ht 1: Holloway, Pegler, Warwick, Hurst (f, rem), 62.75 | (2-4) |
| Ht 2: Ezergailis, Irwin, Tutton, Frampton, 65.99 | (6-6) |
| Ht 3: Harding, Westacott, Legg, Thompson, 62.25 | (9-9) |
| Ht 4: Ezergailis, Mason, Walker, Irwin, 64.56 | (14-10) |
| Ht 5: Holloway, Westacott, Warwick, Legg, 63.47 | (16-14) |
| Ht 6: Pegler, Walker, Irwin, Hurst, 64.38 | (19-17) |
| Ht 7: (Re-Run) Harding, Mason, Tutton, Frampton (f, rem, f, ex), 63.00 | (22-20) |
| Ht 8: (Re-Run twice) Ezergailis, Warwick, Irwin, Hurst, 64.50 | (25-23) |
| Ht 9: (Re-Run) Westacott, Walker, Frampton, Legg (f, ex), 63.16 | (28-26) |
| Ht 10: Harding, Pegler, Hurst, Irwin (ret), 63.10 | (31-29) |
| Ht 11: Mason, Warwick, Tutton, Holloway (fell), 64.94 | (35-31) |
| Ht 12: Ezergailis, Harding, Westacott, Irwin, 63.72 | (39-33) |
| Ht 13: Pegler, Walker, Mason, Frampton, 64.53 | (43-35) |
| Ht 14: Ezergailis, Harding (TS), Irwin (f, rem), Legg (f, rem), 65.07 | (46-40) |
| Ht 15: (Nominated) Harding (y), Ezergailis (b), Mason (r), Warwick (g), 63.59 | (49-43) |
Programme changes:-
Ht 6: Irwin replaced Frampton
Ht 12: Irwin replaced Frampton
Ht 13: Frampton replaced Holloway
Ht 14: Ezergailis replaced Tutton; TS Harding for Thompson (Double points)
The Team Artdeans Sprockets had been expected to win this match at bottom-of-the-table Newport, but the loss of two key riders proved costly and they regrettably slipped to a six-point reverse. Swindon’s problems began when Mark Thompson was forced to pull out after just one ride, due to a recurrence of his wrist injury. Then, just yards from the finish line in heat eleven, previously unbeaten skipper Malcolm Holloway alarmingly clattered into the home straight safety fence, suffering several fractures to the vertebrae, two broken ribs and a broken thumb.
On a typically sunny afternoon at Queensway Meadows, Wellie had started like a steam train, winning heat one from Scott Pegler following quick getaway. Meanwhile, loyal Danny Warwick made it a 4-2 to Swindon after powering past Sam Hurst in front of the grandstand at the start of lap two, with the young Maverick subsequently tumbling out of the race on the fourth bend of the same lap. Jordan Frampton jetted from the tapes to lead the reserves’ race, only to fall on the third bend and allow Karlis Ezergailis through for victory over Nathan Irwin.
Trevor Harding stormed home ahead of Jamie Westacott in heat three; and after rounding Billy Legg entering the back straight first time around, it looked like Tommo would restore the Team Artdeans Sprockets’ advantage. However, he was simply unable to steer his machine on the final bend and drifted off-line, with Legg nipping inside for the point. That took the scores to nine-points apiece, but Swindon were to fall behind in the fourth heat, when the energetic Ezergailis joined forces with Karl Mason for maximum points.
Wellie beautifully cut across from gate four to head the next race, while Warwick almost drew level with the second placed Westacott on the home straight of lap two. Although his charge proved unsuccessful, Swindon were to claim a 4-2, halving their four-point deficit in the process. Having conceded a 5-1 in their previous outing together, Simon Walker and Irwin shared the points in heat six; the long-serving Pegler posting Newport’s third race win of the match up front.
Harding and Frampton looked to have broken free in heat seven, only for the Swindon reserve to fall on the first corner. Having remounted, Frampton again hit the deck on the third bend and with the other competitors entering the back straight, referee Graham Flint wisely aborted the race. TH cantered to the flag in the re-run, but with Mason and Tutton having a free run in the minor positions, the Team Artdeans Sprockets still trailed by two-points.
Heat eight was twice brought back due to unsatisfactory starts, Irwin appearing to be the victim of the decisions, purely because of some particularly fast reactions. The third attempt brought another win for Ezergailis, although Warwick determinedly pursued him throughout. The heat developed into two separate races, with Irwin showing a considerable amount of grit to hold off a pressing Hurst for the odd-point.
Walker drove to the fore in heat nine, but the race was halted on the second bend after Legg had accidentally brought Frampton down. Walker again led the re-run, but had to settle for second place in another even share-out after Westacott had sped outside entering the back straight. Once more, the points were split in the tenth heat; Harding winning from Pegler and Hurst, while Irwin unfortunately encountered mechanical problems and failed to finish.
The events of heat eleven were to end any hope of Swindon gaining their ninth league win of the campaign. Holloway and Warwick led the charge from the traps, with Mason taking up second spot after Span had got boxed-in on the second turn. The positions were set thereafter, but as Wellie exited the final bend, he literally took-off after hitting a ridge in the circuit and thumped head first into the fence. From looking a certain 4-2 to Swindon, the result was reversed as the remaining three riders sliced past the stricken rider in an instant. The unlucky Holloway lay motionless on the track for some considerable time while he received medical attention, before being taken off to hospital.
A right royal Aussie battle was served up in heat twelve, as Harding and Ezergailis exchanged places, before the homester finally got the better of the duel. Behind, Irwin worked hard to repel Westacott, but again it was the Maverick who prevailed, extending his side’s lead to 39-33. Walker’s familiar road racing style took him past Pegler exiting the second corner of heat thirteen, but he was pushed out in the same place next time around, as the Newport number one brushed by. The resultant home 4-2 left Swindon eight-points down and Harding was more than happy to take a tactical substitute ride from a 15-metre handicap. The Mavericks countered this by giving Ezergailis another outing and he again came out on top, although Harding was right on his tail at the close. Earlier, the race had seen Irwin fall on the second bend of lap two, when he looked behind for his handicapped partner, but with Legg subsequently coming to grief on the third turn, the re-mounted Sprocket was able to fill third place at the end of an eventful four laps.
Harding and Ezergailis, the meeting’s two star performers served up another cracker for the crowd to enjoy in the nominated heat. The Antipodeans fought shoulder-to-shoulder, passing and re-passing each other and it appeared the Newport rider was going to get the better of things for a third time. Harding just refused give up though and stormed into the first turn of lap three, before finding some terrific drive to cut inside his compatriot as they levelled-up for the back straight. His subsequent victory was a fine way to end the match, even though Swindon had suffered a somewhat unhappy defeat.