Exciting Racing Action From East Newport
26th September 2006
On Sunday East Newport took the proverbial cat and threw it amongst the pigeons of the South West League creating one of the most exciting finishes to a league season the region has seen in a long while.
At half time the scores were level following a very tense first half with some questionable refereeing decisions going the home side's way. Twelve months ago the club didn’t even exist and here they were holding the former British Champions and current South West League Champions to a draw. No one expected what was to follow.
The first race after the interval saw Southampton take a 7-3 ht win and to most it seemed the Welsh minnows had reached their peak. But some gutsy riding from Andy Cobley and Nigel Clark first levelled the scores once more and then following an exclusion to Shaun Woodhouse for crossing the inside line to T bone, Kowalski saw ENCSC take a three point lead with four races to go. Next three heats were drawn and then came the final race and as expected the Saints made their changes bringing in Colin Wheeler to partner his son Gavin. The ENCSC pairing of Ryan Hughes and Dale Clark both knew what to do, split the Wheelers to collect the win.
In a finale, more tensed than a camel's nostrils in a sandstorm, the makeshift starting tapes flicked across and the four riders took flight. Ryan Hughes gated clear around the veteran on gate one and Dale Clark managed to pass the younger Wheeler who had taken gate three. A pile up down the straight caused the referee to blow his whistle. Awaiting the decision was one of those moments neither team wanted and after what seemed an eternity "all four" much to the relief of both teams.
In the re-run events took an even more strange twist. Wheeler on gate one clearly moved first then Ryan Twitched in response just as the tapes flicked across Colin failed to get off the grids while the other three took to the track. In the time Wheeler took to complain to the referee the riders had come around the track to be met by the chicane created by the elder rider still arguing with the ref. The riders had to slide and another pile up was caused. Another wait for the decision and the re-run with the exclusion of Colin Wheeler. The away team erupted in celebrations. Three points up and all the riders had to do was finish the race. Still the match wasn't over though. The third re-run had the full count to five as expected and the slowest start. After the first lap the pace picked up with Ryan leading Dale and the younger Wheeler. In a brutal move Wheeler T-boned Dale on the top bend pushing the rider sideways to the safety fence but Dale got to his feet mounted and smiled to his team. A 6-3 ht win saw the away side take the league points. East Newport Cycle Speedway Club had won the most exciting match the SWL has seen this year by beating Southampton 91-85 at the long Winchester Road circuit.