Sunday 29 August 2004
TEAM ARTDEANS SWINDON SPROCKETS 55
BOSTON N.C. WILLIAMS & SON BARRACUDA-BRAVES 40
Conference League
Swindon won 102-83 on aggregate
| Malcolm Holloway | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| Chris Johnson | 2* | 2* | 2 | 3 | 2* | - | - | 11(3) |
| Simon Walker | 2 | 3 | 3 | X | 3 | - | - | 11 |
| Danny Warwick | 1* | 1 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | 6(1) |
| Jason Prynne | 1* | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | 7(1) |
| Daniel Harding | 1 | 0 | 1* | 2* | 1 | - | - | 5(2) |
| Nathan Irwin | 3 | 2 | 1* | 0 | 3 | - | - | 9(1) |
BOSTON
| Richard Hall | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Richie Dennis | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 16 |
| Robert Hollingworth | 0 | 1 | 2* | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 8(1) |
| Darren Rolph | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1* | X | - | - | 12(1) |
| Darren Mallett R/R | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Wayne Dunworth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1* | - | - | - | 1(1) |
| Simon Lambert | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| Ht 1: Holloway, Johnson, Dennis (f, rem), Hall (ns), 71.39 (3 riders only) | (5-1) |
| Ht 2: (Re-Run) Irwin, Lambert, Harding (15 met), Dunworth, 72.74 | (9-3) |
| Ht 3: Rolph, Walker, Warwick, Hollingworth, 71.65 | (12-6) |
| Ht 4: Dennis, Irwin, Prynne, Lambert, 71.93 | (15-9) |
| Ht 5: Walker, Dennis, Warwick, Hall (ns), 71.68 (3 riders only) | (19-11) |
| Ht 6: Holloway, Johnson, Hollingworth, Dunworth, 71.80 | (24-12) |
| Ht 7: Rolph (TR), Hollingworth, Prynne, Harding, 73.02 | (25-20) |
| Ht 8: Dennis, Johnson, Irwin, Lambert, 71.83 | (28-23) |
| Ht 9: Walker, Rolph, Warwick, Dunworth, 70.92 | (32-25) |
| Ht 10: Johnson, Hollingworth, Rolph, Irwin, 71.96 | (35-28) |
| Ht 11: Dennis, Prynne, Harding, Lambert, 72.21 | (38-31) |
| Ht 12: (Re-Run) Irwin, Hollingworth, Dunworth, Walker (ex, impeding), 72.83 | (41-34) |
| Ht 13: Prynne, Harding, Lambert, Hall (ns), 75.17 (3 riders only) | (46-35) |
| Ht 14: (Re-Run) Warwick, Dennis (TS), Harding, Rolph (f, ex), 72.46 | (50-39) |
| Ht 15: (Nominated) Walker (r), Johnson (b), Hollingworth (g), Dennis (y), 72.59 | (55-40) |
Programme changes:-
Ht 4: R/R Dennis
Ht 9: R/R Rolph
Ht 10: Irwin replaced Holloway
Ht 11: Lambert replaced Hall
Ht 13: Harding replaced Holloway; R/R Lambert
Ht 14: TS Dennis for Lambert (Double points)
Following the Pebley Beach Robins’ earlier Elite League match versus Wolverhampton, the second part of a double-header saw the Team Artdeans Sprockets tackle Boston. Mark Thompson had been expected to return to the Swindon side, but in the event it was thought better to give his injured wrist a little more time to heal fully. Swindon therefore gave a debut to the recently recruited squad member Jason Prynne, who slotted in at number five. Meanwhile, the Barracuda-Braves were already a man short, when they learned that number one Richard Hall had been injured while riding at Premier League level for Sheffield at Newport earlier in the afternoon. That meant a further space in their side and a busy night for their five remaining team members.
Proceedings had a bizarre start, when the competitors for the opening heat were followed on to the track by a huge cloud of billowing smoke. Behind them, riders and mechanics could be seen running in all directions. It transpired that a fire extinguisher had accidentally been knocked from the wall as Richie Dennis left the Boston side of the pits. Thankfully, the situation was quickly brought under control, although the pits were left resembling something of a snow scene!
Fast starting reactions duly took Malcolm Holloway to victory in the opening heat, while Chris Johnson determinedly shook off Dennis on the second lap to join his skipper on a maximum. In battling with the tall-in-the-saddle racer, the Boston teamster came to grief on the first turn of lap two, but remounted for the odd-point. Having nudged the tapes at the first attempt, Daniel Harding was forced to suffer a 15-metre penalty in a re-started heat two. Nathan Irwin subsequently gated ahead and completed four wheel-perfect laps to win comfortably from Simon Lambert. Behind, Harding rapidly overcame his handicap; rounding Wayne Dunworth on the third bend of the opening lap and was right on Lambert’s tail at the finish.
The battle between two riders with similar thrilling styles went the way of Darren Rolph from Simon Walker in heat three, with Danny Warwick filling third spot to share the points. Dennis took the outside line around the first corner to lead heat four, with Irwin in hot pursuit as they went up the back straight. Irwin managed to draw level as they approached the pits bend for the third time, but Dennis moved out to block the challenge, before going on to take the first of three wins. Prynne had a quiet start in third place, his point at least ensuring another 3-3.
Walker produced one of his specials to triumph in the fifth heat, while Dennis got the better of Warwick for second place. That put the Team Artdeans Sprockets 19-11 ahead and they took the meeting by the scruff of the neck when Wellie and Johno linked together for a big 5-1 in the next race. All was not well, however, for having suffered several knocks the previous evening in the Conference League Riders’ Championship at Rye House, Holloway was then forced to withdraw from the remainder of the meeting on medical advice.
Boston boss Malcolm Vasey wasted no time in nominating Rolph for a tactical ride in heat seven, and the Braintree-born racer responded perfectly by joining veteran Robert Hollingworth for an 8-1 maximum. After missing out from the gate, the all-action Dennis took the outside route around Johnson off the fourth bend of the initial lap in heat eight; and held on to win despite the constant close attentions of the spirited Swindon representative.
A 4-2 gave the Team Artdeans Sprockets a 32-25 lead after heat nine, with Walker turning the tables on Rolph to avenge his earlier defeat. The next three races ended all-square, as the depleted Barracuda-Braves doggedly hung in and refused to be overwhelmed. Heat twelve was definitely the most interesting of the three and saw Hollingworth lead the charge up the back straight. Going into the third bend, the second place Walker got out of shape and looked set to fall. Somehow, he managed to regain control of his steed, but it was too late to stop the closely following Irwin from smartly laying his machine down. Referee Richard Williams made to correct decision to stop the race and exclude Walker for impeding. ‘Holly’ again led the re-run, but was beaten for pace when Irwin swooped outside on the fourth turn of lap two for a scintillating victory.
New boy Prynne carded a fine success in heat thirteen and it was wonderful to see Harding follow him all the way home for a 5-1, as Swindon neared the winning post. With Warwick leading heat fourteen, the race ended abruptly in mid-race when Rolph crashed down exiting the pits bend. Dennis, taking a tactical substitute outing, couldn’t avoid a collision with his team-mate and spectacularly cart-wheeled over the top. With Rolph excluded, Warwick stuck to his favoured outside line to triumph in the re-run, while Dennis finished as runner-up after passing Harding at the end of the initial lap.
Wrapping up a good Swindon victory, and their first bonus point of the campaign, Walker won the nominated heat in his inimitable fashion, with Johno completing a fine performance in second spot for the fourth ‘fiver’ of the night.