Location: Poole Cycle Speedway, Newfoundland Drive, Poole, Dorset
Event: 4 May 2013
Pre-match favourites and reigning title holders Kesgrave outpaced their opponents to win the first round of the British Club Championship at Harbourside Park ahead of their Suffolk neighbours Ipswich.
Three South West clubs completed the line-up after Astley & Tyldesley were forced to withdraw just 24 hours before the event.
With wins for Jake Vincent and Lewis Brinkhoff in the opening two heats, Kesgrave threw down an early gauntlet to the rest and Poole number 5 Nathan Goulden picked it up in heat 3 to get the better of Ollie
Wright who took a tumble in an exciting neck and neck duel and after the first block of 5 races, there was just a point between the top three.
By the half way stage, the two East Anglian clubs had put some daylight in, but another Kesgrave tumble in heat 8 by Oli Reynolds gave Ipswich the edge and an interval lead of just one point.
The next block of five races was key to the outcome as Kesgrave won each of their four starts from their talented quartet of Jake Vincent, Ollie Wright, Alfie Steward and captain Lewis Brinkhoff.
Meanwhile,Ipswich could only pick up nine points in the corresponding races, a total matched by Poole and Exeter for whom speedy Ben Stanbury notched his second race win of the match.
With a lead of seven points approaching the final block of heats, Kesgrave had one hand on the trophy and it seemed like a battle for third place between Poole and Exeter would be a close call with only two points separating them.
Step up Nathan Goulden to celebrate his 9th birthday on his home track with his second win of the day to put his team six points ahead.
The Devon club had pulled most of that back coming into the last race and after another Ben Stanbury win they were now on 34, just a point behind their great South Coast rivals. While Charlie Johnson comfortably won the final race for Ipswich, Jasmin Oddie tucked in for a fine second place to ensure Poole got the 18 BCC points.
Results
1st Kesgrave 54
Lewis Brinkhoff 16, Jake Vincent 15, Ollie Wright 8, Alfie Steward 8, Oliver Reynolds 7.
2nd Ipswich 44
Charlie Johnson 13, Gemma Hill 12, Ben Clark 11, Liam Fleming 4, Kristian Mitchell 4.
3rd Poole 38
Nathan Goulden 13, Will Cavanagh 9, Danny Reeks 7, Scott Pierce 5, Jasmine Oddie 4.
4th Exeter 35
Ben Stanbury 15, Harry Stanbury 11, Rosie Tidball 5, Fin Webb 4.
5th Underhill 29
Dan Wright 12 Morgan Porter 7 Dafyyd Porter 5 Eistyn Lewis 5
Referee - Robin Spicer
