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The Somerset ‘Dickies’ Rebels suffered a ‘Double Whammy’ blow in this restaged Premier Trophy fixture with the Rye House ‘Silver Ski’ Rockets, firstly with the totally unexpected resignation of Steve Boxall and secondly suffering their first home defeat in almost two years. Boxall’s departure came like a bolt out of the blue to the unsuspecting Somerset management team, who received a curt, four-word text message from the Canterbury based rider at lunchtime on Friday, saying ‘I quit, sorry mate’. With Boxall withholding his services the Rebels were forced into using a rider replacement facility, and a late reshuffle of the line up to accommodate his absence.
His departure is baffling considering that he was in top form since his return to the saddle this season, and is all the stranger for the fact that he was given the chance to resurrect a stuttering career at Highbridge, not only with a team place, but also with help with top class equipment, and transport. His latest disappearance must surely spell the end of what could have been a glittering career at the highest level of British Speedway for a super talented, but wayward rider.
The encounter itself got off to the worst possible start for the Rebels, as the Rockets pairing of skipper Chris Neath, and new boy Kurt Shields tore from the start to lead at the opening turn. Shane Parker was soon challenging Shields for second, but despite swapping places a couple of times he could never get the better of the young Australian, as the Rockets opened their account with a maximum advantage.
Tommy Allen has been suffering poor form of late, but he bolted from the gate alongside Ritchie Hawkins in Heat 2, and took up the running on the back straight. Hawkins dropped in behind him as the pair easily snuffed out any challenge from the in form Kyle Hughes, and Kurt Shields, who was as poor in this heat as he was good in the opener. On the slow down lap Allen and the Rebels fans were clearly delighted with his return to form, as he celebrated with Ritchie Hawkins.
The Rebels joy was short lived as they were immediately hammered with another Rockets full house, in a race that featured the opening win of what would prove to be an eventful night for former Rebel Jordan Frampton. Frampton broke level with Brent Werner, but the Californian soon found himself swamped by the rest of the field, leaving Frampton to take an easy win. Sam Masters led Stefan Ekberg until he made a mistake and ran wide at the end of the lap, allowing the Swede through. Masters set about catching Ekberg until he eventually retired with a puncture, two laps later, to end his charge.
The teams exchanged 4-2’s in the next two heats with the Rebels taking the advantage in Heat 4. Linus Sundström broke level with Cory Gathercole and Tommy Allen, but it was Gathercole who powered around the boards to take up the running from the classy Swede on the back straight. As Gathercole pulled out a lead Tommy Allen was repelling an early test from Kyle Hughes, and seemed to have him under control, when the Bath born rider suddenly slowed almost to a standstill, leaving Allen to an easy third place.
The Rockets repaid the compliment in Heat 5; after a level break saw Chris Neath just get the better of Sam Masters. The pair slugged it out over the firs two laps, with Neath taking advantage of a Masters mistake at the end of Lap 2 to score his second win of the night. Brent Werner ran a hard couple of opening bends, but could not hold off Kyle Hughes for third.
The following two heats were shared, with Linus Sundström taking Heat 6 after a tough opening battle with Ritchie Hawkins. As the tapes rose the pair contested a tight scrap in the opening turns, which saw Sundström run Hawkins extremely wide. Hawkins came back from his trip to the boards with a strong charge up the inside of the Swede on the closing bend of the lap. Although he never gave up, Hawkins had to give best to Sundström’s superior speed as the Rockets flyer pulled away. Shane Parker made a slow start, but had too much in hand for Kurt Shields.
Heat 7 turned out to be the most eventful race of the night, and could have been the last one of the match for Jordan Frampton. The first two starts were pulled back for movement at the tapes, as all four riders were eager to make a good start.
As the tapes rose for the third time all four riders made a good start, but it was Gathercole and Frampton who entered the bend together, with Hawkins and Ekberg close up. The leading pair were battling tight together, and as they entered the bend Gathercole went down. The pair tangled in the process, and Frampton was fired straight at the fence, with the following pair lucky not to be wiped out as his bike somehow negotiated a narrow gap between their machines. Frampton was carted into the safety fence at high speed, with no chance to get off the bike. His machine struck the fence head on, and took to the air, clearing the barrier. Frampton was thrown from his machine, and into the air, following his bike over the fence, and into the spectator area. He cleared all the obstacles, somersaulting them, and ending up well onto the tarmac walkway. It was one of the most shocking crashes seen in the history of the Oak Tree Arena, but miraculously Frampton was soon on his feet, and walking back to the pits relatively unscathed, which is more than can be said for his machine.
After a check up by the medical staff, and a change of machine Frampton returned to the start to make a flying start in the fourth running of the race. Again he had a tough battle with Gathercole in the opening turns, just coming out on top. Gathercole was soon on his case, and the pair swapped places over the next two laps until the 23-year-old Victorian locked up on the opening turns of Lap 3 to leave Frampton in the clear. Ritchie Hawkins came through to chase down Frampton, but could never get on terms.
The Rebels cut the gap to two points as Gathercole reappeared to take Heat 8 from Linus Sundström. The pair ran side-by-side, on the wide line of the opening turns, with Gathercole easing in front as they lead into the back straight. As Gathercole pulled clear, Tommy Allen continued his good night by keeping Sundström under pressure right to the line.
Heat 9 was shared as Sundström got quick compensation for his defeat in the previous heat. He made the best of a level break, but had to shrug off the close attentions of Ritchie Hawkins in the early stages. Hawkins was all over the Swede for the first two laps trying inside and out to find an opening. In the end Sundström held him off and pulled clear, with Sam Masters taking third spot for the Rebels.
For the next four heats it was nip and tuck as the teams traded 4-2’s with the Rockets maintaining a two-point lead. Jordan Frampton added his third win of the night with victory in Heat 10. He just got the best run from a level break with Tommy Allen to pull out a winning margin. Allen for his part cleverly clamped Stefan Ekberg to the kerb on the opening bend of Lap 2, to nullify the Swedes attack. Shane Parker found himself at the back from the early stages, and although he closed down Ekberg, he could never find a route into the points.
Cory Gathercole had to come from behind a rampant Chris Neath to take Heat 11. Neath quickly away for his third race running looked all over the winner until Gathercole came over the top of him at the close of the lap, squeezing through the tightest of gaps to grab the lead. As he pulled clear Ritchie Hawkins took an easy third spot to keep the Rebels in the hunt.
No one could stop Jordan Frampton from taking his fourth win on the spin, as he took Heat 12 with another lightning start, but it looked as though the Rebels would share the points as Sam Masters and Tommy Allen comfortably held the places, until Allen’s machine gave up the ghost after seizing up on the penultimate lap, gifting Kyle Hughes third place. It was a frustrating end to what had been a much-needed confidence boosting night for Allen.
After a false start by Chris Neath, Heat 13 saw Shane Parker make his best start of the night to lead the re-run from the inside of the first turn. Cory Gathercole never gave Neath time to breath as the pair engaged in a tight battle over the next few laps, but could not find a way passed. He also had to look to the rear as Linus Sundström tried to take advantage of any slips from Gathercole as he battled Neath.
Ritchie Hawkins rode a stunning race in Heat 14 to share the points. Fast away with Stefan Ekberg, he could not quite get the better of the Rockets man. Kyle Hughes joined the fray, leaving Hawkins out, high and wide on the outside. For three laps he powered round the boards, but could never get to the front. Running into the final lap he switched his attack to the inside, first gliding serenely up the inside of Hughes on first turn, and then switching back out, and cutting back up the inside of the final two bends to power passed Ekberg off the final turn, and cross the line in front to the loud cheers of the Rebels fans.
With the match now poised with a last heat decider. Anything other than a Rebels heat advantage would give the match to the Rockets, but to take the win, only a full house would do for the home team. Cory Gathercole got a blinding start, only to be called back by Mick Posselwhite. In the re-run Chris Neath flew from the gates, leading from Jordan Frampton. Shane Parker nipped up the inside of Frampton on the opening turn, but could not get on terms with Neath. Any chance the Rebels had of rescuing the result went out of the window when Gathercole retired early on. Parker and Frampton swapped places a few times during the race, with Frampton just nicking second spot on the line to give the Rockets a 42-48 victory, and a place in the latter stages of the Premier Trophy.
The Rockets were taking their first win at the Oak Tree Arena in over two years, and the star of the show was undoubtedly the superb Jordan Frampton who, in light of his Heat 7 escapades, recorded a superb paid maximum. He was ably assisted by Chris Neath, who put in one of his best performances at the Highbridge circuit for some time.
Although the unexpected resignation of Steve Boxall must have had an effect on the morale of the team, the Rebels performance was disappointing. Despite this there were a couple of bright spots, one of those being the continued great form of Ritchie Hawkins, who’s performance on any other night, and not for the first time this season, would probably won him the Allen Trump sponsored ‘Rider of the Night’ award. However that honour went deservedly to Tommy Allen, who by his own admission has been suffering a lack of confidence over the last few weeks. Tommy is a much better rider than he has shown this season, and hopefully his performance will go a long way to convincing the doubters, and not least himself of that fact.
With the Premier Trophy now beyond the reach of the Rebels, they must now concentrate getting it right for the Premier League proper. Also the thinking caps will be on to solve the problem of who will replace the errant Boxall. Whoever it is, there is no doubt that the Rebels will call on their well known team spirit to put things right for the league matches, with that process starting at the Oak Tree Arena against Scunthorpe next Friday. In the meantime they will see out their remaining Premier Trophy fixture at Saddlebow Road, Kings Lynn next Wednesday.
Report courtesy Dave Thompson |
Rebels
Rockets
