|
The last visit of the Rye House Rockets cost the Somerset ‘Dickies’ Rebels
their long standing unbeaten home record by 6-points. The Hoddesdon side
visited again this week and once more gave the Rebels a hard time. The
home side were without Sam Masters, who was representing Australia in the
U21 World Team Cup Championship, forcing the use of rider replacement.
Things started badly for the Rebels when Stefan Ekberg and Chris Neath
blasted from the gates to lead Heat 1. For the Rebels Ritchie Hawkins made
the best gate, and challenged Neath on the fourth turn. On the next lap he
was into second place, but despite a determined ride could not peg back
Ekberg. Lubos Tomicek never got in a blow for the Rebels.
The reserve heat was share as Rebels guest, Dakota North got a flying
start to lead all the way. Kurt Shield closed on North, and was upsides on
the final bend, but could never find his way by. Mark Baseby was never in
the hunt as his motor gave up the ghost on the final bend of the opening
lap.
Shane Parker made the best of a level break in Heat 3, as he powered
around the outside of the final turns of the opening lap to lead. Dakota
North came off worst from a battle of elbows, as Luke Bowen bested him on
the second turn. Parker pulled well clear from Jordan Frampton, in the
fastest time of the night, 57.40. The points were shared again as North
retired at the beginning of Lap3.
The Rockets added a second heat advantage, as Heat 4 opened with another
elbowing session, this time between Cory Gathercole, and Linus Sundstrom,
with Sundstrom’s hard riding forcing Gathercole very wide off the second
bend, shuffling him to the back. Gathercole charged after the field,
passing Mark Baseby and Kyle Hughes by the time they completed the lap. He
chased down Sundstrom, and by the back straight of the final lap he was
upsides the Swede. He went for the big blast around the outside, and
locked up as about to deliver the ‘Coup de Grace’. Kyle Hughes took the
minor place, and the heat advantage.
Three more shared heats followed as the Rockets held on to their 4-point
lead. Shane Parker added his second win of the night, taking Heat 5, but
he did it the hard way, coming from third to first in the space of half a
lap. Chris Neath had just got the better of his team mate, Stefan Ekberg,
when Parker came sailing around the outside of the pair to cruise into the
lead off the final bend. Over the next three laps he serenely eased well
clear to take an easy win, with the Rockets pair filling the places. Mark
Baseby was having a nightmare night having to use his second machine as
his preferred ride had expired in Heat 2.
After waiting for the setting sun to disappear, after it had caused the
riders visibility problems, Linus Sundstrom was another to add to his
unbeaten tally, taking Heat 6 with a fast start from Lubos Tomicek.
Ritchie Hawkins passed Kyle Hughes in the first turn, and held him off as
Hughes re-challenged on the final bend of Lap 3.
Cory Gathercole took Heat 7, but had to do it twice as Ronnie Allan called
back his lightning first effort. He took up the running in the second
start, straight from the gate, with Luke Bowen taking second place from
Jordan Frampton on the opening turn. No one got near Gathercole as he won
easily from the Rockets pairing, showing some good speed in the process.
The Rebels deficit came under more pressure as the Rockets banged in a
full house in Heat 8. Ritchie Hawkins lead from the first bend on the wide
line, but came under immediate pressure from a hard riding Stefan Ekberg
on the second turn. Ekberg’s forceful tactics paid dividends as he grabbed
the lead on the back straight. Hawkins’ woe was compounded as Kyle Hughes
pounced on the third turn.
Another shared heat arrived in Heat 9, as the two unbeaten riders, Shane
Parker and Linus Sundstrom, clashed. Sundstrom came out on top, but only
after riding a great first bend to clamp the Rebels skipper to the kerb.
Dakota North took advantage of Parker’s blocked run, as he took the
challenge to Sundstrom, on the final turn of the lap. Parker started to
reel the pair back in, and by the third lap he was on terms, passing
North, and then coming with a strong run in the closing stages, although
he never quite got back to the flying Swede.
Heat 10 saw the Rockets go 10-points clear as they put another 2-4
advantage on the score chart. Rebels old boy Jordan Frampton was the man
to take the win, as he got the better of Ritchie Hawkins from the level
break. Hawkins got close on the final bend of the lap, but struggle to
make the move stick, with a machine that looked down on power. Luke Bowen
came from last place to challenge Lubos Tomicek off the final bend of Lap
three before putting an easy pass on the Rebels man.
Steve Bishop was not slow in sending out the ‘Black and White’, with Cory
Gathercole the wearer. Gathercole made no mistake as he blasted off the
line to go clear after a brief challenge from Stefan Ekberg on the back
straight. Dakota North could do nothing to add to the Rebels tally, until
Chris Neath’s machine expired to give him an unexpected third place, and
the Rebels their first heat advantage of the night, 7-2.
The Rebels joy at cutting the Rockets lead to just 5-points was short
lived as the visitors quickly increased it back to 9-points with a maximum
advantage in Heat 12. Jordan Frampton and Kyle Hughes made the gate to
lead up, and block out Ritchie Hawkins run. Frampton rode a superb team
race, protecting his younger team mate from Hawkins attentions, who try as
he might, could not find a way passed.
Lubos Tomicek finally came good in Heat 13, with a fast start from the
inside gate. Just when it was looking good for a Somerset one-two, Cory
Gathercole caught a huge lift into the first turn. He lost all momentum,
and when he got the bike back under control he was stone last. Gathercole
is nothing if not determined, and never gives up whilst there is still a
chance. He set off after the Rockets pair of Neath and Sundstrom, and by
the end of the second lap had closed them down. As they exited the final
bend of the lap he flew up behind them, slicing between the pair in a
flash, in a stunning move. Once in second place he was gone, giving the
Rebels a very welcome full house, cutting the deficit back to 5-points,
with just two heats left.
The Rebels could not afford anything but an advantage if they were to keep
the match alive, and give themselves the chance of a win. Shane Parker
answered the call, as he stormed around the outside of the field to lead
onto the back straight. Dakota North took third place, passing Kyle Hughes
on the second bend. As Parker pulled clear, North set off after Luke Bowen
in an effort to ease the final task for the Rebels, but he was unable to
put in a challenge, whilst Kyle Hughes retired in last place.
The 4-2 advantage put the Rebels back in the match, but they needed a 5-1
to take the match, with any other result giving the win to the Rockets.
The Rebels unsurprisingly nominated Shane Parker and Cory Gathercole as
their pairing, with the Swedish duo of Sundstrom and Ekberg, taking the
track for the Rockets. From the tapes it looked all up for the home side
as Sundstrom flew off the line, but he was soon passed by Shane Parker on
the wide line. Sundstrom then forced Gathercole wide, leaving him at the
back, and looking out of it. He was soon back on the pace, as he shot
passed Ekberg, and threw in a challenge to Sundstrom on the final turn,
where he locked up and looked to have lost his chance. Gathercole had been
fast all night, and this race was no different, as he paid down the power,
and was soon back on the Swede’s back wheel. Gathercole was all over him,
inside and out, looking for an opening. He came with a great run on the
final lap, but despite his best efforts he just failed to get up on the
line, as the Rockets just hung on by the single point.
It was a great fight back by the Rebels but the lack of scoring in key
positions, and the absence of Sam Masters cost them the win, as he would
surely have contributed more than the 2+1 that rider replacement gave.
Shane Parker and Cory Gathercole were superb, both carding 14-points, with
Gathercole adding a bonus point. Ritchie Hawkins has been fantastic over
the season so far, although he appeared down on power here, he still
returned a creditable 7+1 under the circumstances. Mark Baseby had a
disappointing, as he suffered machine problems after his first ride. Lubos
Tomicek again gave a disappointing display. Guest Dakota North carded a
useful 6+1, on his second outing for Somerset. The Rebels now go on the
road, as they travel to the far north, with encounters at Berwick and
Glasgow over the next few days.
Report courtesy Dave Thompson |
Rebels
Rockets
