Reports and results week ending 25 September 2011
Norwich v Ipswich
Location: Norwich Cycle Speedway, Eaton Park, Norfolk
Event: 25 September 2011
Ipswich travelled up the A14 to Norfolk for their top of the table clash with derby rivals Norwich knowing only a win would put them in with a chance of keeping their title dreams alive.
Not only had they to win but by a least seven points which would give the Suffolk club a better aggregate score them Norwich. Having already beaten Norwich twice this season they were hoping a third victory would be memorable one and give them the platform to build on for the remainder of the season.
With three senior riders not available it was left again for the Ipswich youngsters to come in a do the task in hand, three under 16 riders were called up in the shape of Ashley Hill, Lewis Roberts and Charlie Rumbold to take on a strong looking Norwich team. Ipswich won the toss and decided to take the outside grids with Brooke /Mower , Ipswich set about the job and going into the third lap an inside pass by Mower put the Suffolk pair in a commanding position sitting first and second and a 7 -3 looked on the card. But Mower was caught by Cossey going into the third bend and seemed to push the Ipswich rider's back wheel to slide from under him leaving himself and team mate room to pass to claim a share of the spoils
Heat 2 went to Norwich 6-4 to take a two point lead before heat 3 saw two exclusions -one for each side, Barker held off Williamson 4-3 to Norwich. Heat 4 saw Brooke/Roberts and with young Roberts off grid one he flew out the gate and his team mate Brooke was able to come round the Norwich pairing to secure an 7-3 in the Suffolk club favour to put Ipswich one point up. Heats 5 to 8 were all shared, before in heat 9 Ipswich had youngsters Hill/Roberts out only for Hill to be ordered back to the pits for not giving room to his opponent. Norwich took full advanced winning 7-2 and went into the break four points up 45 - 41.
Ipswich were now looking at a mountain to climb, they now needed to make up 11 points in the remaining nine heats, a tactical change in the opening heat when Roberts came in for Rumbold proved to be the right call because with partner Chittock they secured a 7-2 win after Parkins threw a chain and wasn't able to finish, moving them one point in front - a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Heat 11 was a drawn heat before heat 12 gave Ipswich a three point lead when Chittock/Hill saw off Norwich's Cossey /Colby 6-4. Heat 14 was shared and heat 15 saw Ipswich captain Pike and young Roberts up against Grange /Parkins and with Pike putting Grange under pressure they headed into the first bend only for Grange to be excluded for a leg on Pike.
The re-run saw the Ipswich team claim a 7-2 with the impressive Roberts winning his third heat of the afternoon moving them into an eight point lead the Suffolk side were slowing putting their Norfolk neighbours under pressure and in the very next heat, Cossey was excluded for not giving room to Brooke and thou Barker managed to separate the Suffolk riders a 6-3 moved Ipswich 11 points clear.
A change in heat 17 saw Roberts coming in for Hill to partner Pike with instructions just to sit a 5-5 Roberts showed his confidence to order his captain to chase the front man while he looked after his man at the back so this saw Ipswich enter the last heat only having to finish the heat and despite losing the heat 7-3 the Suffolk side knew the job had been done.
This well earn victory won't decide the league but has gave the Suffolk side a massive step in the right direction to claim their first title with Great Blakenham home and East London away to come this will go to the wire.
Result
Norwich 83: Dan Chambers 17, Leigh Cossey 14, Jason Barker 13, Lee Grange 13, Ian Grange 9, Oliver Riley 8, Gary Colby 6, Alan Parkins 3.
Ipswich 90 : Jamie Chittock 18 , Lewis Roberts 16 , Joshua Brooke 15 , Richard Williason 13, Daniel Pike 11, Leon Mower 10, Ashley Hill 4, Charlie Rumbold 3.
Leicester v Birmingham
Location: Leicester Cycle Speedway, Leicester
Event: 25 September 2011
This was a great advert for the sport, two evenly matched teams giving it their all and to top it off a last heat decider.
Neither team could manage to pull away, three points being the largest lead either side were able to muster throughout the whole match. Leicester were the first to gain some daylight thanks to a 7-3 from the impressive Marchant and Burns in heat 11.
Birmingham then took the lead in the 14 after a Whitehead gate exclusion but the home side hit back imedialtly with another 7-3. Not to be outdone the visitors hit back with a 7-3 of their own in the very next heat, Leicester's Frith inspecting the safety fence at close quarters allowing the father and son Timms pairing, through to take a two point lead.
Hoyland inflicted the only defeat on Heard in the next and a Burns third place left the scores level. At the second time of asking Marchant gated over Groves and Hemsley surged between the Birmingham pair entering the third bend. Wadhams briefly challenged for the lead but could find no way past whilst Groves fell whilst in pursuit of Hemsley and Leicester were home by the narrowest of margins.
Result
Leicester 90: Craig Marchant 18+1, Ryan Hoyland 17+1, Dave Hemsley 13+1, Mick Skinner 11+3, Dave Frith 10+1, Joe Kemp 10, Kev Burns 8, Nick Whitehead 3+1.
Birmingham 88: Paul Heard 19, Chris Timms 17+1, Marcus Wadhams 15+1, Nathan Groves 15+1, Phil Widdas 6, Nat Timms 4, Ewan Hancox 2.
Combination
Monarchs 86: Ash Doughty 16, Liam Davies 14+2, Lucy Whitehead 13+1, Lee Kemp 12+4, Lauren Davies 12+3, Billy Rewcastle 10, Colin Pole 9.
Birmingham 44: Mark Winwood 11, Ewan Hancox 9, Dylan Hexley 6, Jake Ryan 5, Reece Winwood 5, Lee Arnott 2, Ryan Winwood 1.
