Workington Comets 43
v
Somerset Rebels 47

Premier League KO Cup Final, 1^st Leg

Saturday 11^th October

The Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels did their hopes of lifting the Premier League Knock Out Cup for the first time in their history no harm at all in winning the first leg of the Final at Workington by 3 points in a meeting that contained just about everything, top quality racing, tension, drama and more than a hint of controversy.

Both teams went into this first leg match with riders missing due to injuries, Workington were without their top two of Daniel Nermark and Kauko Nieminen, Birmingham’s Jason Lyons guesting in place of Nermark and the Comets utilising the rider replacement facility for Nieminen.  Somerset were without long term injury victim Simon Walker and used rider replacement to cover for his absence.

Somerset hit Workington hard from the off, taking the lead in the opening heat, Jason Doyle winning in a time that was just 0.5 seconds off Simon Stead’s 2 year old track record, and with Stephan Katt slotting into second place, it looked all over that it would be a maximum heat advantage to the Rebels until Lyons used all his experience coming off the final bend to just pip Katt for second place as the pair crossed the line.

With the points being shared in the next two heats, Kroger and Kramer winning respectively for the Rebels, Somerset further extended their lead in the next two heats, Frampton winning heat 4 ahead of Stonehewer, this after Workington reserve John Branney came to grief on the last bend trying a big blast around the outside to pass Frampton, a move that was doomed to failure from the moment he tried it, Frampton’s time equaling that of Doyle’s in the opening heat.

Doyle followed up with his second win of the night in heat 6, and with Kroger picking up a point for third place, Somerset were now 6 points to the good, leading the home side 18 points to 12.

Somerset had provided the race winner in each of the first 5 races, but Lyons stopped the rot for the Comets in taking heat 6 ahead of Frampton, and with Wright scoring his first point of the night for the home side ahead of Kroger it meant that Workington had cut Somerset’s lead to four points as the meeting approached the half way stage.

The home fans joy in seeing their side secure their first heat advantage of the night was short-lived however as the Somerset duo of Katt and Kramer hit home with a maximum 5-1 race advantage in heat 7, Kramer just getting up on the line to snatch second place from Stonehewer.

A shared of the spoils in heat 8 saw Somerset maintain their 8 point lead and everything was looking rosy for the Rebels, but it was then that lady luck seemed to have deserted them as in both of the next two heats first Jordan Frampton and the Emil Kramer were to suffer mechanical gremlins that forced them to retire from their respective races whilst holding comfortable leads.

Workington took full advantage of the luck that had come their way, cutting Somerset’s lead to a mere two points, and suddenly it seemed as if it was not the Comets turn to be in the ascendancy.

Yet again, just when it seemed that their backs were against the wall, the Rebels hit back, Frampton and Doyle gaining Somerset’s second maximum heat win of the night to stretch their lead back out to six points with just four heats of this first leg tie remaining.

A 4-2 heat win for the Comets in heat 12 courtesy of Haines and Branney, Haines win being the only other Workington rider other than Lyons to win a heat for the home side, cut Somerset’s lead back to 4 points before an eventful heat 13 saw Workington bring the scores level at 39 all.

With just 30 seconds of the two minute time allowance remaining, Doyle’s bike gave up the ghost as he settled in readiness at the tapes and with no time left to bring out his spare bike, he was duly excluded from the race.  Things then went from bad to worse for the Rebels as his reserve replacement in the race, Brent Werner, was excluded for a tapes infringement. 

As Somerset unable to replace Werner in the race, it saw Jordan Frampton as the lone Rebel up against Lyons and Stonehewer for Workington.  The Comets duo made the best of the start and blocked Frampton’s attempted run around the outside of the first turn, the resultant 5-1 for the home side given the Workington fans renewed hope of taking a lead back to Somerset for the second leg.

After Somerset suffering a run of misfortunes, it was Workington’s turn to have things turn against them in heat 14, the penultimate race of the night.

In the first running of the race, Somerset’s German combination of Katt and Kroger took the early advantage, only for Comet reserve John Branney to come steaming into the third turn, a move that was to have only one outcome, Branney crashing to the ground in a nasty looking fall that nearly took out both Kroger and Branney’s team mate, Joe Haines.

With Branney excluded from the re-run, it was left to 17 year old Haines to fight the Comet’s cause, but his participation in the race lasted all of ten metres as his bike ground to a halt, leaving the Somerset pair to romp home to a 5-0 heat win which meant that Somerset could now not lose the tie.

The nominated final heat saw Lyons and Stonehewer line up for Workington against Doyle and Kramer for the Rebels, and it was the home pair that made the better start and despite Doyle’s best efforts it looked all over that Workington would secure a 5-1 heat win that would give Somerset victory by just a single point.

They reckoned, however, without Doyle who never gave up the chase and swooped off the final bend to take second place away from Stonehewer on the line thus ensuring that Somerset line up in Friday’s second leg at the Oak Tree Arena three points to the good.

Report courtesy: Ian Belcher

Edinburgh ‘Scotwaste’ Monarchs
v
Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels

Premier League Promotion Play Off

Semi-Final, 1^st Leg

2 Tomas H Jonasson - Rider Replacement

3 Ryan Fisher - 2*, 2, 3, 3, 0, 2 = 12+1

4 Andrew Tully - 3, 1*, 2*, 3, 3 = 12+2

5 Matthew Wethers - 2*, 2, 2*, exl, 3, 0 = 9+2

6 Derek Sneddon [c] – 2, 1, 3, exl, 2, 1 = 9

7 Aaron Summers – 3, 3, 2*, 1 = 9+1

Somerset Rebels - 36

1 Jason Doyle – 3, 3, 6^, 0, 3 = 15

2 Simon Walker  - Rider Replacement

3 Emil Kramer [c] – 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 1 = 8

4 Stephan Katt  - 0, 0, 0 = 0

5 Jordan Frampton – 1, 0, 0, exl (2min), 1 = 2

6 Matthias Kröger – 0, 0, 3, 0, 1, 1, 0 = 5

7 Brent Werner – 2, exl, ret, 2*, 2 = 6+1

SCB Referee; Jim McGregor

Heat Details

Heat 01; (re-run) Doyle, Sneddon, Piszcz, Kröger, 56.8 (3-3) (3-3)

Heat 02; Summers, Werner, Sneddon, Kröger, 57.1 (4-2) (7-5)

Heat 03; Tully, Fisher, Kramer, Katt, 57.5 (5-1) (12-6)

Heat 04; (Re-run) Summers, Wethers, Frampton, Werner (f.exl), 56.9 (5-1) (17-7)

Heat 05; Doyle, Fisher, Tully, Werner (ret), 56.6 (3-3) (20-10)

Heat 06; Kröger, Wethers, Piszcz, Frampton, 57.9 (3-3) (23-13)

Heat 07; Sneddon, Wethers, Kramer, Katt, 57.1 (5-1) (28-14)

Heat 08; Fisher, Summers, Kramer, Kröger, 57.4 (33-15)

Heat 09; (re-run) Fisher, Tully, Kröger, Frampton, 57.9 (5-1) (38-16)

Heat 10; Tully, Piszcz, Kramer, Katt, 57.2 (5-1) (47-13)

Heat 11; (re-run) Doyle (tactical), Werner, Summers, Wethers (f.exl), Sneddon (exl, starting infringement), Frampton (exl 2 mins), 57.3 (1-8) (44-25)

Heat 12; Kramer, Sneddon, Kröger, Fisher, 57.5 (2-4) (46-29)

Heat 13; Wethers, Piszcz, Frampton, Doyle, 56.7 (5-1) (51-30)

Heat 14; (re-run) Tully, Werner, Sneddon, Kröger, 58.1 (4-2) (55-32)

Heat 15; Doyle, Fisher, Kramer, Wethers, 56.5 (2-4) (57-36)

The Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels travelled North to the home of the newly crowned Premier League and Premier Trophy Champions hoping to come away from Armadale with better result in this Promotion Play Off than they did in August, which saw them leave on the back of a 66-24 defeat at the hands of the Monarchs.

Edinburgh went into this meeting without their number one, William Lawson, who was en-route to the Czech Republic for Saturday’s under 21 World Final, and brought in Birmingham’s Tomas Piszcz as a guest replacement.  Additional they employed the rider replacement facility at number 2 for their injured Swede, Tomas Jonasson.  Somerset were once again without long term injury victim, Simon Walker, and continued to use rider replacement as cover, again this being in the number two position.

And so it was on a bitterly cold Friday evening that history was made as the tapes rose on the first ever Premier League Promotion Play Off meeting, only for the race to come to a shuddering halt after just a few seconds as Piszcz lost control on entering the first bend, straightened up, collecting Somerset’s Doyle in the process, the pair sliding towards to safety fence as a consequence.

Thankfully, both riders were able to get to their feet without the need for medical assistance, Piszcz being somewhat fortunate to be allowed back in the re-run given that he was the rider at fault of causing the race to be stopped in the first place.

At the second time of asking, Doyle made no mistake from the gate, and took a comfortable victory and with the Edinburgh duo picking up the minor placings ahead of Somerset’s Kröger, it saw a share of the spoils, three points going to each team.

One of the more unsung heroes of Edinburgh’s success story this year has been the form of their young Australian reserve, Aaron Summers, which he clearly demonstrated in heat 2, storming from the outside gate to just get into the bend ahead of Werner.  Behind them Kröger had managed to get the drop on Sneddon, but the Edinburgh captain made his track knowledge count as he cut back up the inside of the German into third place. 

Although Sneddon then gave chase to Werner ahead of him, the American made his experience tell to maintain his second place, but with Summers taking the chequered flag, it was first blood to the Monarchs as they took an early two point lead, 7-5.

Heats 3 and 4 saw Edinburgh stamp an early authority on the match, taking both heats 5-1, Kramer throwing a big ‘locker’ on the second bend, having made the best of the start, which not only allowed the Edinburgh duo of Fisher and Tully through into the lead, but also hampered the progress of his team-mate, Katt, putting out of contention as far as this race was concerned.

Worse was to follow in heat 4 as a fairly level break saw all four riders in contention as they headed down the back straight, Werner just getting the advantage as they headed into the third turn, but he carried too much speed into the bend, which, as a result, carried him wide on the fourth bend with the inevitable consequence of him coming to grief.

Referee Jim McGregor was left with no option but to exclude Werner from the re-run, which left Frampton as the lone Rebel up against Wethers and Summers for the home side.

Unfortunately for the Somerset camp, Frampton made a poor start to hand the initiative to the Monarchs, and compounded this by running wide on the second turn, to leave the Edinburgh riders to record an untroubled maximum heat win and with it the Monarchs into an early, and worryingly early, ten point lead.

Doyle steadied the ship for the visitors in heat 5 with his second successive win of the match, but with Werner still feeling the effects of his spill in the previous heat and retiring from the race, Edinburgh maintained that ten point lead with a third of the match gone.

Somerset’s German Long track ace, Matthias Kröger, has gained a reputation of being a fast starter, and he showed this to good effect in heat 6, making a lightening start to take the lead, ensuring he blocked any potential move from the home riders to nip up the inside off the second bend.

As the race progressed Wethers gradually reeled in the Somerset reserve, Kröger riding his trademark ‘whiteline’ route leaving the Edinburgh rider little option but to try a big outside blast coming off the final bend in his attempt to deny Somerset a second consecutive race winner.

And it almost paid off as the Australian got some excellent drive coming off the last turn to pull alongside Kröger as the pair headed towards the chequered flag, the Somerset rider just getting the decision as they flashed over the finishing line.

Worrying for Somerset, though, was Frampton’s performance, his bike seemingly being well down on power as, despite giving it 100% as always, he finished tailed off at the back.

The decisive period as far as the Monarchs were concerned came as they hit Somerset with maximum 5-1’s in each of the next four heats, Wethers and Sneddon making supreme starts in heat 7 as they cruised the first of those, Summers then exploiting Kramer’s error on the second turn a heat later to follow team-mate Fisher home.

Edinburgh were on the receiving end of another fortuitous refereeing decision in heat 9 as Tully took Kröger down on the first turn, but as in the opening heat, it was a case of all four back, Fisher and Tully making no mistake at the second time of asking and in the space of three heats the home side had suddenly stretched their lead to 22 points.

That 22 point lead became 26 in heat 10 as Tully and Piszcz hit in another maximum heat win over Kramer and Katt, and Somerset’s hopes of keeping the scoreline tight ahead of Wednesday’s second leg at the Oak Tree Arena were fast evaporating.

Then came what can only be described as a bizarre heat 11.

With Doyle coming out donning the ‘black and white’ helmet colour for double points in an attempt to reduce the Edinburgh lead, at the first time of asking Frampton’s already under-performing bike completely gave up the ghost just as the riders were about to ready themselves for the green light, the 23 year old being excluded under the two minute rule, and was duly replaced by Brent Werner.

Once again four riders came to the tapes, but just as the tapes rose, referee McGregor immediately switch on the red stop lights.  Everyone in the stadium instantly thought that the referee must have deemed it an unsatisfactory start, only for it to be announced that Monarchs skipper Derek Sneddon had been excluded for what was described as a ‘starting infringement.’  It then transpired that he had been excluded for ‘spinning his rear wheel’ at the start line, something for which the referee had warned Sneddon for earlier in the meeting.

At the third time of asking the riders finally got away, Doyle and Werner taking the lead and the holy grail of an 8-1 for the Rebels was well and truly on.  Wethers was immediately on Werner’s case, but the American made his experience tell, thwarting Wethers moves until the Edinburgh number 5 over did it as the pair came off the 4^th bend on the second lap, coming to grief in the process.

Wethers was duly exclude by the referee, but although the surviving three riders had crossed the start line to begin their third lap, as Wethers had not completed two laps when the race was stopped, a re-run was ordered, Summers being the lone representative up against Doyle and Werner.

And so yet again riders came to the tapes, now for a fourth time, in an attempt to complete heat 11, and as on the previous occasion, Doyle and Werner sped from the tapes leaving Summers in their wake, scoring a big 8-1 heat advantage, Doyle’s three points for the win being doubled to six by virtue of the tactical move.

Suddenly Somerset tails were up and after looking out of sorts all evening, Emil Kramer suddenly burst into life for the visitors, making the best of the break from the gate, and with Kröger blocking Fishers’ attempt to sweep round the outside of the field on the second lap, the Rebels took their 2^nd heat advantage of the match and what two heats previously had been a 26 point deficit had been cut to 17, Edinburgh 46-29 to the good.

With three wins from his three starts, Doyle had been the dominant force so far in this match, and with him coming to the tapes in heat 13, Somerset’s hopes must have been high that he could make it four wins on the bounce to keep the Rebels in with a chance of keeping the Edinburgh lead to less than 20 points ahead of the second leg.

The only thing you can predict about speedway, though, is its unpredictability, and so it proved in heat 13 as Doyle got nowhere fast off the inside gate, giving Wethers and Piszcz the opportunity to hit back with a virtually unchallenged 5-1 and take their lead back out to 21 points, leading the Rebels 51-30 with just the final two heats remaining.

As the tapes rose on heat 14, so did Somerset’s hopes as Werner and Kröger hit the front ahead of Tully and Sneddon.  Both Monarchs were soon on Kröger’s tail, and the pressure eventually told as the German made a mistake coming off the second turn on the third lap which allowed Tully through into second place, Sneddon following through to draw alongside Kröger as they headed down the back straight, only for Sneddon to move across on the Somerset rider, almost running him into the fence.

Tully meanwhile was in hot pursuit of Werner, reeling him in hand over fist with each turn of the wheel, catching his prey as they entered the last turn, and with Tully carrying the greater speed into the bend, he passed Werner as the chequered flag beckoned them both.  Sneddon picked up the point for third place to give Edinburgh a 4-2 heat win taking the match score to 55-32 in their favour, with Kröger showing his displeasure at Sneddon’s move on him earlier in the race as the riders took to their slowing down lap.

Doyle quickly made amends for his heat 13 ‘duck’ by storming to victory in the fastest time of the night in the final heat, leaving Fisher a mere spectator.  Just as importantly Kramer kept an omnipresent Wethers back in last place, to take third and in the process give Somerset their third heat victory in the final five heats. This giving them a 21 point deficit to claw back when the two teams reconvene at the Oak Tree Arena for Wednesday’s second leg.

Report courtesy: Ian Belcher

Birmingham Brummies – 48
1. Tomas Piszcz - 1*, 3, 3, F, 0 = 7+1

2. Kyle Legault – Rider Replacement
3. Jason Lyons - 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 15

4. James Birkinshaw – 1, 1, 0, 3 = 5

5. Craig Watson - 2, 3, 1*, 0, 3, 1 = 10+1

6. Jay Herne - 3, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1 = 9

7. Ben Taylor - 0, 1, 0, 1 = 2

Somerset Rebels - 44
1. Jason Doyle - 3, 2, 4^, 2*, 2 = 15+1

2. Simon Walker - Rider Replacement
3. Emil Kramer - R, 3, 1*, 3, 2, 0 = 9+1

4. Stephan Katt - 0, 2, 0, 2 = 4

5. Jordan Frampton - R, 0, 1*, 3, 1* = 5+2

6. Matthias Kröger - 1*, 0, 2, 2, 0 = 5+1
7. Brent Werner - 2, 2, 2*, 0 = 6+1

SBC Referee: Jim Lawrence

Heat Details
Heat 01: Doyle, Watson, Piszcz, Katt (3-3) (3-3) 58.7
Heat 02: Herne, Werner, Kröger, Taylor (3-3) (6-6) 59.8

Heat 03: Lyons, Katt, Birkinshaw, Kramer (4-2) (10-8) 58.2

Heat 04: Watson, Werner, Taylor, Frampton (f.rem. ret). (4-2) (14-10) 59.1
Heat 05: Lyons, Doyle, Birkinshaw, Kröger (4-2) (18-12) 57.5
Heat 06: Piszcz, Kröger, Herne, Frampton (f.rem), (4-2) (22-14) 59.5
Heat 07: Kramer, Herne, Watson, Katt (3-3) (25-17) 60.7
Heat 08: Piszcz, Doyle (tac sub, 15 metres), Kramer, Taylor (3-5) (28-22) 59.1
Heat 09: Lyons, Kröger, Frampton, Birkinshaw (3-3) (31-25) 58.9
Heat 10: Kramer, Werner, Herne, Piszcz (f) (1-5) (32-30) 59.4
Heat 11: Frampton, Doyle, Taylor, Watson (1-5) (33-35) 59.1
Heat 12: Lyons, Kramer, Herne, Kröger (4-2) (37-37) 60.3
Heat 13: Watson, Doyle, Frampton, Piszcz (3-3) (40-40) 60.1
Heat 14: Birkinshaw, Katt, Herne, Werner (4-2) (44-42) 62.0
Heat 15: Lyons, Doyle, Watson, Kramer (4-2) (48-44) 59.7

After their stunning win at the Isle of Wight the night before, the Somerset ‘Sharp; Rebels came to Perry Barr knowing that nothing less than a win would be good enough to keep their Premier League title hopes alive, and even then they still needed Edinburgh to lose at arch rivals Glasgow when the two sides meet next month, if the Championship Trophy was to be residing at the Oak Tree Arena.

This was the fourth attempt to get this meeting under way, with the previous three attempts falling foul of the weather in one way, or another. Believe it or not, the first staging of this match was scheduled way back in mid-April!

Both teams took to the track having to utilise the rider replacement facility, Birmingham for the Canadian star, Kyle Legault, who is out with a broken jaw, and Somerset for long term injury victim, Simon Walker.

With a large Rebel contingent amongst the crowd, things stated well enough for Somerset as Jason Doyle won the opening heat, though not before a tough first lap with fellow Aussie, Craig Watson who made the Somerset number 1 fight all the way before Doyle gained the upper hand.  With Piszcz taking a comfortable third place ahead of Katt, the opening heat was shared.

The same outcome befell heat two as Jay Herne made a lightening start to lead into the first bend, and although Werner gave chase for the Rebels he never really got on terms with the Birmingham reserve, but with Kröger packing in behind Werner for third, the scores remained all level.

Lady Luck often has a hand to play in dealing out the cards of destiny and so it was it heat three as although Jason Lyons had taken the lead from the tapes for the home side, Somerset riders filled the minor places and a third shared heats looked more than likely.  Suddenly as the riders crossed the line for the third lap, Kramer’s bike gave up on him and in the blink of an eye the Brummies picked up a 4-2 and edged into a two point match lead.

More misfortune hit the Rebels in heat 4. When giving chase to Craig Watson on the opening lap, Jordan Frampton came to grief on the third bend, and although he remounted to continue the race, the Somerset number 5 was way out of contention, and it gave the home side another 4-2, Werner easily holding off Taylor for second place.

Heat 5 saw the eagerly anticipated meeting between Lyons and Doyle, the Somerset rider making the better start to lead and with Kröger second ahead of Birkinshaw it looked as if the Rebels would claw back some of that four point deficit, but the two Brummies riders had other ideas and almost simultaneously as Lyons passed Doyle, so Birkinshaw did the same to Kröger, and a Rebels 4-2 now became a Birmingham heat advantage, taking them into a six point lead.

Keen to make up for his fall in his opening ride, Somerset’s Jordan Frampton came to the tapes in heat 6, but in a carbon copy of what befell him two races earlier, the Poole based rider came to grief in exactly same spot this time as he was challenging Piszcz for the lead, and although Kröger took second place ahead of Herne, in the space of four heats Somerset found themselves 8 points down and their title aspirations seemed to be fading fast.

After the disappointment of his opening ride, Kramer hit back in heat 7, but he had to work for his win as Herne, yet again, showed lightening reactions off the start to lead from the off.  Kramer soon passed Watson off the first turn and set after Herne, who had established a clear lead.  Gradually though, Kramer closed the gap, but with just the last turn to negotiate, it looked as if Herne had done enough to claim his second win of the night, only for Kramer to give it one last big effort around the outside, doing just enough to pip Herne as the pair crossed the line.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and so it was that with Somerset still eight points in arrears they took the gamble on replacing reserve Brent Werner with Jason Doyle, the latter coming in as a tactical substitute, starting off a 15 metre handicap, but should he beat any opposition rider then his points would count double.

The move also relied upon Doyle’s team mate, Emil Kramer making the start to ‘slow up’ the Birmingham riders, thereby giving Doyle the chance to get on terms.  Kramer did, initially at least, do his bit leading into the first turn, but Piszcz came past the Swede as they took to the back straight, although Doyle had already caught and passed Taylor without too much of a problem.

By the end of the opening lap Kramer had let Doyle through to give chase to Piszcz out front, but try as he might, the Somerset number 1 could not find a way through, Piszcz riding an excellent race to deny Doyle the chance to maximise the ‘black and white’ move.

However it did provide the Rebels with their first heat advantage of the night and certainly lifted the mood in the Somerset camp, the match deficit being cut to six points, this being maintained in heat 9 as Lyons made light of a bad start to move almost effortlessly from 3^rd to first past ahead of Kröger and Frampton for a share of the points.

So far the only luck the Rebels seem to be getting was of the bad variety, but that changed in heat 10 when Birmingham’s Piszcz fell whilst challenging Kramer for the lead, thus allowing Werner through into second place to give Somerset a big 5-1 heat win and bring them right back into the match, with just a two point deficit now to make up.

Not only did they make that up in heat 11, but amazingly they took the lead with another maximum 5-1 heat win, Frampton and Doyle easily overcoming the challenge of Craig Watson around the first turn, Watson then putting himself out of contention, locking up on the fourth bend, and from being eight points down just a few races earlier, Somerset were two points to the good, and those title hopes were back on the agenda.

Earlier in the meeting Lady Luck played her hand, now it was the turn of Mother Nature as after a pleasant enough evening rain suddenly started to fall making the track greasy on top, and although the track conditions were the same for both teams it seemed to affect the Rebels more than the home riders, as the Brummies brought the score back level in heat 12, Lyons winning with ease from the tapes with Kramer second, but crucially Herne picked up the point for third place ahead of Kröger to give the home side their first heat advantage since heat 6.

Somerset were then hit a real body blow in heat 13 when Watson powered around the outside of Doyle and Frampton on the first turn to take the lead, Doyle immediately gave chase but with track conditions now making passing all the more difficult, Doyle never really got close enough to mount a serious challenge, and with two heats to go the scores remained level at 40 all. But with the hitherto unbeaten Lyons almost certain to be out in heat 15 and the Rebels needing a win, their title hopes rested on heat 14, a heat advantage being the order of the day.

It wasn’t to be however, as having done virtually nothing all night, Birmingham’s James Birkinshaw made probably the start of his life to take the lead, and even though Katt slipped past Herne into second place as the riders came off the second bend, he was never really in with a chance of catching Birkinshaw, who took the chequered flag with ease.

Unfortunately for the Somerset camp, Werner could not force a way past Herne to try and limit the damage of Birkinshaw’s victory and the Brummies went back into the lead 44-42 and you could almost hear the celebrations north of the border starting as only a last heat 5-1 to the Rebels would deny the Monarchs the Premier League Championship on the night, taking the title down to the wire with their last match at Glasgow.

As it transpired, that match at Ashfield will now be academic (apart from the highly important local bragging rights!) as Lyons took the heat 15 victory ahead of Doyle, whilst Watson got the better of Kramer for third place, the 4-2 heat score giving the match a final scoreline of 48-44 in favour of the Brummies.

And so despite giving it their best shot, Somerset Rebels were denied their first ever Premier League Championship title, it going the way of the Edinburgh Monarchs to add to their 2003 Championship winning season, but in the cold light of day it has been a campaign that the team can look back on with justifiable pride, especially when one considers that they were written off as far as the league was concerned by the pundits at the start of the year

This result leaves the Rebels assured of second place in the Premier League, their best ever finish, with the Knock Out Cup and Promotion Play Offs still to come before the end of what has been a memorable season for Somerset Speedway.

ISLANDERS versus REBELS
PREMIER LEAGUE

Isle of Wight Islanders – 41
1. Jason Bunyan - 1*, 3, 3, 3, 1 = 11+1

2. Cory Gathercole - 2, flrmnt, ret, 2* = 4+1
3. Krzysztof Stojanowski - 2, 1*, fl = 3+1 (WITHDRAWN)
4. Paul Fry - 3, 2, 2, 2, 0 = 9

5. Glen Phillips - 2, 3, 1, 0 = 6

6. Andrew Bargh - 0, 1, 1*, 0, 2, 1* = 5+2
7. Richard Sweetman - 1, 0, 1, 1* = 3+1


Somerset Rebels - 49
1. Jason Doyle - 3, 3, 3, 2, 3 = 14

2. Simon Walker - Rider Replacement
3. Emil Kramer - 0, R, 0, 2*, ret = 2+1
4. Stephan Katt - 0, 1, 2, 0 = 3

5. Jordan Frampton - 3, 2, 3, 3, 1*, 2* = 14+2

6. Matthias Kröger - 2*, 0, flx, 3 = 5+1
7. Brent Werner - 3, 1, 1*, 2*, 1, 3 = 11+2

SBC Referee: Paul Carrington

Heat Details

Heat 01: Doyle, Gathercole, Bunyan, Katt (3-3) (3-3) 68.8
Heat 02: Werner, Kröger, Sweetman, Bargh (1-5) (4-8) 70.6

Heat 03: Fry, Stojanowski, Katt, Kramer (5-1) (9-9) 69.3
Heat 04: Frampton, Phillips, Werner, Sweetman. (2-4) (11-13) 68.3
Heat 05: Doyle, Fry, Stojanowski, Kröger (3-3) (14-16) 69.5
Heat 06: Bunyan, Frampton, Werner, Gathercole. (3-3) 17-19 68.5
Heat 07: Phillips, Katt, Bargh, Kramer (ret) (4-2) (21-21) 70.0
Heat 08: re run: Frampton, Werner, Sweetman, Gathercole (ret) (1-5) (22-26) 69.0
Heat 09: Second Re run: Frampton, Fry, Bargh (for Stojanowski), Kröger (fell-exl) (3-3) (25-29) 69.9
Heat 10: Bunyan, Gathercole, Werner, Kramer (5-1) (30-30) 69.1
Heat 11: Doyle, Kramer, Phillips, Bargh (1-5) (31-35) 70.5
Heat 12: Kröger, Bargh, Sweetman, Kramer (3-3) (34-38) 71.6
Heat 13: Bunyan, Doyle, Frampton, Phillips (3-3) (37-41) 68.9
Heat 14: Werner, Fry, Bargh, Katt (3-3) (40-44) 70.5
Heat 15: Doyle, Frampton, Bunyan, Fry (1-5) (41-49) 68.8

With the season moving towards its climax, the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels arrived at Smallbrook for the first of their last two Premier League fixture, needing a win to prolong their title chase. The Isle of Wight has never been the most productive venue for the Rebels, so a tough battle was on the cards if they were to take their challenge to Birmingham on Wednesday.

Jason Doyle continued his good form by taking Heat 1 with an outside run on the opening bend, to account for Islanders top man, Jason Bunyan. Stephan Katt took the rider replacement ride, but could not add to the Rebels opening tally as he had to give best to Corey Gathercole.

Brent Werner produced a vintage ride in Heat two, leading every yard of the way, as he led home his race partner, Matthias Kröger who easily held the late run of Richard Sweetman to take a maximum 5-1 advantage. The Islanders struck back immediately with a 5-1 of their own in Heat 3, when former Rebel Paul Fry produced the kind of ride that made him such a popular figure in his time at the Oak Tree Arena. Krysztof Stojanowski came from last to second, accounting for Emil Kramer and Stephan Katt, on the opening lap to secure all the points.

Jordan Frampton has been in sparkling form this season, especially over the last few weeks. In Heat 4, he illustrated once more just how much progress he has made this season, with a gritty ride out on the wide line to power passed Glen Phillips and take up the running from the second bend. Brent Werner challenged hard in the opening turns, but just failed to grab second away from Phillips. Richard Sweetman again chased down at the end, but once more a Rebels reserve proved to have too much in hand for him.

As well as Paul Fry is riding at the moment; he had no answer to the power of Jason Doyle in Heat 5. Jumping too early at the original start saw Fry pulled back to try again. In the second start he raced neck and neck with Doyle, until the speedy Australian took up the running on the back straight, to pull out a lead he wasn’t to lose. Matthias Kröger came hard under Krysztof Stojanowski on the second turn, only for the Pole to slam the door shut at the vital time, leaving the German to chase him home without a point.

Jason Bunyan took Heat 6 with a good start to just get the better of Jordan Frampton in a tightly contested second bend. Frampton came back at him on the next lap, challenging up the inside of Bend 2, but Bunyan held off the charging Rebel to run out the winner. Meanwhile Brent Werner had just got the better of Corey Gathercole in the opening turns, when the young Victorian fell. He remounted, and chased the rest, but his race was over.

Glen Phillips took a fortuitous win in Heat 7, taking advantage of an Emil Kramer engine failure to grab the points. Kramer had bolted out of the gate, and held a healthy, and apparently winning lead, when his engine gave up the ghost at the end of the first lap. The problem was later traced to a broken rocker arm. Stephan Katt took second, ahead of Andrew Bargh.

Jordan Frampton took the Heat 8 rider replacement ride, and made full use of it to lead home his team mate, Brent Werner, for a maximum advantage. The race had to be started twice when Corey Gathercole fell after being hit by Frampton’s bike in the second turn. Frampton and Werner had made a good start, with Gathercole challenging around the outside, when Frampton’s bike picked up grip, firing into Gathercole, and bringing the pair down. The referee put all four back in the restart, and the Rebels made no mistakes, taking an all the way victory for the 5-1, after Gathercole got out of shape at the end of the opening lap, and then retired.

Frampton was back out quickly, and keeping busy obviously agrees with him, as he added Heat 9 to his growing tally of wins, but not before having to try three time before finally getting the race off to a clean start. In the first running Frampton was away quickly, when Krysztof Stojanowski appeared to fall, when on his own, at the back of the field, but for whatever reason the referee put all four back. However Stojanowski was unable to take part, as he had sustained an injury that saw him withdraw from the meeting. It was a big blow for the Islanders, as the Pole is a source of plenty of points around Smallbrook.

In the second start he was again quickly into his stride, when his team mate, Matthias Kröger fell when trying to forge his way through on the second turn, and then got stuck under the bike, causing the red lights to be shown for a second time. In the final re-start he battled with Paul Fry in a tight opening turn, holding the veteran racer out wide, before taking up the running for the third time.

The Islanders tied up the meeting at 30-30 in Heat 10, with a stunning 5-1. Jason Bunyan rode a hard opening turn in a battle for lead with Brent Werner, before he pulled out a good lead to win. Corey Gathercole just got the better of his own battle with Emil Kramer, powering around the wide line, before going on to pass Werner down the back straight. The Islanders pulled away to complete the maximum advantage.

The reply from the Rebels was an emphatic one, as they slammed in a 5-1 of their own to take Heat 11. Emil Kramer, now on his second machine, broke level with Glen Phillips, with Jason Doyle close behind. Kramer stormed around the outside of the second bend to take a lead over Phillips, before Doyle joined him at the front, passing Phillips on the home straight at the end of the opening lap. The pair raced away, with Doyle covering Kramer’s back for most of the race. Kramer’s second machine was clearly not as suited to the track as his first, and he was not as fast as he might have been. That was illustrated on the final bend, as he slowed letting Doyle through, and almost got caught on the line by Phillips.

Kramer was back out again in Heat 12, but he didn’t enjoy the same success, retiring at the end of the second lap, after challenging for the early lead. He was held out by Richard Sweetman, and then couldn’t coax any speed out of his machine, eventually falling behind and pulling up. At the Front Matthias Kröger made a good start, and powered to the front to take up the running before the back straight, and then pulled out a good lead to share the points.

Jason Doyle fought an early battle for supremacy of Heat 13, with a charging Jason Bunyan. Doyle led off the first turn, but was immediately challenged by Bunyan at the next. Behind them Jordan Frampton overcame his worst start of the evening, and harried Glen Phillips on the back straight, but was held off by the Kent born ace. He was all over Phillips for the next lap and a half, and eventually put a pass on him at the end of the second lap. At the front Bunyan was trying all he knew to pass Doyle. On the second and third laps he threw in challenges up the inside of the final bend, and then on the final lap, Doyle blocked the inside run, only to see Bunyan sail passed on the outside, as he completely outfoxed the Rebels top man, and share the points.

The Rebels just needed a heat advantage in Heat 14, to tie up the meeting before the final race, but they had to make do with a shared heat, and leaving the door open for the home side to rescue a point in the final heat. Paul Fry and Andrew Bargh put the visiting fans on edge, by trapping clear at the start, with the Rebels pair slowly away. They needn’t have worried though, as Brent Werner came flying around the outside to take the lead running onto the back straight. Stephan Katt struggled to recover from his bad start, and could not make inroads into Andrew Bargh’s third place. At the business end Werner rode a superb race to hold off Paul Fry, who was all over his back wheel for all four laps. Where ever Fry asked the question, Werner had the answer, and cleverly held every one of Fry’s efforts to pass. It was a classic battle of two experience riders that had the crowd enthralled for all four laps.

Fry was back out again in the nominated Heat 15, to join team mate, Jason Bunyan in an attempt to steal away a point from the tie. On the opposite gates Jason Doyle, and Jordan Frampton were out to thwart that plan. As the tapes rose it was Doyle and Bunyan, who once more shared the fight in the early stages, with Doyle easing to lead on the first turn. Frampton was another making a good start, and he shot through the Islanders on the second bend to join Doyle at the front as he ran down the back straight. Once in front the pair powered away to seal the meeting with a 5-1, giving the Rebels a 41-49 victory that secured the 3-points they needed to take there title challenge to the wire.

No one gave the Rebels much chance of taking the points from this meeting, but once more they showed what they can do when to chips are down. Despite some setbacks the whole team contribute points at vital stages of the match. At the top of the standings, Jason Doyle, and Jordan Frampton provided 14-points each, with Frampton adding two bonus points to that, but the match winning performance had to be that of Brent Werner in the reserve berth. He set the ball rolling with his opening win in Heat 2, and then added a second win at an important time, to all but seal the match for the Rebels. In his other four rides he was never out of the points, and ended the night with a vital 11+2 tally. Not for the first time he had come good on the road, giving the Rebels the vital edge when they needed it.

Staged at Sheffield

1st, Tai Woffinden
2nd, Jason Doyle
3rd, Adrian Rymel
4th, Kauko Nieminen

Jason Bunyan 3, 3, 2, 2, 2 = 12
Henning Loof R = 0
Tai Woffinden 2, 1, 3, 3, 3 = 12
Jason Doyle 1, 3, 2, 2, 3 = 11
Andre Compton 3, 1, X, 1, R = 5
Adrian Rymel 2, 2, 3, 3, 2 = 12
William Lawson 0, 0, 0, R, 3 = 3
Jason King 1, 1, 1, 2, 1 = 6
Ulrich Ostergaard 2, 0, 2, 1, 2 = 7
Kauko Nieminen 3, 3, 3, 2, X = 11
Jason Lyons T 2, 0, 1, 2 = 5
Shane Parker 1, 2, 3, 3, 1 = 10
Kevin Doolan 0, 2, 1, 3, 0 = 6
Magnus Karlsson 2, 1, 0, 1, 1 = 5
Ben Barker 3, 3, 2, 0, 3 = 11
Gary Havelock 1, R, 1, 0, 1 = 3
Scott Richardson (Res) 0, 1, 0 = 1
Ben Taylor (Res) 0, 0 = 0

SBC Referee: Mick Posselwhite

Heat Details
Heat 01: Bunyan, Woffinden, Doyle, Loof (ret), 59.4
Heat 02: Compton, Rymel, King, Lawson, 60.4
Heat 03: (Re-Run) Nieminen, Ostergaard, Parker, Richardson, Lyons (ex, tapes), 60.5
Heat 04: Barker, Karlsson, Havelock, Doolan, 60.5
Heat 05: Bunyan, Doolan, Compton, Ostergaard, 60.7
Heat 06: Nieminen, Rymel, Karlsson, Taylor, 61.0
Heat 07: Barker, Lyons, Woffinden, Lawson, 61.1
Heat 08: Doyle, Parker, King, Havelock (ret), 61.9
Heat 09: Rymel, Bunyan, Havelock, Lyons, 61.9
Heat 10: (Re-Run) Parker, Barker, Richardson, Compton (f, ex), 62.6
Heat 11: Woffinden, Ostergaard, King, Karlsson, 62.6
Heat 12: Nieminen, Doyle, Doolan, Lawson, 63.1
Heat 13: Parker, Bunyan, Karlsson, Lawson (ret), 62.0
Heat 14: Doolan, King, Lyons, Taylor, 63.0
Heat 15: Woffinden, Nieminen, Compton, Havelock, 62.1
Heat 16: Rymel, Doyle, Ostergaard, Barker, 63.1
Heat 17: (Re-Run) Barker, Bunyan, King, Nieminen (f, ex), 62.0
Heat 18: Lawson, Ostergaard, Havelock, Richardson, 63.1
Heat 19: Woffinden, Rymel, Parker, Doolan, 63.4
Heat 20: Doyle, Lyons, Karlsson, Compton (ret), 63.9

Semi-final: Nieminen, Doyle, Barker, Bunyan, 61.6

Grand Final: Woffinden, Doyle, Rymel, Nieminen (ret), 62.0

Somerset’s Jason Doyle left the Owlerton Stadium, Sheffield, as runner up in the prestigious Premier League Riders’ Championship, this coming just ten days after his previous visit to Sheffield saw him leaving the stadium in an ambulance after a horrific fall, which resulted in shoulder and rib injuries!

The event, which sees the top rider of each of the 16 Premier League clubs compete for the title, was a roller-coaster affair that saw many of the pre-meeting favourites fall by the wayside, Doyle himself having to ‘do it the hard way’ to first make it through to the sudden death semi-final before qualifying for the final itself.

The Somerset number 1 was out in the very first heat, lining up against British Speedway’s ‘wonder-kid’ Tai Woffinden as well as Jason Bunyan from the Isle of Wight and ex-Rebel Henning Loof who came into the meeting as a late replacement for Mildenhall.

Unfortunately for Doyle, he was drawn in the outside gate in this opening ride, which was to prove to be a virtual ‘graveyard’ for riders throughout the meeting, and by the time the riders had entered the back straight he found himself in third place, and despite his best efforts was unable to make up any ground on Bunyan and Woffinden ahead of him. Bunyan somewhat surprisingly taking the win in a time that was only 0.1 seconds off the Sheffield track record.

The opening four heats provided very little entertainment for the large crowd, as the inside gate provided the first home in each of those races, although that was to soon change as the dirt line moved further out giving different racing lines for the riders.

Doyle had a long wait before he came to the tapes again, heat 8 being his next excursion to the track, but the 22 year old made light of the wait as he sped away from the inside gate to take his first win of the night, although Glasgow’s Shane Parker made sure that Doyle was not going to have an easy ride for his three points, as his Australian compatriot put him under tremendous pressure throughout the race.

Out in the last heat before the interval, Doyle kept himself in contention for an all important top 6 spot by taking second place behind Kauko Nieminen, with the Workington rider cutting between Doyle and Kevin Doolan on the third bend to take the lead. The Finn held on to make it three wins on the trot, and head the score chart, after each rider had had three out of their five rides.

Nieminen had a single point advantage over Jason Bunyan and Stoke’s Ben Barker who had 8 points each, Doyle sitting on 6 points at this stage, the same as Woffinden, with two of the pre-meeting favourites Ulrich Ostergaard and Kevin Doolan languishing on 4 and 3 points respectively, and seemingly out of contention. Home star Andre Compton also enduring a nightmare meeting, had a bad looking fall and subsequent exclusion in his third ride doing his cause no good at all as he, like Ostergaard, had posted only 4 points from his three starts.

The second half of the meeting saw a turn-around in fortunes of those early pace setters as they started to drop points to give those below them hope of making it through to the latter stage of the Championship. Doyle looked as if he was heading for his second win in heat 16 as he lead Berwick’s Adrian Rymel for virtually the whole race, until a slight mistake on the final bend gave the Czech the opportunity to nip up the inside of the Somerset rider and just pip Doyle for the win. 

It was now getting closer, with each passing race, at the top of the standings. With only the top 6 to progress through to the semi-final and final stages, would that dropped point prove to be Doyle’s undoing?  Only time would tell, as he was not due out again until heat 20, the final race of the main part of the meeting.

Coming to the tapes for his fifth and final qualifying ride Doyle knew exactly what he had to do if he wanted to claim the last place in the semi-finals, and that was to win the heat.  The only problem being that he was, once again, starting from that outside gate that had failed to provide a race winner in the preceding 19 heats!

Making light of any perceived disadvantage, Doyle made a lightening start and with Compton failing to get away from his inside gate due to bike problems, Doyle just powered around the outside of his two remaining opponents to take the win, and with it a place in the four rider semi-final.

From the 20 qualifying heats, Tai Woffinden and Adrian Rymel with 12 points each were seeded directly through to the final, which left Doyle to battle it out with Kauko Nieminen, Jason Bunyan and Ben Barker for the two remaining places in that Grand Final.

Being the last qualifier for the semi-finals, Doyle was left with the outside gate, but yet again it proved to be no disadvantage to the Somerset star, as he made another excellent start that saw him get across both Barker and Bunyan into the first bend into second place.

After putting Nieminen under pressure in the opening couple of laps, Doyle settled in to second position riding a steady race thereafter to make sure of his place in the final, alongside Woffinden, Rymel and semi-final winner Nieminen.

Again, Doyle had no choice of gate, but was left with gate 3, Rymel somewhat surprisingly choosing the outside gate, perhaps swayed by Doyle’s two excellent rides from that position in his previous two rides.

With Woffinden in the favoured inside gate and Nieminen in gate 2, Doyle knew that he had to make another good start if he was to be in with any chance of the title, and that he did beating both Nieminen and Bunyan to the first turn, and exited the bend only marginally behind Woffinden.

What followed was four laps of pulsating racing as Doyle put Woffinden under tremendous pressure, drawing alongside the Rye House teenager as the riders hit the back straight on the second lap, but was just unable to get his wheels in front, as Woffinden held on to take the chequered flag with Doyle in second place, no more than a bike length behind. Rymel claimed the final podium place after Nieminen suffered an engine failure on the second lap, retiring from the race.

And so it was that Woffinden was crowned the 2008 Premier League Riders’ Champion, but Somerset’s Jason Doyle can be justifiably proud of his efforts in finishing runner up with a gutsy performance that belied the undoubted pain barrier he rode through in his quest for the title.

Report courtesy: Ian Belcher

Sheffield Tigers

 v

Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels

Sheffield Tigers - 50

1. Ricky Ashworth - R/R

2. Joel Parsons - 1’, 2, 2, 2’, 1’ = 8+3

3. Andre Compton – 1, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 16

4. Paul Cooper – 3, 0, fl, 1, 0 = 4
5. Ben Wilson – 2, 2’, 1, 1’, 2 = 8+2

6. Kyle Hughes – 1, 0, 1, 3, = 5

7. Lee Smethills – 3, 3, 1’, 2, 0 = 9+1

Somerset Rebels - 40 

1. Jason Doyle – 3, 2, 3, exl^ = 8 (Withdrawn)

2. Simon Walker – R/R

3. Emil Kramer – 2, 3, 0, 0, 2, 1’ = 8+1

4. Stephan Katt – 0, 0, 2’, 1, 1’ = 4+2

5. Jordan Frampton – 1, 3, 2, 0, 3, 2 = 11

6. Brent Werner – 0, 1,  = 1 (withdrawn)

7. Matthias Kröger – 2, 0, 1’, 3, 0, 2 = 8+1

SBC Referee: Craig Ackroyd

Heat Details

Heat 1: Doyle, Wilson, Parsons, Katt 60.8 (3-3) (3-3)

Heat 2: Smethills, Kröger, Hughes, Werner 63.0 (4-2) (7-5)

Heat 3: Cooper, Kramer, Compton, Katt 62.6 (4-2) (11-7)

Heat 4: Smethills, Wilson, Frampton, Kröger 62.9 (5-1) (16-8)

Heat 5: Compton, Doyle, Kröger, Cooper 61.6 (3-3) (19-11)

Heat 6: Frampton, Parsons, Werner, Cooper (fell) 63.1 (2-4) (21-15)

Heat 7: Kramer, Katt, Wilson, Hughes (ret) 64.0 (5-1) (22-20)

Heat 8: Kröger, Parsons, Smethills, Kramer 63.6 (3-3) (25-23)

Heat 9: Compton, Frampton, Cooper, Kröger 63.0 (4-2) (29-25)

Heat 10: Compton, Parsons, Katt, Kramer 63.5 (5-1) (34-26)

Heat 11: Doyle, Smethills, Wilson, Frampton 62.3 (3-3) (37-29)

Heat 12: Compton, Kramer, Hughes, Werner (dns) 62.6 (4-2) (41-31)

Heat 13: Frampton, Wilson, Parsons, Doyle^ (flexc) 63.1 (3-3) (44-34)

Heat 14: Hughes, Kröger, Katt, Cooper 63.9 (3-3) (47-37)

Heat 15: Compton, Frampton, Kramer, Smethills 63.0 (3-3) (50-40)

The Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels arrived at Sheffield’s Owlerton stadium buoyed by their win earlier in the week at Reading, looking to take another ‘on the road’ victory and put pressure on Edinburgh, their main title rivals, who were also in action, away at Redcar.

Sheffield have suffered in recent weeks from sharing the stadium with the stock cars, and with the adverse weather conditions of the past weeks, playing havoc with track preparation, so much so that the Tigers had to postpone their match against Scunthorpe last week due to the damage caused to the track by the stock cars.

Last night’s track proved to be little different, the track surface being far from ideal and right from the off it started to rut up badly, especially on the second turn, and as the riders came to the tapes for the opening heat, no one knew how much this would have a bearing on proceedings later on in the meeting.

Both teams had injury absentees, Ricky Ashworth for the Tigers, whilst Somerset were still without long term injury victim, Simon Walker, rider replacement being operated by both teams to cover.

Heat 1 went the way of Somerset’s Jason Doyle, who made light of gate four to lead going into the first bend, but with the Sheffield duo of Ben Wilson and Joel Parsons packing in for the minor places ahead of Stephan Katt, the points were shared, Doyle winning in a time almost a second quicker than the next best time of the night.

The potential problems with the second bend reared their head as early as the second heat when Somerset’s Werner ran into a rut that had already start to appear, allowing Kyle Hughes through into third place, whilst Smethills comfortably won the heat ahead of Kröger to give the Tigers a two point lead.

Even the home riders were not immune to the tricky track conditions as proved in heat 3 as home favourite Andre Compton fought to control his bike as the riders took to the second bend, the Sheffield skipper hitting the rut that had caught out Werner the race before.

This error gave Emil Kramer the opportunity needed to come through into second place, but try as he might, he could make no impression on Cooper who had stolen a march out front.  Worryingly for Somerset, Stephan Katt was tailed off for a second time at the back.

On an unusually slick Sheffield track, gating was going to be all important, and the home side certainly held the aces in this respect in the early heats, as clearly demonstrated in heat 4 as Smethills and Wilson flew from the tapes into an early lead.  Although not making the best of starts, Somerset’s Jordan Frampton was soon on the tails of the Tigers duo, but sensing an opportunity to pass as the riders hit the third bend, the Somerset number 5 carried far too much speed going into the bend. Somehow Frampton managed to control the bike sufficiently to avoid hitting the safety fence full on, instead giving it merely a glancing blow, but the damage, as far as the heat itself was concerned, had been done as Sheffield hit home with a maximum 5-1 to stretch their lead out to 8 points.

Heat 5 saw brought together the two ‘big guns’ from the respective teams in the shape of Compton for Sheffield and Jason Doyle for the Rebels, a match up eagerly anticipated by the fans.  The pair made a level break from the tapes and hit the back straight side by side, but Compton held the better line for the third bend and made this tell to gain the all important advantage over Doyle. 

Behind them things were no less frantic as Kröger made up for a bad start by seemingly coming from nowhere to dive under Cooper into the third bend to move into third place.  Although Doyle initially gave chase to Compton up front, it was a forlorn task and so it was that Compton took the race win, the fourth by a Sheffield rider in the opening 5 heats, but with Doyle and Kröger picking up the minor places for a shared heat, Sheffield’s lead remained at eight points.

Heats 6 and 7 brought the Rebels right back into the match as they reduced the Tigers lead down to a mere two points, Frampton winning the first of these after a tenacious inside pass on Cooper on the third bend of the opening lap, Cooper then falling a lap later on the same bend to gift Werner third place for the Rebels.

Compared to his performance for the Rebels at Reading on Monday, Werner was looking very lacklustre on track, the reason for this becoming very evident when the riders returned to the pits as Somerset’s American reserve began to be sick and as a result had to withdraw from the meeting.

Despite this obvious setback, Somerset came right back into the match in heat 7 as Kramer and Katt scored a maximum 5-1 heat win, Kramer riding Wilson wide round the first turn to allow his partner to come through into second place, Wilson never really getting a chance there after to mount a challenge on the Rebel duo.

Following his big win in the previous heat the Somerset management put Kramer out again in heat 8 as rider replacement for Walker, but although the race provided the Rebels with their third heat winner in a row, it was not Kramer that did the damage, but his race partner Kröger who sped out of the tapes and then rode an exceptional race to hold off the dual Tigers challenge of Parsons and Smethills.  Unfortunately for the Somerset fans, Kramer got the ‘rough end’ of a very tight first bend and was never in contention as the race unfolded.

Still holding a slender two point lead, the home side hit back in heats 9 and 10, to once again, open up an eight point lead over the Rebels.  Compton and Cooper making the all important gate in heat 9 and it looked all over that the Tigers would secure their second maximum heat victory of the night.  They reckoned without Somerset’s Jordan Frampton who by now really had the bit between his teeth and he hunted down Cooper, passing him as the pair came off the third bend with just over a lap to go to move into second place. 

Despite Frampton’s efforts, however, it still gave a heat advantage to the Tigers to take them into a four point lead, a lead which was quickly doubled come the end of heat 10, Sheffield hitting in with a 5-1 heat win, Compton and Parsons passing Katt on the opening lap, to take a comfortable win and the home side into a 34-26 lead on the night.

Doyle won heat 11 without too much trouble, but any hopes the Rebels had of coming back into the match evaporated when Frampton went too wide into the third turn scrubbing off any speed he had built up, and although he gamely gave chase, the Sheffield pair took the minor places behind Doyle with relative comfort for a share of the race spoils.

With Werner unable to take to the track due to his sickness, Somerset were forced to take to heat 12 with just Emil Kramer as their sole representative, the Rebels being unable to replace Werner with Kröger, their other reserve rider, as Werner had to take three programmed rides, his withdrawal from the meeting being due to an ‘non-speedway’ condition.

The race itself saw Compton take victory, his fourth of the night, Kramer taking second place ahead of Hughes, the 4-2 heat win for the home side extending their lead to 10 points, with the evitable result that Somerset immediately nominated Jason Doyle for a double point tactical ride in heat 13.

The move seemed to have worked a treat as Doyle sped away from the tapes, behind him Frampton scythed through the Sheffield pair of Parsons and Wilson into second place, but then it all went horribly wrong for the Rebels as Doyle hit the second bend rut that had caught out a number of riders during the night, causing the bike to spin violently round on him, spinning the Somerset number 1 out and into the safety fence with alarming force.

The paramedics immediately rush to his aid and after lengthy on track attention Doyle was eventually transferred to an ambulance to be taken to the track medical centre.  Initial prognosis was of a possible dislocated shoulder, but thankfully after being taken to a local hospital tests and scans showed damage to the soft tissue around the shoulder, but no dislocation, although the injury being sufficient to almost certainly keep Doyle from riding for the Rebels in their away match at Rye House on Saturday.

With Doyle’s fall and subsequent exclusion from the race, so effectively ended Somerset’s hopes of a comeback and possible victory, such had been the delay whilst he received treatment that the 10pm curfew Sheffield have to adhere to was looming fast.

The re-run of heat 13 and the final two races were run through in double quick time to ensure all 15 heats were completed ahead of the curfew, Frampton gaining some consolation for the visitors in heat 13, speeding from third to first in a single swoop around the outside of the Sheffield pair to keep Somerset’s deficit to 10 points, but with the clock ticking away towards 10pm, there was insufficient time for Frampton to get back out again in heat 14 as a tactical substitute for possible double points.  Basically if the referee had allowed the extra time required, there would have no time left for heat 15, so whatever the scenario, Sheffield were guaranteed the meeting victory.

The final two heats, were, therefore, somewhat of an anti-climax, Hughes making the best of a good gate to win heat 14 ahead of Kröger and Katt for Somerset, whilst Compton took the chequered flag in the final heat, toughing out an amazing first lap that saw him together with Frampton and Kramer head down the back straight 3 a-breast, just gaining the vital advantage into the third turn to give him a 16 point haul for the night.

In the cold light of day, although Somerset might view this as one that got away, their main concern would be with the condition of their number 1, Jason Doyle after his horrific looking incident, especially at such an important time of the season, the Rebels still vying for that Premier League Championship and the Knock Out Cup Final looming on the horizon.

The only consolation that Somerset can take from the night is that Redcar did them a massive favour by defeating Edinburgh to maintain the status quo at the top of the Premier League table.

Berwick ‘Anderson Quality Butchers’ Bandits

versus

Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels

Premier League

4. Paul Clews - 1, 2*, 1*, 0, 2* = 6+3

5. Tero Aarnio - 3, 3, 2, 2, 1* = 11+1
6. Guglielmo Franchetti - 2*, 0, 2*, 1*, 3 = 8+3
7. Scott Smith - 3, 1, 1, 1* = 6+1

8. Jordan McPhail - DNR

2. Simon Walker – Rider Replacement
3. Emil Kramer (C) - 1, 1, 1, .3, 0 = 6

4. Matthias Kröger - R, R, 3, 0, 1 = 4
5. Jordan Frampton - 2, 0, 2, 2, 0 = 6

6. Brent Werner - 1, 0, 1, 1*, 0 = 3+1
7. Adam McKinna - 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 = 0

8. Keiran Morris – DNR

SCB Referee: Graham Flint

Heat Details
Heat 01: Rymel, Doyle, Clews, Kröger (ret) (67.3) (4-2) (4-2)
Heat 02: Scott, Franchetti, Werner, McKinna (69.8) (5-1) (9-3)
Heat 03: Makovsky, Clews, Kramer, Kröger Ret (68.0) (5-1) (14-4)
Heat 04: Aarnio, Frampton, Smith McKinna (67.6) (4-2) (18-6)
Heat 05: Doyle, Makovsky, Clews, Werner (67.3) (4-2) (21-9)
Heat 06: Aarnio, Rymel, Werner, Frampton (67.5) (5-1) (26-10)
Heat 07: Kröger, Aarnio, Kramer, Franchetti (68.2) (2-4) (28-14)
Heat 08: Makovsky, Frampton, Smith, McKinna (67.4) (4-2) (32-16)
Heat 09: Makovsky, Frampton, Werner, Clews (67.7) (3-3) (35-19)
Heat 10: Rymel, Franchetti, Kramer, Kröger (68.5) (5-1) (40-20)

Heat 11: Doyle (TR), Aarnio, Franchetti, McKinna (67.6) (3-6) (43-26)

Heat 12: Kramer, Makovsky, Smith, Werner (69.0) (3-3) (46-29)
Heat 13: Doyle, Rymel, Aarnio, Frampton (67.2) (3-3) (49-32)
Heat 14: Franchetti, Clews, Kröger, McKinna (69.6) (5-1) (54-33)
Heat 15: Rymel, Doyle, Makovsky, Kramer (66.1) (4-2) (58-35)

After a very disappointing night at Armadale the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels moved on to Shielfield Park in their quest for an away win to bolster their chances of the Premier League title. In the clash with the Berwick ‘Anderson Quality Butchers’ bandits, the Rebels were still without their injured skipper, Simon Walker, they were also without the services of Stephan Katt, who was away on European Longtrack duty, for which they were only allowed the use of a Conference League guest, in this case former Bandit Adam McKinna.

Adrian Rymel has been in fine form of late, and he continued that in Heat 1 with a good win after leading off the first bend, following a tight run to the bend with Jason Doyle. Matthias Kröger was third going into the second turn, but retired shortly afterwards when his machine gave up the ghost.

Heat 2 was started twice with the referee singling out Brent Werner for a warning for moving, although it appeared that the biggest culprit was Scott Smith, making a big jump, setting off Adam McKinna in the process. In the re-start the Bandits pair bolted away, with Guglielmo Franchetti following Smith home after leading early on.

The Bandits piled in a second 5-1 in Heat 3. The referee held them for an inordinately long time on the green light before releasing the tapes. When they rose it was Michal Makovsky who made the best start in front of Emil Kramer. Kramer was challenged down the back straight by Paul Clews, but held him off. Clews came again on the last lap, and swept passed Kramer off the final curve.

Tero Aarnio had suffered a painful groin injury last week at Edinburgh, but it didn’t stop him from taking Heat 4 after the fast starting Jordan Frampton had locked up, in a leading position, coming back into the home straight on the first lap. Frampton was soon back in the chase, but a second lock up on the second bend of Lap 3 put paid to his chances of catching Aarnio. Scott Smith took third after he and Aarnio had passed McKinna on the first lap, after the former Bandit had trapped in second place.

Jason Doyle made no mistake in his second ride, as he took Heat 5 with an ‘all the way’ win from Michal Makovsky. Paul Clews got the better of Brent Werner, after the Californian had led him to Bend 2. Tero Aarnio added a second win to his tally, when he led home his team mate in Heat 6. Aarnio and Adrian Rymel led from the first bend, winning from an already busy Brent Werner, and a tentative looking Jordan Frampton.

Heat 7 saw the Rebels take their first advantage of the night when Matthias Kröger flashed from to lead from Emil Kramer. The Bandits pair of Aarnio and Franchetti accounted for Kramer going down the back straight to the third turn, but Franchetti over-cooked the second bend on the next lap, handing the third spot back to the challenging Kramer. Kröger rode a superb race to hold off the charging Aarnio.

Berwick immediately wiped out that advantage, with a 4-2 in Heat 8. Makovsky took the rider replacement ride, and made it pay with his second win, leading all the way. Jordan Frampton rode a more confident race to take second place ahead of Scott Smith and Adam McKinna, passing the pair with a big blast around the outside of the opening bends, after missing the break.

Makovsky took the following race as well with a flying start in Heat 9. Jordan Frampton again opposed, and for the second race in succession had to play second fiddle to Makovsky. Frampton again missed the break, and had to come from behind Paul Clews to grab second on the opening turn. At the next bend it was Brent Werner’s turn to depose Clews from third spot, with a sweeping run out wide. Clews never gave up the chase, but Werner always had too much in hand for him.

A quick start saw the Berwick pair of Rymel and Franchetti fend off the close attentions of Emil Kramer at the second bend. Once in front the pulled away to take the full compliment of points in Heat 10. With the Bandits leading by 20-points, the Somerset management team sent out Jason Doyle in the ‘Black and White’. In a tight first bend, which was contested by all four riders, Guglielmo Franchetti hit the dirt, and Graham Flint put all four back to the tapes. In the re-run, after another tight bend, Jason Doyle pulled clear of Tero Aarnio to take an easy win. Behind them Franchetti had his hands full holding off the attentions of Adam McKinna, who came with a storming run on the final lap, only to run wide on the final bend with the Italian in his sights.

Two shared heats followed, with Emil Kramer leading off the first bend of Heat 12, after coming from third place with a wide outside run. Michal Makovsky provided the challenge, but was lucky to get passed the second bend after Scott Smith came hard under his own man. Makovsky chased hard all the way, but could not make any headway on Kramer.

Heat 13 also went to a Rebels rider, with Jason Doyle getting the better of the quick starting Tero Aarnio on the opening turns. Jordan Frampton challenged Adrian Rymel inside the second turn, but could not gain the advantage, and chased Rymel all the way without reward. Doyle’s win could not prevent the Bandits from securing the points that gave them the match with two heats still to run.

The Bandits rammed home their superiority in Heat 14 with another 5-1, but not before Matthias Kröger had made a good start to challenge Franchetti in the early stages. Paul Clews came with a great run down the back straight, and took second place with a tight move up Kröger’s inside.

The home side finished the evening with a 4-2 advantage in the nominated heat. Adrian Rymel, and Jason Doyle occupied the two outside gates, and both went to the bend together. With Doyle on his outside, Rymel made his opponent got the long way round, as he held Doyle out over the opening turns, before easing into the lead off the second bend. Once in front he quickly pulled out a gap, as he blazed round to record the fastest time of the night. Michal Makovsky took third place in front of Emil Kramer.

On the night the Berwick Bandits out-pointed the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels by 58-35, leaving the Rebels with a reducing number of matches to find the necessary away wins to take the title. The Rebels are disappointed with their sortie to the Far North, and will look at it as a bad day at the office, after all you don’t become a bad team over night, and the Rebels have done enough to prove they are, not under any circumstances, a bad team.

Monarchs versus Rebels

EDINBURGH MONARCHS - 66

1.  Mark Lemon (G) - 1*, 3, 3, 2 = 09+1
2.  Derek Sneddon (C) - 2, 2*, 2*, 2* = 08+3
3.  Thomas H Jonasson - 3, 1*, W/Drwn = 04+1
4.  Matthew Wethers - 2*, 2, 2*, 3, 3 = 12+2
5.  Ryan Fisher - 3, 3, 2*, 1*, 2* = 11+3
6.  Andrew Tully - 2*, 1, 3, 3, 3, 2* = 14+2
7.  Aaron Summers - 3, flx, 3, 2* = 08+1

SOMERSET REBELS - 24

1.  Jason Doyle - 3, 3, 1^, flx, flx = 7+0
2.  Simon Walker – Rider Replacement
3.  Emil Kramer (C) - 1, 0, 1^, 1, 1 = 4+0
4.  Matthias Kroger - 0, 0, 2, 0, 1 = 3+0
5.  Jordan Frampton - 2, 1, 0, flx, 3, 0 = 6+0
6.  Brent Werner - 1, 0, 1, 0 = 2+0
7.  Stephan Katt - 0, 1*, 0, 1, 0 = 2+1
8.  Kieran Morris - DNS

SCB Referee: Stuart Wilson

Heat Details

Heat 01: Doyle, Sneddon, Lemon, Kroger (3-3) (3-3) 56.50
Heat 02: Summers, Tully, Werner, Katt (5-1) (8-4) 55.80
Heat 03: Jonasson, Wethers, Kramer, Kroger (5-1) (13-05) 57.30
Heat 04: Fisher, Frampton, Katt, Summers (flx) (3-3) (16-08) Award
Heat 05: Doyley, Wethers, Jonasson, Werner (3-3) (19-11) 56.20
Heat 06: Lemon, Sneddon, Frampton, Katt (5-1) (24-12) 57.30
Heat 07: Fisher, Kroger, Tully, Kramer (4-2) (28-14) 58.20
Heat 08: Summers, Sneddon, Doyle (tac sub – 15mts) Frampton (5-1) (33-15) 56.30
Heat 09: Tully, Wethers, Werner, Frampton (flx) (5-1) (38-16) 56.20
Heat 10: Lemon, Sneddon, Kramer (tactical), Kroger (5-1) (43-17) 57.90
Heat 11: Tully, Fisher, Katt, Doyle (flx) (5-1) (48-18) 57.00
Heat 12: Tully, Summers, Kramer, Werner (5-1) (53-19) 56.70
Heat 13: Frampton, Lemon, Fisher, Doyle,  (flx) (3-3) (56-22) 57.80
Heat 14: Wethers, Tully, Kroger, Katt (5-1) (61-23) 57.70
Heat 15: Wethers, Fisher, Kramer, Frampton (frmnt) (5-1) (66-24) 57.70

After Wednesday’s narrow home win in the race for the Premier League title, The Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels made the journey north for the return leg at the ‘Scotwaste’ Stadium, Armadale to take on the Edinburgh Monarchs on their home patch of shale. Historically the Rebels have always struggled to put points on the board at the home of the Monarchs, so it was difficult to predict, with any degree of confidence, how they would fare in this renewal.

Things started in the right vein for the Rebels when Jason Doyle trapped clear to lead Heat 1 before the opening bend. Matthias Kröger raised hopes that this would be the Rebels night as he quickly passed Mark Lemon, after the Monarchs Derek Sneddon took the Monarchs guest wide on the second turn. Lemon was soon back on the gas chasing Kröger, but he needed all four laps to get back on terms, and then pass the Rebels German ace.

As dominant as the Rebels reserves are at home, the Monarchs pairing of Tully and Summers are equally effective around the confines of Armadale, and they took no time in showing it in Heat 2. Brent Werner led away, but was soon engulfed, as Tully made a well practice cut back up the inside, and Summers took the wide line to record a maximum advantage.

Another 5-1 quickly followed in Heat 3 as Tomas H Jonasson made a rocket start from the outside gate. Emil Kramer was not far behind followed by Matthias Kröger, but neither had an answer to Matthew Wethers cut back up the inside of the second bend.

The rebels steadied the ship in heat 4, despite Ryan Fisher making a run around the fast starting Stephan Katt. Jordan Frampton and Aaron Summers took Katt on the back straight, with Summers challenging Frampton until he over cooked it trying to blast round Frampton on the final two bends of Lap3. He was excluded, and the race awarded.

Another shared heat followed as Jason Doyle led from the first turn, from the Monarchs Jonasson and Wethers who were too quick for Brent Werner on the run to the bend. Doyle pulled clear to win easily, and Werner chased hard, but could make no impression, so Heat 5 was shared 3-points each.

From this point on the Monarchs took complete charge of the tie, starting with another 5-1 in Heat 6. Mark Lemon, and Derek Sneddon bolted from the gates to lead early. Jordan Frampton challenged on the first turn, only to pull a complete locker, handing the race to the home side. Frampton recovered, and gave chase, but could only take third spot from Stephan Katt.

The Rebels hopes of a revival were raised in Heat 7, as Matthias Kröger shot of the line to lead. For four laps Ryan Fisher, and Andrew Tully tried every trick in the book to find away passed the experienced Rebels man. Fisher was covering every line, eventually getting a big run of the final turn, inching closer and closer to Kröger, and just forcing his wheel in front on the line, with Tully third.

Jason Doyle has had great success as a tactical substitute this season, being beaten only once in three attempts, so the Rebels management team had no qualms in sending him out in Heat 8. The Monarchs pairing of Sneddon and Summers trapped quickly denying Jordan Frampton, who lifted at the start, the lead that he wanted to slow up the race. Doyle flew off the line and had reached the back wheel of Frampton’s machine by the second bend. Frampton allowed home through, but Derek Sneddon, as you would expect, was not so accommodating. As Summers stole away at the front, Sneddon frustrated every move that Doyle made in his efforts to get in a position to challenge Summers. Doyle was all over the Monarchs skipper, but in the end could not find an opening that would bring him the space he needed. The Monarchs 5-1 was a severe blow to the Rebels cause.

Heat 9 took three attempts to get under way, and eventually started with one of the original line up missing. In the original start the race came to a halt after Tomas Jonasson and Jordan Frampton had engaged in a good old bout of elbow banging in the first turn, with Jonasson eventually coming out the loser. The referee deemed it an unsatisfactory start, and put them all back. The re-start saw the Monarchs pair streak from the gate, only for Jonasson, on Derek Sneddon’s machine, to throw it away on the second bend by locking up and running wide. Frampton took the invitation, and set of after Wethers. He blasted around the third turn, but appeared to run too wide entering the fourth turn, taking a huge fall, after getting out of shape. Jonasson laid down his machine to avoid him, but that was his last action in the meeting, as he later withdrew feeling unwell. In the restart, Andrew Tully replaced the Swede, and the race whent to the Monarchs in a bloodless 5-1.

Three more 5-1 followed as the Monarchs put a strangle hold on the match. Emil Kramer came to the tapes for Heat 10 wearing the ‘Black and White’, but despite trapping together with the Monarchs pair, he was swallowed up by the Derek Sneddon’s cut back up the inside of the second bend, as Lemon powered around the outside. From there on Sneddon followed home Lemon for a full house.

Jason Doyle bolted from the tapes to lead Heat 11, but on the second turn he caught a huge lift that he did well to recover from. By the time he had regained control Fisher and Tully had nipped through on the inside to lead. Doyle was soon on Tully’s tail, and came with a big blast around the wide outside of the first turn of Lap 2. It appeared to be too much too soon as he lost control taking a big hit into the fence. The medical staff quickly attended him, and after being extricated from under the fence, took a while before he regained his feet to walk back to the pits. The re-run took place without him, and the Monarchs pair easily out-pointed Stephan Katt to take all the points.

Heat 12 saw the Rebels pair make an electric start to lead early. Brent Werner was the first to succumb, as Andrew Tully executed his trade mark cut back on the inside of the second bend, and then repeated the dose, taking Emil Kramer in a similar manner on the third turn. Aaron Summers took Werner on the third bend, setting off after Kramer. He chased him down, and cut up his inside to grab second place on bend 2 of the final lap.

Jason Doyle, Mark Lemon and Ryan Fisher contested a very tight opening turn in Heat 13. Doyle and Fisher went down as Mark Lemon started the domino effect going from the inside. The referee put them all back to try again. In the re-start, Doyle was fast away, and led out wide. As they ran into the second lap, Doyle ran wide again, and came down. Fisher, who was close behind, laid the bike down but couldn’t avoid Doyle. Frampton was also close up, and took avoiding action, but clipped Fishers helmet and came down in what looked like a really nasty crash for all concerned. Doyle was down for some time, before walking to the ambulance. He was taken to hospital with a suspected broken wrist, but after seeing the doctors it was found to be just badly bruised, but it isn’t sure yet if he will ride at Berwick on Saturday night.

In the re-run the remaining riders went into the first two turns three abreast. Frampton flew down the back straight on the outside, with the throttle fully wound on, and went into the third and fourth turns flat out, and fully committed. He exited in front, and ran a perfect race to keep his nose in front using a wide line all the way.

The Monarchs rounded of the night with two more maximum advantages. The first coming when Matthew Wethers and Andrew Tully made full use of the second bend cut back to account for Stephan Katt and Matthias Kröger, who had led from the gate. In the nominated heat it was Wethers and Fisher who took the honours leading all the way from Kramer and Frampton, after Frampton had locked up and retired on the third lap.

For the Monarchs it was a stunning victory from a team that is fully at ease with it’s home track, and well versed in using the cut back down the inside of the second bend. A tactic that may visiting sides have problems in picking up. From the Rebels perspective, nothing has actually been lost. Both teams took their home legs, with the scores being relatively insignificant in the great scheme of things. The really important matches are those that will be run away from their respective home patches, with both teams looking to maximise the returns from those meetings, with the Rebels having more chances to take those important away wins, as they embark on one of their busiest week and half of the whole season.

Premier League KO Cup Semi-Final (2^ndLeg)

Rye House – 50 (88)
1. Stefan Ekberg - 1*, 3, 3, 1*, 2, 1 = 11+2

2. Rob Mear - 2, 1*, 2*, 0, 2 = 7+2

3. Tai Woffinden – R/R
4. Tommy Allen - 2*, 2, 2, 2*, 2*, 0 = 10+3
5. Chris Neath  - 3, 0, 1*, 3, 0 = 7+1

6. Dan Halsey - 3, 1, 1 = 5

7. Luke Bowen - 2*, 1, 1, 3, 3 = 10+1

8. Rob Smith – DNR

Somerset – 43 (96)
1. Jason Doyle - 3, 6^, 2, 3, 3 = 17

2. Simon Walker – R/R
3. Emil Kramer - 1, 2*, 3, 0, 2* = 8+2

4. Matthias Kröger - 0, 0, 0 = 0

5. Jordan Frampton - 0, 1, 3, 3, 1 = 8

6. Stephan Katt - 1, 0, 0, 0, 0 = 1

7. Brent Werner - 0, 2, 3, 2*, 0, 1, 1 = 9+1

8. Kyle Newman - DNR

SCB Referee: Chris Durno

Heat Results

Heat 01: Doyle, Mear, Ekberg, Kröger (3-3) (3-3) 59.1
Heat 02: Halsey, Bowen, Katt, Werner (5-1) (8-4) 62.3
Heat 03: Ekberg, Allen, Kramer, Kröger (5-1) (13-5) 61.1
Heat 04: (Re-run x 2) Neath, Werner, Bowen, Frampton (flx) (4-2) (17-7) 61.7
Heat 05: Doyle (Tactical), Allen, Mear, Katt (3-6) (20-13) 58.5
Heat 06: Ekberg, Mear, Frampton, Katt (5-1) (25-14) 59.5
Heat 07: Werner, Kramer, Halsey, Neath (1-5) (26-19) 60.0
Heat 08: Frampton, Werner, Bowen, Mear (1-5) (27-24) 61.4
Heat 09: Frampton, Allen, Neath, Katt (3-3) (30-27) 59.6
Heat 10: Kramer, Mear, Ekberg, Kröger (3-3) (33-30) 59.9
Heat 11: Neath, Doyle, Halsey, Werner (4-2) (37-32) 60.3
Heat 12: Bowen, Allen, Werner, Kramer (5-1) (42-33) 60.3
Heat 13: Doyle, Ekberg, Frampton, Neath (2-4) (44-37) 59.3
Heat 14: Bowen, Allen, Werner, Katt (5-1) (49-38) 60.5
Heat 15: Doyle, Kramer, Ekberg, Allen (fell) (1-5) (50-43) 60.0

A good crowd had gathered at the Rye House Stadium for the double-header meeting that included the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels KO Cup Semi-Final 2^nd leg, with the majority of those attending the first meeting staying to witness the Rebels meeting. Earlier in the day they had seen the Rye House Rockets despatch the Stoke Potters 55-37, despite the enforced absence of Tai Woffinden who had aggravated an old shoulder injury on Saturday evening at Loomer Road. Len Silver seemed to miss a trick here, which is not like him, when he failed to employ Ryan Fisher as a guest for the absent Woffinden in this tie. Whether it was down to a misunderstanding of the 8-day rule, or for some other reason, who knows, the fact remains he could have employed Ryan Fisher, but didn’t.

The Rebels had arrived to defend a 15-points lead, something that historically they had found difficulty in doing at Hoddesdon. With Simon Walker still on the sideline the Rebels once more operated rider replacement in the number two spot. Heat 1 was won in the fastest time of the day when Jason Doyle trapped to lead on the first bend. He was never headed, pulling well clear as Robert Mear clamped Matthias Kröger on the first turn, ending any challenge Kröger might throw in.

After sharing the first heat the Rockets went in to over drive in the next few heats. Brent Werner, returning to his old stamping ground flew from the tapes in Heat 2, and was just about to take up the running on the second turn, when he locked up on a track that had been liberally watered over the interval. That was the only invitation Daniel Halsey needed, as he dived into the lead. Stefan Katt came shooting through from last place to grab second, only to be passed up the inside of the fourth bend on lap 2. With that the Rockets took a maximum advantage to dent the Rebels lead.

In Heat 3 the visitors fared no better, as Stefan Ekberg, and Tommy Allen lead from the gate to slam in another maximum heat win. In Heat 4 the Rebels looked to have steadied the ship as they got off the flying start, only for the race to be pulled back for movement at the start. Neath and Bowen had jumped, setting of Jordan Frampton, who was lucky not to touch the tapes.

In the restart the Rebels trapped first, with Brent Werner taking up the running from his team mate. Off the third bend the Rockets pair came either side of Frampton, sandwiching him, and trading a few elbows in the process. As Neath pulled clear of the battle, Bowen and Frampton were hard at up the home straight, resulting in the pair tangling, and taking a nasty looking fall on the first turn. The referee made the decision that Frampton was at fault, excluding him, but it was a tight one, and one that looked a little harsh on the Poole based rider, considering the treatment metered out to him leading up to the incident, and Bowen’s apparent reluctance to turn left at the turn.

In the final re-run Werner was again quickly away, but just failed to get over the top of Neath on the opening bend. Bowen tried to challenge, but had a similar amount of success as Werner was having in front of him, in his quest to tag on to the back wheel of Neath’s machine. In three heats the Rockets had reduced the Rebels lead to just 5-points.

Gary May wasted no time in reducing the Rockets match lead, sending out Jason Doyle in the ‘Black and White’ for Heat 5. Doyle made a flying start, but Robert Mear was away with him. Doyle ran wide to the first turn, allowing Tommy Allen to get on terms, but no sooner had he done that, Doyle pulled a sublime cut back to drive hard between the pair to lead off the second bend. In the hurley-burley of the first bend manoeuvres, Stephan Katt was forced out wide, spoiling any chance he had of getting in on the action. Doyle stormed away, pulling well clear to take 6-points.

Things started to look bleak again for the Rebels as the home side came from behind the fast starting Stephan Katt, after Jordan Frampton’s chances went west as he locked up un the opening turns. Stefan Ekberg was the first one to collar Katt, exiting the second bend. Robert Mear accounted for the recovering Frampton on the second bend, and then set about Katt on the fourth turn. Frampton set off in pursuit, but could only pass Katt on the home straight, and despite a spirited chase could never get on terms with the home pair, who’s resulting 5-1 cut the difference to just 4-points.

In previous round the Rebels have proved just how tough they are when teams think they have them beaten, and so it came as no surprise to see them come roaring back with two maximum heat advantages on the trot in Heat 7 & 8. Emil Kramer put his earlier race behind him as he trapped first in Heat 7, and was closely followed by Brent Werner, who deputised for Matthias Kröger. Kramer took a quick look, and allowed Werner to come round the outside to lead off the second turn, and then sat on his tail, on the inside line, to protect him from the Rockets attacks. Kramer’s comfort zone was increased on the second lap, as Daniel Halsey almost took out Chris Neath as he ran very wide into the second bend.

Jordan Frampton took the rider replacement ride in Heat 8, and led all the way from the tape rise to chequered flag. A busy Brent Werner followed him home after another good start saw him ease into second place coming out of the opening turns. Werner sat on the line, as Frampton powered around the boards, to cover all possible challenges. Luke Bowen briefly challenged on the opening turns, and then again on the final lap, but he was easily held by the visiting pair.

Those two heats had given the Rebels a bit of breathing space, and in the process put them back in control of the match. The way they were riding, it looked as though they might even take the meeting, never mind just win on aggregate. They say that’s its never over until the fat lady sings, well that’s true, but she was definitely warming up her tonsils, but there was always the possibility that someone would put sand in her gargle.

The Rebels went a long way to making the meeting safe by taking a share of the points in the next two heats. Jordan Frampton again did what he has been doing all season, and took a win at a vital stage, this time in Heat 9. He shot off the line to lead at the first bend, and was soon challenged by Tommy Allen going down the back straight. He held off the tough riding Rocket, and was soon putting distance between himself, Allen, and Chris Neath in third place, riding so wide that he could have filled in the spectators programmes as he passed the stands.

Rebels stand in skipper, Emil Kramer, added a win to his total in Heat 10, to go with his paid win in the seventh heat. He blasted off the line alongside his fast starting team mate, Matthias Kröger. The pair led at the first turn, but Kröger was clearly having problems getting to grips with his first ever visit to the tricky Hoddesdon circuit. Kröger was pounced on by the Rockets, Ekberg and Mear at the second turn, and had no answer as the swallowed him up easily going onto the back straight. Mear made a solitary challenge to Kramer on the back straight of the second lap, which was easily held, but other than that he could get in a blow.

So with just five heats remaining the Rebels held a 12-point aggregate lead, but that was soon to change. The Rockets reduced it over the next two heats to just 6-points. In Heat 11, Chris Neath took away Jason Doyle’s unbeaten status, as he took advantage of a Doyle lock up coming out of the second turn, after Doyle had made another blistering start. For three laps Doyle chased hard after Neath, but he was also aware of what was going on behind. The Rebels had held a 3-3 position in the heat, until Daniel Halsey forced his way passed a very busy Brent Werner on lap 3. Doyle immediately slowed to help his partner, but could not slow too much in case Halsey took advantage. He did all that he could do, without giving away more points, but the line came too soon and Werner was left just short of regaining the place.

The referee called them back in Heat 12, after movement as the tapes went up, as not for the first time in the afternoon, Luke Bowen employed the Ivan Mauger School of Starting method to get away from the tapes. In the re-run the Rockets pair were just too quickly away for Emil Kramer, and Brent Werner, taking his sixth ride of the day. Taking another 5-1 the Rockets brought themselves back in striking distance of an overall win.

Stefan Ekberg must have thought he had gone a long way to cutting the deficit even further, when he trapped out in front in Heat 13. With Chris Neath also getting a good start alongside Doyle, the Rockets were looking at just a 4-point shortfall going into the final two heats, but they figured without Jason Doyle. In a tight first bend he repeated his trick of riding right through, and between the opposing pair, and by the back straight was in front and pulling away. At the same time, Jordan Frampton was getting in the swing of things at the back. He rode right round Neath off the final bend of the lap, and set off after Ekberg, but could never get to him. That 2-4 advantage had put the Rebels in a position to go through as long as they didn’t concede a 5-1 in each of the last two heats, which would have given the Rockets a tie, and a replay.

Things didn’t go well in Heat 14, as the Rockets switched Halsey for Bowen, and the Rebels replaced Matthias Kröger with Stephan Katt. The field broke level, but it was the Rockets pair who made the best of the first turn to lead. They easily beat Brent Werner into third place as the experience Californian completed his full quota of rides.

The Rebels only had to avoid a Rocket’s maximum in Heat 15 to go through, and all looked well with a level break from the tapes. The field approached the bend four abreast, and something had to give. With Allen moving out from the inside gate, and Kramer funnelling in to the first turn, the outside three bunched up, with Doyle almost pushed to the ground. He held his line for all he was worth, but the inevitable happened, as the outside three came down, careering through the safety fence in a tangle of men and machines. For the Rebels supporters, it was a tense time as Doyle lay on the ground, appearing to have injured himself. The paramedics attended to him, but the fans needn’t have worried, as after a considerable period he rose to his feet, none the worse for wear, and made his way back to the pits under his own steam.

All four were put back in, and in the re-run it was Emil Kramer who took advantage of another level break to lead in an equally tight opening bend. As they ran onto the back straight, Doyle shot up the inside to join the super cool Swede at the front. He eased to the front, and rode home at close quarters with Kramer, securing a Rebels 5-1 to finish to the cheers of the visiting fans. That result secured the Rebels a place in the KO Cup final for the third year running, and ended an enthralling cup tie where the identity of the first finalist was in doubt right up to the final race of the night.

The final score of 52-43 was the smallest winning margin of the season for the Rockets, who couldn’t have been helped by the absence of tai Woffinden, but that’s Speedway, and you can only race what is in front of you, and that is what the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels did to great effect. They once again showed their strength in depth, as two members of the team had a less than successful day, the remaining four dug in, and battled hard to win through, and no doubt the two who struggled will make up for it on a night when someone else is less effective.

The Rebels must wait now for news of their KO Cup Final opponents, as the Edinburgh/Workington Semi-Final is not scheduled to take place until the end of September. Whoever that opponent might be the Rebels are sure to give a good account of themselves, as they will be keen to make it ‘Third Time Lucky’ after two comprehensive defeats at the hands of the Kings Lynn Stars in the previous two runnings of the event. A much more pressing engagement comes in the next week, when the Rebels will take on the major challengers to the league title, when they take on the Edinburgh Monarchs, home and away, in a much anticipated clash.

Next Away Meeting: Friday 29^th August 2008 –v- Edinburgh Monarchs: Premier League: Tapes Up 7.30pm

Glasgow Tigers
v

 Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels

Glasgow Tigers - 51
1. Carl Stonehewer (G) - 0, 3, 3, 2  = 8
2. Lee Dicken - 1, 2*, 1, 1 = 5+1
3. Robert Ksiezak - 2*, 1*, 3, 3, 2 = 11+2
4. Trent Leverington - 3, 2, 1, 2* = 8+1
5. Anders Andersen - 0, 2, 1* = 3+1
6. Mitchell Davey - fl, fl, 0 = 0 (3)
7. Josh Grajczonek - 3, 1, 3, 3, 2*, 3, 1* = 16+2

Somerset Rebels - 39
1. Jason Doyle - 3, 3, 3, 3, 1^, 3 = 16
2. Matthias Kroger - 2*, 0^T, 0, 1, 0 = 3+1
3. Emil Kramer - 1, 1*, 2, flx  = 4+1
4. Simon Walker – R/R
5. Jordan Frampton - 3, 0, 2, 2, ef, 0 = 7
6. Brent Werner - 2, 2*, 1, 2, 0, 1 = 8+1
7. Ben Taylor (G) - 1*, 0, 0 = 1+1

SCB Referee: Tony Steele 

Heat Details

Heat 01: Doyle, Kroger, Dicken, Stonehewer 58.8  (1-5) (1-5)

Heat 02: Grajczonek, Werner, Taylor, Davey (fell) 60.1 (3-3) (4-8)

Heat 03: Leverington, Ksiezak, Kramer, Taylor 59.1 (5-1) (9-9)

Heat 04: Frampton, Werner, Grajczonek, Andersen 60.3 (1-5) (10-14)
Heat 05: Doyle, Leverington, Ksiezak, Kroger (tapes – 15 meters) 59.5 (3-3) (13-17)
Heat 06: Stonehewer, Dicken, Werner, Frampton 60.3 (5-1) (18-18)
Heat 07: Grajczonek, Frampton, Kramer, Davey (fell) 59.6 (3-3) (21-21)
Heat 08: Grajczonek, Werner, Dicken, Kroger 59.6 (4-2) (25-23)
Heat 09: Ksiezak, Frampton, Leverington, Taylor 60.5 (4-2) (29-25)
Heat 10: Stonehewer, Kramer, Dicken, Werner 61.0 (4-2) (33-27)

Heat 11: Doyle, Andersen, Kroger, Davey 61.1 (2-4) (35-31)

Heat 12: Ksiezak, Grajczonek, Werner, Kramer (flx) 60.7 (5-1) (40-32)

Heat 13: Doyle, Stonehewer, Andersen, Frampton (ef) 61.0 (3-3) (43-35)

Heat 14: Grajczonek, Leverington, Doyle, Kroger 60.1 (5-1) (48-36)

Heat 15: Doyle, Ksiezak, Grajczonek, Frampton 60.4 (3-3) (51-39)

Just over 12 months ago the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels left Ashfield with the points in the bank, and following the previous evenings narrow defeat at Derwent Park, they were looking for a repeat performance. Saturday’s top scorer, Stephan Katt was missing from the line up, as he was contesting the FIM European Grasstrack Semi-Final at Melsungen in Germany. Buxton’s Ben Taylor got the call up to cover Katt, and Matthias Kröger returned to the side after his enforced absence the previous evening. Glasgow tracked Carl Stonehewer in the top spot, as cover for the almost fit Shane Parker.

The Rebels started with a bang in Heat 1, when Jason Doyle and Matthias Kröger bolted from the gate to lead in a tight first turn. From there on they were not troubled as Carl Stonehewer and Lee Dicken never got in the hunt, and they ran out easy winners to take a maximum start.

Heat 2 was shared as Josh Grajczonek came from behind to beat the experienced Brent Werner. Werner trapped quickly to lead early on, with the Tigers pair packing the places. Mitchell Davey was challenged by Ben Taylor on the second turn, but held off the young Yorkshireman, until falling on the same bend next time round. Werner looked comfortable in the lead, especially when Grajczonek got out of shape on the back straight. On the third lap the Tigers’ young starlet picked up the pace, and closed down Werner, coming underneath him off the final turn of the lap. Once in front he was gone, and the heat was all square.

The Tigers hit back straight away with Robert Ksiezak and Trent Leverington leading all the way, to take a full house in Heat 3. Emil Kramer’s chance was gone when he caught a big lift of the start line, and Ben Taylor, taking the rider replacement brought up the rear. The Rebels restored the 4-point cushion with their second maximum of the afternoon in Heat 4. Brent Werner replaced Ben Taylor, and trapped alongside his partner, Jordan Frampton. Anders Andersen challenged the pair on the second bend, but he was clamped down, and his run was over. Josh Grajczonek came late up the inside of the last bend of lap 3, but he couldn’t repeat his second heat pass on Werner, and the Rebels took the full quota.

The Rebels could have further increased their lead in Heat 5, as the maximum men, Doyle and Kroger, represented them in this race. Unfortunately Matthias Kröger was just too eager, and went early, touching the tapes. He went off 15 meters in the re-start, but apart from a brief challenge to Robert Ksiezak late on, he could make no real impression. The race went to Jason Doyle, who trapped quickly to lead all the way from Trent Leverington to share the points.

Heat 6 saw the Tigers’ square the match again, with their second maximum. Carl Stonehewer and Lee Dicken flashed out of the gate to lead early. Jordan Frampton came storming round the outside, but got out of shape running into the second turn, leaving the home pair to pull away. Brent Werner took third after Frampton’s error.

The match went into the halfway stage with the scores tied and with more shared points in Heat 7. Josh Grajczonek replaced Anders Andersen, and bolted to an all the way win from the inside gate. Jordan Frampton came in as rider replacement and took second place, in front of team mate Emil Kramer.  Mitchell Davey failed to complete for the second time as he fell on the third bend of Lap 2.

At the halfway point it was the Tigers who eased ahead, when taking Heat 8 by a margin of 4-2. Brent Werner came in for Ben Taylor, and bolted from the gate alongside Josh Grajczonek, with the young Queenslander getting the better of the early turns. Matthias Kröger had his run stopped on the second bend as he came to challenge. With his momentum curtailed he fell behind Lee Dicken, but was soon on his tail, charging hard. He came up the inside of Dicken on the second bend of Lap 2, but couldn’t find a line by. For the next two laps he was all over the back wheel of Dicken, but once more couldn’t find the drive to make the pass.

Glasgow pulled two more points ahead in Heat 9 when they took another 4-2 advantage, courtesy of Ksiezak and Leverington. They led from the tapes, but as Ksiezak went clear, Leverington had no answer to a rampant Jordan Frampton down the back straight. Leverington came back to challenge early in the final lap, but Frampton held him easily. Ben Taylor took his final ride of the afternoon, and once again had done well in the hot house that is the Premier League.

With the home side 4-points to the good the Rebels were looking to stem the flow, and looked to Emil Kramer and Brent Werner to put the brakes on the Tigers. As the tapes rose in Heat 10 the visitors hope were high that they could peg back some points. Carl Stonehewer and Kramer broke level. Unfortunately for the Rebels it was Stonehewer who just edged the lead at the second bend. Werner had settled into third spot, but was under pressure from Dicken. The Hull born rider moved out into the dirt, and closed the gap, almost getting on terms and passing on the wide outside on the fourth bend. He set off after Kramer, and flew around the dirt line. He got on chance to go by, as he caught Kramer on the final bend of Lap 3, but Kramer passed the test and held him off to the line. The Rebels relieved the pressure slightly in Heat 11 as they nullified the previous heat score by replying with a 4-2 of their own. Jason Doyle led on the first turn, and Matthias Kröger went passed Mitchell Davey on the back straight to take the advantage. Kröger had caught Anders Andersen by the fourth bend, and a 5-1 looked on the cards, but try as he might he could not find away passed the Tigers ‘Number Five’ . Kröger was all over the back of Andersen for all 4 laps but Andersen soaked up the pressure to prevent a Rebels full house.

In Heat 12 disaster struck the Rebels at a crucial stage of the match, as the Tigers hammered home a big 5-1 advantage. It was part of the Tigers Australian contingent that did the damage, when Robert Ksiezak and Josh Grajczonek led from the moments the tapes rose. Things got worse for the visitors on the second lap as Emil Kramer, trying to make ground, got out of shape, falling and smashing into the fence on the third bend. He was quickly on his feet, but clearly in severe discomfort, appearing to have aggravated his recent injury. He only got halfway across the track before he went down in a lot of pain. It was a long time before he rose to walk, heavily aided, into the back of the ambulance that had been called to attend him. The re-run was a formality after the Tigers pair gate first again, leaving Brent Werner to chase. He was close up to Grajczonek, and threw down the gauntlet on the second bend, but the Tigers man had him covered, and pulled away.

On the previous evening, Jason Doyle and Jordan Frampton had put the Rebels right back in the match with a stunning 5-1, and were hoping for a repeat in today’s Heat 13. The omens were not good as Frampton’s machine stopped on the line, and had to be restarted. With the tapes up, Doyle bolted for the lead to go clear on the first turn. As Jordan Frampton delivered his challenge in the middle of the opening turns, his machine expired, and he ground to a halt. Doyle stormed away, but with his partner grounded the Rebels were bang in trouble.

This season Doyle has been sensational as a tactical substitute, winning three off 15 meters, the latest of which was just the night before. So it was no surprise when he appeared in the ‘Black and White’ for Heat 14 in place of Ben Taylor. Matthias Kröger took the rider replacement ride, and Glasgow pulled Mitchell Davey in favour of Josh Grajczonek. Grajczonek, and Trent Leverington broke in front of Kröger, but the German racer was soon challenging up his favoured inside line as they exited the second turn. It was tight, and he was just squeezed out, leaving the home pair clear.

Doyle came storming through, but it was fully two laps before he passed his partner. Once in third he set off after Leverington, and was upsides with just over a lap to run. Leverington held him off, but Doyle redoubled his effort, and entering the last two bends, looked to have the measure of the Brisbane man, but as he challenged, Leverington tried to shut the door, with what can only be politely described as an extremely hard move, forcing Doyle against the fence. A lesser man would have gone down, but Doyle to his credit remained upright, and almost stole second on the line, despite having to negotiate the last bend fencing.

With the tigers now 48-36 up the mathematical chance of a win for the Rebels had disappeared, and it was pride that was at stake in the nominated heat. Unsurprisingly the home side sent out Josh Grajczonek and Robert Ksiezak, with the Rebels tracking Jason Doyle and Jordan Frampton. The match may have gone, but the Rebels were still eager to take the heat, so much so that Jason Doyle was just a bit too quick for the liking of Tony Steele, who called them all back to try again. Doyle made no mistake this time round, and powered off the line to lead away from the rest. Jordan Frampton was at the rear, but came storming round the outside of the final bend, and was almost beside Grajczonek, when he was forced even wider as the young Australian ride across him, and stopped his run. As a race that was it, over, and the order remained the same to the line, giving victory to the Tigers by 51-39.

For the home side the stand out performance came fro Josh Grajczonek, with 16+2 to add to his already growing tally of double figure scores. In him the Tigers have unearthed a diamond in the raw, as he will undoubtedly go on to bigger and better things. Robert Ksiezak, Trent Leverington, and guest Carl Stonehewer ably backed him up.

The Rebels had battled away all day, but in the end came away from the two matches with no points, but with a host of plaudits from the opposing fans. Jason Doyle had once more shown his worth, with a 16-point haul, going unbeaten in all his expected rides, and only dropping points in his tactical substitute ride. Although he only scored 7-points here, Jordan Frampton had emerged as a genuine future heat leader, with some tough uncompromising racing. He is another heading for a bright future, before too long. Brent Werner again provided a host of important points, with some gritty determined action. Emil Kramer still appeared to be suffering from his previous evenings woes before he took his fall. He was up and about later, and hopefully will not be suffering too much of a reaction, as the Rebels go into an important period of their season. It isn’t known how much longer Simon Walker will be out, so the Rebels need all their remaining riders fit and well for the fray. Matthias Kröger, although not scoring too many points today, rode well throughout, and was unlucky not to add to his total. Next weekend sees the Rebels tackle a mixture of League and Cup action, with Premier League matches on Friday against Redcar, and Sunday they take on Reading at Smallmead. Sandwiched in between will be the first leg of their Knock Out Cup Semi-Final, against the Rye House Rockets at Hoddesdon.

Workington Comets
v

 Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels

WORKINGTON – 46

1. Gary Havelock – 3, 2, 3, 1, 1* = 10+1

2. Gary Beaton – 1, flx, 0 = 1

3. Kauko Nieminen – 2. 3. 2*, 3, 2 = 12+1

4. Joe Haines – 0, 1, 3, 2 = 6

5. Carl Stonehewer – 3, 3, 2, 0 = 8

6. Charles Wright – 0, 0, 1* = 1+1

7. John Branney – 1, 2, 2, 2, 1, ret = 8+2

SOMERSET REBELS – 44

1. Jason Doyle – 2, 2, 3, 2*, 3 = 12+1

2. Ben Taylor – 0, 0, 0 = 0

3. Emil Kramer – 1, 1*, 0, 0 = 2+1

4. Simon Walker R/R

5. Jordan Frampton – 1, 3, 2, 1, 3, fl = 10

6. Stephan Katt – 3, 3, 1, 3, 0, 2, 3 = 15

7. Brent Werner – 2*, 0, 1, 1, 1 = 5+1

SBC Referee:

Heat Details

Heat 01: Havelock, Doyle, Beaton, Taylor (4-2) (4-2) 65.8

Heat 02: Katt, Werner, Branney, Wright (1-5) (5-7) 66.5

Heat 03: Katt, Nieminen, Kramer, Haines (2-4) (7-11) 66.1

Heat 04: Stonehewer, Branney, Frampton, Werner (5-1) (12-12) 66.5

Heat 05: Nieminen, Doyle, Haines, Taylor (4-2) (16-14) 65.6

Heat 06: Frampton, Havelock, Katt, Beaton (flx) (2-4) (18-18) 65.6

Heat 07: Stonehewer, Frampton, Kramer, Wright (3-3) (21-21) 66.4

Heat 08: Katt, Branney, Werner, Beaton (2-4) (23-25) 67.0

Heat 09: Haines, Nieminen, Frampton, Katt (5-1) (28-26) 65.6

Heat 10: Havelock, Branney, Werner, Kramer (5-1) (33-27) 67.0

Heat 11: Doyle (tapes – 15 mtrs), Stonehewer, Wright, Taylor (3-3) (36-30) 66.1

Heat 12: Nieminen, Katt, Branney, Kramer (4-2) (40-32) 65.5

Heat 13: Frampton, Doyle, Havelock, Stonehewer (1-5) (41-37) 66.0

Heat 14: Katt, Haines, Werner, Branney (ret) (2-4) (43-41) 67.8

Heat 15: Doyle, Nieminen, Havelock, Frampton (fell) (3-3) (46-44) 65.6

After almost taking an unexpected victory in last weeks Premier League ‘Fours’, the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels travelled north once more to Derwent Park, home of the Workington Comets. The task this time was to add to their growing number of away victories, in their quest for league glory.

The return of injury victim, Emil Kramer boosted the Rebels, but this was tempered by the continued absence of Simon Walker, and the enforced absence of Matthias Kröger, who was away on German League duty, an engagement that was current at the time he signed for the Rebels. The only facility allowed for Kröger was a Conference League guest, with that being Buxton’s Ben Taylor. The home side were still without the injured Daniel Nermark, who was covered by former World Champion, Gary Havelock, and Tommi Reima, again covered by a CL guest, Gary Beaton.

At last weeks ‘Fours’, Jason Doyle did not drop a point until very late in the day, but he had to make do with second place in Heat 1, when he came up against Havelock. Quickly away, Doyle couldn’t fend off the outside run around Bend 2, from Havelock. Behind them Gary Beaton just got the better of Ben Taylor, and that was the way it stayed, despite Doyle’s effort to change it.

The Rebels are extremely powerful at reserve this season, and that showed in Heat 2, when Stephan Katt took the race from his partner Brent Werner. The race took two attempts to get under way, as John Branney proved too eager at the original start. When they eventually got under way, it was Katt who bolted from the gate to lead from the home pairing. Brent Werner showed that he had not forgotten the quickest way round ‘The Park’, as he powered passed Branney, and partner, Charles Wright on the opening bends. Apart from a brief challenge from Branney on Lap 3, the Rebels duo were never troubled, and took maximum points to take 2-point lead in the match.

Katt had no time to rest on his laurels, as he was straight back out to cover the missing Simon Walker. This time with a much stiffer task, facing Kauko Nieminen, and Joe Haines in Heat 3. He didn’t let it faze him, as he was quickly away again, with partner Emil Kramer close up. Kramer ran wide off the second bend, blocking the run of Nieminen on the back straight. On the third turn Nieminen’s cause was done no favours as his own team mate ran into him. Getting a run down the home straight Nieminen set off after Kramer, and went by on the second bend of lap two. After his initial burst from the tapes, Kramer looked slow, and there were worries that he was suffering a re-occurrence of his injury, but the problems proved to be mechanical rather than medical. Katt fended off the close attentions of Nieminen, as they raced wheel-to-wheel in the dying stages of the race, to take a superb win over the Comets’ captain, with Kramer holding third place to the line.

Carl Stonehewer showed that he is making progress after his ankle injury, suffered whilst guesting at Edinburgh, with an all the way win in Heat 4. He was shadowed by his partner, John Branney, as the pair smashed in a maximum to give the Comets a share of the points 12-12. Brent Werner was quickly way, but his run stopped as he got clamped hard to the kerb in turn one. Jordan Frampton emerged as the challenger, and was all over the back of Branney for most of the race, but couldn’t find a way passed the Whitehaven man.

Jason Doyle eager to make up for his earlier second place, proved just too eager as he moved before the tapes rose in Heat 5. In the re-start Nieminen, and Joe Haines shot from the start to lead. Jason Doyle was round the outside of Haines on the first bend, setting off after Nieminen. Despite a hard chase he was never able to get on terms with the swift Finn, and had to settle for second place again, as the order remained unchanged to the line, to give the Comets a slender 2-point lead.

Over the passed season and a half Jordan Frampton has developed from an inexperienced reserve to become a mature aggressive rider, on the brink of heat leader status, and he showed that no one frightens him as he took Heat 6. After a fairly level break the field approached the first turn three abreast, with Gary Beaton just behind. Frampton was on the inside of Gary Havelock, and made his presence felt where it mattered, running wide onto the back straight to cover any fight back by Havelock. As the front three pulled clear Beaton took a really nasty looking fall, as he appeared to contact the safety fence on the back straight. Although he was up quickly the referee had already put on the red lights, and excluded him. As the remaining three came back to the tapes the question was, could Frampton repeat the dose? The answer was a most definite, unequivocal yes, as the opening turns were a carbon copy of the previous start with Frampton once more showing Havelock who was boss. The Rebels had tied up the match again at 18-18.

Carl Stonehewer was back in action again in Heat 7, with Charles Wright at his side. They couldn’t duplicate earlier 5-1, and had to make do with a share of the points. Quickly way, Stonehewer led from Emil Kramer, and Wright. Jordan Frampton was making a quick return to the track for the rider replacement ride, but was last out of the gate. That set back didn’t stop him, as he powered round the wide outside to move from last to second over the opening bends. Coming off the fourth bend, Wright got passed Kramer, but the Rebels Super Swede hit back straight away running down the home straight. Frampton had pulled onto the back wheel of Stonehewer, and over the next two laps was all over him, until the Comets legend pulled out enough to be sure of the win.

The Rebels management team brought out Stephan Katt in Heat 8 to replace Ben Taylor, and the moved paid dividends. The field broke level, and it was Brent Werner who made the breakthrough as he powered passed John Branney on the first turn. Katt came storming round the outside of the second bend to swoop passed the leading pair. Branney hit back on the fourth bend to take second from Werner. Although he chased hard he could never get in a blow on Katt, as the Rebels took a 4-2 advantage to break the deadlock at 23-25.

Heat 9 saw the Comets back in the lead with a big 5-1 advantage. Kauko Nieminen and Joe Haines broke quickly to lead on the opening turn. Jordan Frampton came storming through the middle of the pair to challenge Nieminen down the back straight, just in front of Haines. He ran hard into the third and fourth bends, as Joe Haines came back underneath and ran wide. Frampton had to take to the widest line, and as he came hard at Nieminen he lost a bit of shape coming off the final turn of the lap. That was all the chance Haines needed to reclaim second spot, and from there on he held the charging Frampton to give his team a 4-point breathing space.

Brent Werner looked to have given the Rebels a chance to pull back some points as he flew of the tapes to lead Heat 10. Gary Havelock cut back inside Werner on the first turn to grab the lead. John Branney replaced Gary Beaton, and then recovered from a slow start to catch Werner at the third turn, he found a good line to guide passed the former Comet, and take up station behind his captain. Emil Kramer’s woes continued as his machine looked painfully slow in last place. The second maximum on the trot had come at a vital time, and looked to have damaged the Rebels chances beyond recall.

Heat 11 did nothing to change the situation, and in fact as the tapes rose the Rebels slim hopes were completely shattered as Jason Doyle’s eagerness to bring the Rebels back into contention caused him to touch the tapes. One thing that we have learned this season is that you should never write off the Rebels until the ink is dry on the referee’s scorecard, and Jason Doyle in particular has been a big factor in building that reputation. His record off a 15-meter handicap this season is second to none, and he proved it here again. Carl Stonehewer and Charles Wright lead easily from Ben Taylor. Doyle was quickly into his stride and drove passed Taylor on the first bend. He flew down the back straight like an Exocet missile, homing in on Wright. He caught the Stockport racer by the final turn of the lap, and was in second spot as they exited the turn. Powering round the next lap, he collared Stonehewer in the same place on Lap 2, and just blew by him to take the lead. Over the final two laps he pulled clear to take an emphatic victory, and return a very respectable 66.1 in the process.

That win might have stemmed the tide, but the Comets came back and delivered another blow to the Rebels in Heat 12. Stephan Katt broke level with Kauko Nieminen, and moved wide around the first two bends to deliver his challenge down the outside of the back straight. Nieminen spotted the run, and closed the gap, just as Katt was pushing through. He was brought almost to a standstill, and had to knock off the throttle to avoid hitting the Finn. That was enough to give the Comets skipper the advantage to go clear. Emil Kramer had made a good gate, and was in third just behind the leading pair, but his mechanical problems were leaving him down on power, and he couldn’t stop the marauding John Branney from grabbing third place around his outside, on the final turns of the lap. Branney closed down on Katt slightly, but despite chasing hard he could never get in a real blow.

The Rebels were now 8-points down, and running out of heats, so they needed something special, and it came in Heat 13. Gary Havelock broke fast to lead early. Jason Doyle was not far away, and made the move around Havelock at the first turn. Meanwhile, Jordan Frampton was riding a superb bend, coming with a huge run out in the dirt, and flew passed the pair on the very wide outside, to lead off the second turn. Once in front the Rebels pair made no mistakes, as they team rode home for a maximum that put them right back in the hunt.

It doesn’t matter how good you are, sometimes you need a bit of luck, and the Rebels got theirs in Heat 14. That man Stephan Katt, having a fantastic night from the number six berth, powered off the line to lead around the opening turns from John Branney, and Brent Werner. Werner had used his experience to block out Joe Haines on the first bend, but the Bolton youngster was having none of it, and on the second lap he stormed down the back straight, passing Branney and Werner in one move., setting off after Katt. Werner was now left in last place, but chasing down Branney. Branney’s luck ran out on the third lap, as he suffered a puncture, turning a shared heat into a Rebels advantage. Haines chased Katt, and tried every line, but the Rebels man had all the answers to take the win, and bring the Rebels back to just two points behind.

In the nominated heat the Rebels needed a heat advantage to take something from the meeting, and they looked to Jason Doyle and Jordan Frampton to provide it. The Comets put up Kauko Nieminen and Gary Havelock in opposition. As the tapes rose Jason Doyle trapped quickly to lead on the opening bend from Havelock and Jordan Frampton. Frampton was on the outside, and looked to have the run on Havelock, just as Nieminen came underneath. The Comets skipper did just enough to hold Frampton out, and pulled in front of him onto the back straight, and then pass Havelock. Frampton was straight on the back wheel of the Redcar man, trying to work a line on him. Half way through the second lap Nieminen slowed to allow Havelock to join him, and nullify Frampton’s challenge. As the race moved into the latter stages, Frampton had to do something to grab the draw; it was going to be all or nothing. He came with a big run down the back straight, and out on the wide line, as he hit the third turn he lost the grip, and the big broke away from him, swapping ends, and dumping him on the floor. It was a brave effort, but in the end the Comets prevailed by the narrowest of margins.

The Rebels had put up a brave fighting performance, and almost snatched a great win from the jaws of defeat. With just three heats to go they had looked in an impossible position, but had fought back, and almost taken the match. The star men on the night were undoubtedly Stephan Katt, with a huge 15-point haul, Jordan Frampton with a belligerent, fighting performance, and Jason Doyle once again demonstrating that a 15-meter handicap is no bar to his winning ways. Cl GUEST Ben Taylor acquitted himself well, and will be better for the experience. Brent Werner had supplied vital points, but unfortunately Emil Kramer’s machinery had not matched his commitment in the fray.

So the Rebels road show moves on to Ashfield, with the hopes of adding more points to their Premier League pot. They will have to do it without Stephan Katt, who is contesting the European Grasstrack semi-final in Germany; but will be buoyed by the return of their other German speedster, Matthias Kröger. Katt absence will be covered by Ben Taylor, but considering he is contesting a bona-fide official F.I.M. event, this situation is ludicrous, and should be addressed by the BSPA policy makers.

PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS

GROUP A

Somerset = 13
1. Jason Doyle 3, 3 = 6

2. Jordan Frampton 3, 2 = 5

3. Stephan Katt 0, 0 = 0

4. Brent Werner 0, 2 = 2
Reserve. *No Reserve*

Workington = 14
1. Charles Wright 2, 1 = 3

2. Kauko Nieminen 2, 3 = 5
3. Carl Stonehewer 0, 3 = 3

4. Joe Haines 3, ret = 3
Reserve John Branney

Sheffield = 11
1. Andre Compton 1, 2 = 3

2. Ricky Ashworth 1, 3 = 4

3. Ben Wilson 0, 2 = 2
4. Joel Parsons 2, 0 = 2
Reserve: Paul Cooper

Edinburgh = 10
1. Andrew Tully 1, 0 = 1

2. Matthew Wethers 2, 1 = 3
3. Ryan Fisher 3, 1 = 4

4. Tomas H Jonasson 1, 1 = 2
Reserve: Aaron Summers

Heat Results
Heat 01: Doyle, Nieminen, Jonasson, Wilson 65.8
Heat 02: Frampton, Parsons, Tully, Stonehewer 65.7
Heat 03: Haines, Wethers, Compton, Katt 65.5
Heat 04: Fisher, Wright, Ashworth, Werner 64.8
Heat 05: Doyle, Compton, Wright, Tully 64.9
Heat 06: Nieminen, Werner, Wethers, Parsons 65.1
Heat 07: Stonehewer, Wilson, Fisher, Katt 65.6
Heat 08: Ashworth, Frampton, Jonasson, Haines ret 66.0

GROUP B

Kings Lynn = 16
1. Kevin Doolan 2, 3 = 5

2. Tomas Topinka 3, 3 = 6
3. Shaun Tacey 2, 2 = 4

4. Simon Lambert 0, 1 = 1
Reserve: John Oliver

Newcastle = 10
1. George Stancl 3, 1 = 4

2. Richard Juul 0, 2 = 2

3. Jason King 0, 3= 3
4. Sean Stoddart 1, 0 = 1
Reserve: *No Reserve*

Scunthorpe = 16
1. Magnus Karlsson 3, 0 = 3
2. Richard Hall 2, 2 = 4

3. Carl Wilkinson 3, 1 = 4

4. Viktor Bergstrom 2, 3 = 5
Reserve: *No Reserve*

Reading = 06
1. Mark Lemon 1, 2 = 3

2. Tom P Madsen 0, 0 = 0

3. Chris Mills 1, 0 = 1

4. Tomas Suchanek 1, 1 = 2
Reserve: Jamie Smith

Heat Results

Heat 01: Wilkinson, Doolan, Suchanek, Juul 65.8
Heat 02: Topinka, Bergstrom, Lemon, King 64.7
Heat 03: Karlsson, Tacey, Stoddart, Madsen 65.6
Heat 04: Stancl, Hall, Mills, Lambert 65.8
Heat 05: Doolan, Lemon, Stancl, Karlsson 65.2
Heat 06: Bergstrom, Juul, Lambert, Madsen 65.6
Heat 07: King, Tacey, Wilkinson, Mills 65.9
Heat 08: Topinka, Hall, Suchanek, Stoddart 65.7

GRAND FINAL

Workington = 20
1. Charles Wright 2, 2, 1 = 5

2. Kauko Nieminen 3, 3, 0 = 6
3. Carl Stonehewer 2, 1, 3 = 6

4. Joe Haines 0, ret, 3 = 3
Reserve: John Branney

Kings Lynn = 20
1. Kevin Doolan 3, 1, 3 = 7

2. Tomas Topinka 3, 3, 3 = 9
3. Shaun Tacey 1, 0, 1 = 2

4. Simon Lambert 0, 1, 1 = 2
Reserve: John Oliver

Somerset = 19
1. Jason Doyle 3, 3, 1 = 7

2. Jordan Frampton 2, 2, ret = 4
3. Stephan Katt 0, 3, 2 = 5

4. Brent Werner 2, 1, 0 = 3

Scunthorpe = 13
1. Magnus Karlsson 0, 0, 0 = 0

2. Richard Hall 1, 2, 2 = 5

3. Carl Wilkinson 1, 2, 2 = 5

4. Viktor Bergstrom 1, 0, 2 = 3

Heat Results

Heat 01: Topinka, Wright, Bergstrom, Katt 65.8
Heat 02: Nieminen, Werner, Tacey, Karlsson 65.5
Heat 04: Doolan, Frampton, Wilkinson, Haines 65.7
Heat 05: Doyle, Wright, Doolan, Karlsson 66.7
Heat 06: Topinka, Hall, Werner, Haines ret 66.2
Heat 07: Re-run Katt, Wilkinson, Stonehewer, Tacey 67.2
Heat 08: Nieminen, Frampton, Lambert, Bergstrom 66.3
Heat 09: Haines, Katt, Tacey, Karlsson 66.0
Heat 10: Stonehewer, Bergstrom, Lambert, Werner 67.5
Heat 11: Doolan, Wilkinson, Wright, Frampton ret 66.3
Heat 12: Topinka, Hall, Doyle, Nieminen 66.2

RUN-OFF: Nieminen Beats Topinka 65.9

Champions in 2005, and runners up on the two occasions since then, The Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels pedigree in the Premier League Four Team Championship is there for all to see, so you would expect them to be amongst the favourites for the 2008 renewal of the competition. However injuries to two vital team members, Emil Kramer and Simon Walker, and a tough draw in Group ‘A’ meant the actual expectations were much lower, with many observers giving them little chance of reaching the final. With all available Rebels in attendance the team could not even field a reserve on the night, and two of the four will line up in the reserve berths in their next home match.

Jason Doyle lined up in the opening heat against a strong group from Workington Sheffield, and Edinburgh. Leading off the first bend he clamped the challenging Kauko Nieminen to the kerb on the second bend. Nieminen was not done for, and challenged inside and out throughout the race. Doyle was too good for him, and gave the Rebels the perfect start to the meeting.

Jordan Frampton followed up with a fine win in the second heat. Breaking quickly from Gate 3, he was never headed as he pushed the Rebels into a 4-point lead in the group after just two heats. It was a dream start, but the others in the group were not going to lie down easily. The home side, were also depleted and hampered by the loss of Daniel Nermark, injured at Redcar a couple of days earlier, and the injury to Carl Stonehewer whilst taking a guest booking at Edinburgh. Although Stonehewer took his place in the Comets line up, he was clearly not fit.

It was the youngest member of their team, Joe Haines, who brought them back into the reckoning. He made the best of a fairly level break by leading off the second turn. Stephan Katt was in the mix, challenging between the other two riders, and moving into third. Andre Compton came back at him on the final turn of the lap to grab the place back, but by this time Haines was long gone.

Brent Werner fared no better in the next heat, as he missed the gate, and was left to challenge on the wide outside where there was little drive. In fact at the time it was very much a one-line track, with gating at a premium. The heat went to Ryan Fisher who made a flying start to lead all the way. Charles Wright took second place for the Comets, but it could have been so much different for him, had it not been for the eagle eyed start line staff, who spotted that he had no dirt deflector. A quick trip back to the pits rectified that.

With the first round of rides complete the Rebels lay in joint second place in the group, with Edinburgh on 6-points, but both were behind leaders Workington, who totalled 7-points.

In their second rides the Rebels hauled themselves into second place, with another fine win from Jason Doyle in Heat 5, as he led off the first bend, despite Andrew Tully moving at the start. Brent Werner put his first points on the board with a good second place in Heat 6 when he broke level, only to lose out to Kauko Nieminen’s wide run on the first bend. Matthew Wethers pushed Werner all the way, but could not get up, despite the Californian running wide off the final turn of the race.

Stephan Katt looked as though he would add to the Rebels total with a fast start in Heat 7, but was forced up against the fence on the back straight as Carl Stonehewer challenged up his inside. Not only did he lose the lead, but was stopped in his tracks, and pounced on by Ben Wilson out of the final bend of the lap. He lost so much momentum that it wasn’t long before Ryan Fisher was on the scene, and try as he might Katt could not hold him off on the back straight.

Jordan Frampton made sure of the Rebels place in the final with a second place in Heat 8. Sheffield needed to win the heat, and Frampton to finish out of the points before they could progress. Ricky Ashworth did the business, but Frampton did what he needed to, to assure progression for the Rebels. Workington were already there, so Joe Haines retirement on the final bend of the opening lap, whilst leading, made no difference.

In Group ‘B’, Scunthorpe were late replacements for the Berwick Bandits, and were not expected to be a force. They proved everyone wrong, not only by qualifying, but by pushing the strong Kings Lynn side all the way, and finishing on the same number of points.

Carl Wilkinson got the ball rolling for them, with a superb all the way win in Heat 1. He was challenged early on by Kevin Doolan, but once he had seen him off on the second bend he was away and clear. The Stars hit back in the second heat with Tomas Topinka taking the win. It was the first win of a superb nights work for the Czech maestro, who didn’t drop a point in any of the regular heats. The Scorpions kept up the pressure when Viktor Bergstrom took second spot.

Magnus Karlsson fired the Scorpions back to the front in Heat 3 when he swooped across from the outside gate to lead on the first turn, but it was sadly the last points he scored for the remainder of the evening. The stars added to their tally with two more wins, with a second success for Topinka, and a win from Doolan. Shaun Tacey took two second places, and Simon Lambert contributed a point, as the Kings Lynn quartet racked up 16-points. The Scorpions matched them with a further win from Viktor Bergstrom, and two second places by Richard Hall, with Wilkinson adding a third place to finish level on points with the Saddlebow Road outfit.

 With racing still very much a single line affair, it was Jason King, in his final ride, who showed that passing was possible, with what was probably the ride of the night at that point. Leading after a level break, King was passed by Tacey coming off the second bend, and running down the back straight. He then ran wide at the same point next time round, and had to fend off the close attentions of Carl Wilkinson. He looked set for second place, until he found some drive on the wide line as the exited the second bend of lap 3. Running down the back straight he powered passed Tacey with little room to spare on the outside. It was a superb move that won him the race, as he pulled clear of the Norfolk rider. A superb ride in a fairly ordinary meeting so far. The disappointment of the group was the Reading Racers, who could not muster a win between them.

Whatever happened now was a bonus for the Rebels as they had not been expected to progress. They had once more shown that when things got tough, they just roll up their sleeves, and come out fighting. Stephan Katt had been unlucky in his last ride in the qualifying, and showed immediate improvement. Breaking behind Topinka, Charles Wright, and Viktor Bergstrom, he was soon passed the Scunthorpe man on the third turn. He then challenged the home rider for second on the next lap, and was pressing hard when he found a hole that had appeared on the final turn. He was lucky not to go down, as he fought to control his machine. Once back in control he had lost third spot to Bergstrom, and couldn’t recover the position. So the Stars took the early advantage, from the Comets.

Brent Werner put the Rebels back in the hunt with a fine second place in Heat 2, breaking second behind all the way winner, Kauko Nieminen. Shaun Tacey could only manager third as the Stars slipped behind the Comets.

Jason Doyle made it three wins in three rides, as he powered the Rebels back into contention in Heat 3. He missed the gate, and was last running into the first turn, but shot passed Hall and Lambert on the outside of the first two turns, and set off after Carl Stonehewer. He caught him on the third turn, and was about to challenge on the outside when Stonehewer hit the same hole that Stephan Katt had found, throwing him wide. Doyle switched his attack to the inside like a shot, and powered into the lead on the opening turn of lap 2. Once in front he was away, pushing the Rebels into second spot, just two points down.

Jordan Frampton followed up with a second spot behind Kevin Doolan after the pair broke level. Doolan took up the running on the first turn, but Frampton challenged him all the way through the opening lap. With Carl Wilkinson taking third the Comets’ Joe Haines failed to score, allowing the Rebels and the Stars to close the gap as all three teams shared the lead on 7-points.

In the second round of rides Jason Doyle put the Rebels in the lead again, as he once more had to come from behind in an exciting opening lap battle with Charles Wright. On the outside gate for the second time, he was slowly away, but just rode right round the outside of everyone to squeeze through an almost non-existent gap on the back straight. Charles Wright was not about to give up the lead without a fight, and raced neck and neck with Doyle on his outside, before Doyle finally exerted his authority on the opening bends of lap 2. Kevin Doolan challenged Wright for second, but could not find a way passed as the Stockport youngster doggedly held him off. The Rebels had taken a single point lead over the Comets, with the Stars another point away.

Brent Werner ran a third place in Heat 6, but was unlucky as his progress was halted when Joe Haines machine gave up the ghost right in front of him. The Rebels retained the lead, but were now level on 11-points each with the Stars, as Topinka took another win on the night.

Shaun Tacey got a flyer in Heat 7, and the field were called back to the tapes to try again. On the re-start Stephan Katt shot out of the gate to lead off the second bend. Shaun Tacey came with a run on the back straight, but Katt had the line, and Tacey had nowhere to go. Once in front it was race over as Katt controlled the race from the front. Tacey dropped to the back, and Carl Stonehewer could only manage third behind Carl Wilkinson, giving the Rebels a clear 4-point lead.

Kauko Nieminen pulled a point back when he beat Jordan Frampton into second place as he took Heat 8. Frampton missed the gate for the first time on the night, and had to ride around Simon Lambert on the back straight in a very tight move. Viktor Bergstrom pressed Lambert for third, but could not find a way by.

Stephan Katt and Brent Werner finished on the same number of points, but it was Katt who took the first nominated ride, and took a second place behind Joe Haines, who just got the better start. Shaun Tacey pipped Magnus Karlsson in a tight second bend to take a third spot he wasn’t to lose. That win for Haines brought the Comets to two points behind the Rebels with just three heats to run.

 The Comets moved into the lead with a Carl Stonehewer win in Heat 10. He led all the way after an early tussle with Simon Lambert. Viktor Bergstrom cut inside Brent Werner off the final bend of the lap, and then repeated the move on Lambert on the next lap. Werner closed on Lambert, and was all over him on the final two laps, but 19-year-old Boston rider held all his challenges to the line.

Only one point now separated the Comets and the Rebels, with the Stars just 4-points further back. Jordan Frampton was the first to attempt to push the Rebels to glory for the second time, and as the tapes rose hope were high that he would supply vital points towards the total. Kevin Doolan was the first to show after a level break, with Carl Wilkinson just shading Frampton. Vitally the Comets representative, Charles Wright was last. He challenged Frampton, who held him off on the second bend. As the race settled Frampton continued in third, a place that would guarantee the Rebels a shot at the title, just one point off the lead, and then disaster struck, as he suffered a puncture, and ground to a halt on the third lap, gifting Charles Wright a point. All was not lost, as the Rebels were still only two points behind, with the Stars a further point away in third.

A win for Jason Doyle in the final heat would ensure at least second place on the podium, or even the top step, but before that there was the little matter of the heat itself, and with the unbeaten Topinka, Kauko Nieminen, and Richard Hall as opponents, it wasn’t going to be easy.

The tapes rose, and Topinka shot away to lead off the line from Richard Hall. Jason Doyle roared around the outside of Hall, and challenged Topinka, cutting inside on the back straight. Meanwhile Kauko Nieminen’s machine had crawled off the line, and sputtered almost to a stop before the first turn, much to the consternation of the home fans. With Doyle alongside Topinka a classic race looked on the cards, with the title as the prize. Just as quickly as he had got to Topinka, Doyle’s machine slowed slightly, and Richard Hall needed now second invitation to power around Doyle on the back straight. He was soon on the tail of Topinka, and was all over him. Three times he pushed for the lead, and three times Topinka slammed the door shut in his face with some hard riding. Roared on by the Comets and Rebels fans alike, Hall came with a pulsating run off the final bend, and only just failed to get his wheel in front. For the Stars the win put them level with the Comets in the final table, with the Rebels just one point back in third.

So the title would be settled by a run off, a fitting end to a most exciting final, of which the end result was in doubt right up to the final turn of the wheel. Kauko Nieminen was nominated for the home side, and he looked to have a hard task on his hands, as the Stars put up the unbeaten Topinka as their man of the moment. Topinka won the toss, and took the inside.

As the tapes rose it was the Czech who showed first, and just led at the opening turn. He ran wide expecting Nieminen to challenge on the outside, but the former Finnish U21’s Champion switched inside, and cut hard under Topinka, in a stunning move that took the Stars man by surprise. He tried to shut the door, but it was too late, as Nieminen powered up his inside, running wide off the turn, and stopping the fight back by Topinka. There was never much between them, but roared on by a huge portion of the crowd, Nieminen controlled the race from the front, and ran out the winner to take an unlikely victory for his depleted side.

From the Rebels point of view it was a superb team performance, in which every rider contributed, led from the front by Jason Doyle. With a bit of luck they could have lifted the trophy for a second time in four seasons. A puncture at a vital time, and storming ride by a man whose team was out of the running put paid to the Rebels chance, but that’s speedway, and on another night, who knows.

The fighting spirit that has been the hallmark of this seasons Rebels shone through, and not only did they make the final, something they could have only dreamt of given the late injury changes, but they almost came away with the Crown Jewels. They did the club, the promotion, and the fans proud, and for the second time in two days proved that they are a force to be reckoned with, even though they were not at full strength, and there was more to come, as they headed for Stoke in the next instalment of the Premier League.

ORIGINAL RESULTS COURTESY OF THE EXCELLENT
WORLD SPEEDWAY .COM
(click above for their full report)

Premier League K.O. Cup Quarter-Final (2^nd Leg)

Reading – 51 (90)

1. Mark Lemon 2, 2*, 2*, 1* = 7+3
2. Tom P Madsen 1*, 3, 3, 3, 0 = 10+1
3. Ulrich Ostergaard 3, 2, 3, 3, 2 = 13

4. Tomas Suchanek 2*, 0, 2*, 0 = 4+2
5. Chris Mills 2*, 2, flx, 2 = 6+1
6. Jamie Smith 1*, ret, 1 = 2+1
7. Nicki Glanz 2, 3, 2*, 1, 1 = 9+1

Somerset – 44 (97)
1. Jason Doyle 3, 3, 2*, 3, 6^, 3 = 20+1
2. Stephan Katt 0, 1, 1, 3 = 5

3. Emil Kramer 1, 6^, 1, 2, 1 = 11

4. Matthias Kroger 0, ret, 0, 2* = 2+1
5. Jordan Frampton 1, 1, 1, flx = 3
6. Brent Werner 0, 0, ret, ret = 0

7. Simon Walker 3, 0, flx = 3

SCB Referee: Dave Dowling

Heat Details
Heat 01: Doyle, Lemon, Madsen, Katt (3-3) (3-3) (42-56) 61.02

Heat 02: Walker, Glanz, Smith, Werner (3-3) (6-6) (45-59) 62.27
Heat 03: Ostergaard, Suchanek, Kramer, Kroger (5-1) (11-7) (50-60) 60.68
Heat 04: Glanz, Mills, Frampton, Werner (5-1) (16-8) (55-61) 62.16
Heat 05: Doyle, Ostergaard, Katt, Suchanek (2-4) (18-12) (57-65) 60.46
Heat 06: Madsen, Lemon, Frampton, Werner (ret) (5-1) (23-13) (62-66) 61.30

Heat 07: Kramer (tactical), Mills, Kroger (ret), Smith (ret) (2-6) (25-19) (64-72) 62.12

Heat 08: Madsen, Glanz, Katt, Walker (5-1) (30-20) (69-73) 61.83

Heat 09: Ostergaard, Suchanek, Frampton, Werner (ret) (5-1) (35-21) (74-74) 61.33
Heat 10: Madsen, Lemon, Kramer, Kroger (5-1) (40-22) (79-75) 62.27
Heat 11: Katt, Doyle, Smith, Mills fell (1-5) (41-27) (80-80) Awrd

Heat 12: Ostergaard, Kramer, Glanz, Walker Fell (4-2) (45-29) (84-82) Awrd

Heat 13: Re-run Doyle, Mills, Lemon (flrmtd) (3-3) (48-32) (87-85) 63.70

Heat 14: Doyle (Tac Sub – 15mts), Kroger, Glanz, Suchanek (1-8) (49-40) (88-93) 63.24

Heat 15: Doyle, Ostergaard, Kramer, Madsen (2-4) (51-44) (90-97) 64.75

A month has passed since the first leg of this Knock Out Cup Quarter Final took place, and it has been two weeks since the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels have turned a wheel in anger as a team. The Rebels arrived at Smallmead with a 14-point lead to defend. The opening exchanges kept the match on the same footing, as the Rebels took the win in the first two heats, but could only share the points on each occasion, but neither heat gave any hint of the drama to come. Jason Doyle made a great start to lead off the opening turn of Heat 1. He pulled clear to win easily from the strung out field. Stephan Katt missed the break, and despite chasing hard could not get on terms with Lemon & Madsen, who filled the places.

Simon Walkers took the second heat with a superb win, after taking the lead with a wide outside run round the opening turns. Brent Werner broke third, but was passed by Jamie Smith on the inside of turn two. Nicki Glanz came with a big run of the final turn, but never got close to catching Walker.  Walker, who has been suffering with flu like symptoms in the last week, rode a great race to take the heat, but felt unwell on returning to the pits.

The Racers posted their intentions in the next two heats as they hammered home two 5-1’s on the trot. Ulrich Ostergaard continue the way he had finished Friday nights Premier League Pair Championship, with a virtually unchallenged win. He stormed of the gate in Heat 3 to lead all the way, pulling further ahead as he went, with the Rebels pairing of Emil Kramer and Matthias Kröger being his early challengers. Kramer soon passed his team mate on the back straight, before Tomas Suchanek repeated the pass on the fourth bend. Two laps later Suchanek duplicated the pass by taking Kramer in the same spot, and pulled away to take maximum points for the Racers.

Brent Werner deputised for the under the weather Simon Walker in Heat 4, but it made no difference to the final outcome. Nicki Glanz has been in fine form since being drafted into the team in place of injury victim Danny Warwick, and he showed why with a quick start to join Chris mills at the front. Jordan Frampton threw in a challenge on the back straight as Chris Mills slowed and allowed Glanz to go by to lead. Mills then sat on Glanz tail to protect him from the hard charging Frampton. The Racers held their advantage to the flag.

Heat 5 saw the Rebels hit back with their own heat advantage, but they could only pull back 2-points. After a level break, Ulrich Ostergaard just lead before the bend, only to see Jason Doyle sail by on the wide outside to take the heat in the fastest time of the day. Stephan Katt made a better start than in his first ride, but had to see off the challenge of Tomas Suchanek for all four laps.

The Racers were soon back in the groove with another 5-1 in Heat 6. Tom P Madsen took advantage of a level break to lead around the opening turn. Brent Werner took a big lock up on the first bend, and his race was over. Jordan Frampton made a good start, but was overhauled by Mark Lemon on the third and fourth bends. Frampton kept on the gas, and challenged Lemon all the way until the back straight on Lap 2, but eventually Lemon eased out a lead on him to take a safe second place behind Madsen.

With the Racers now 10 points to the good, Gary May took the early decision to send out Emil Kramer in the ‘Black and White’ to drag back some points in heat 7. It looked as though the tactical would yield big points for the Rebels as Jamie Smith retired on the opening bend, and Kramer shot passed Chris Mills on the outside of the next turn. Matthias Kröger had made a good start and was close up third, giving the Rebels a possible 7-2 advantage or more, until disaster struck as his machine came to a halt after dropping the belt drive. Kramer’s ride was all the more creditable, when you consider that he was riding in extreme pain. The previous Sunday he had crashed whilst racing in Poland, and had damaged his pelvis and back. He had ridden in the Pairs Championship despite the pain, but had aggravated his injuries during a practice start in his opening heat here.

In recent weeks the Racers have been weak in Heat 8, amongst others, and they have changed their riding order, strengthening up the vulnerable heats by swapping Madsen and Mills in the Number 2 and 5 positions. Madsen made no mistake as he and Glanz led around the opening turn after a level break. Stephan Katt took third place, briefly challenging Glanz on the back straight. Simon Walker, back in the line up after giving up his previous race, never got into the hunt after the first bend. The resulting 5-1 gave the home side back their 10-point lead on the day.

Heats 9 and 10 went the same way as Heat 8, as Reading wiped out the 14-point deficit, and took an 18-point lead on the day, and 4-points overall. It was that man Ostergaard who took Heat 9 leading round the first turn after breaking level with the rest of the field. Tomas Suchanek followed him round, but was soon challenged by Jordan Frampton, who had to take a wide line to deliver the challenge, and inadvertently blocked the run of his team mate, Brent Werner, in the process. Suchanek held the challenge to pull out a gap for the full house.

Heat 10 went to Tom P Madsen, followed home by Mark Lemon, but it may have been a much different result if Lemon hadn’t made a very hard move to force Emil Kramer extremely wide just as he was delivering a telling challenge on the opening turns. Had Kramer not shut off there was a fair chance he would have made a very close inspection of the air fence. The result was that Kramer had to chase hard all the way, but could never recover his earlier position.

The Rebels then hit back with a 5-1 of their own, courtesy of the superb Jason Doyle, and team mate, Stephan Katt. Doyle led at the first turn of Heat 11, from the Reading pair of Mills and Smith. Katt came with a big run to power passed the Racers pair on the second bend. Doyle let Katt through on the home straight, and then sat on his wheel to see him to the flag. Doyle always had it under control, but Mills decided he would put in a big blast on lap three to try to close the gap. He never looked like he would succeed, and came to grief as he lost it on the second bend, taking a nasty looking fall into the air fence. The race was awarded 5-1 to the Rebels, bringing the tie level once more.

Heat 12 was the second heat in succession to be awarded, after Simon Walker took a huge hit into the fence at the end of the third lap. Ostergaard made the break from the tapes, with Emil Kramer in pursuit. Nicki Glanz made a good start, but as Kramer took a wide line his run was blocked. Walker was at the rear, but chasing hard. The track had been getting dustier since Heat 7, and by now there were huge clouds of dust, especially on the final bends. As Walker approached the final turn on Lap 3 he was enveloped in a dust storm kicked up by the other riders, and ran wide into the safety fence. It was a very hard, horrible looking crash, which left Walker on the track for some time. He eventually regained his feet, and walked back to the pits, but was clearly in severe discomfort. After the meeting he looked in a lot of pain, and said that he was very sore, with the damage starting to swell up badly. Only time will tell if he will be fit to resume against Sheffield on Friday night.

Heat 13 got underway with Jason Doyle taking an early lead. He was soon followed to the front by Jordan Frampton, who bolted passed Lemon and Mills on the outside of the second turn. With Frampton in an easy second spot the Rebels looked set fair to take all the points, and put the Rebels 2-points up overall. As the field approached the final turn of the lap, Frampton almost stopped dead, as he pulled a huge lock up. Lemon and Mills quickly laid their bikes down, but could not avoid contacting Frampton. Frampton and Mills were up quickly, but Lemon took quite a bit longer to rise, and when he did he had damaged his foot, and limped gingerly back to the pits.

Frampton was excluded, and the race was re-run with the other three, including Lemon who had recovered enough to take his place. The result was never in doubt after Doyle had swooped on Lemon around the opening turns. Chris Mills caught a big lift off the line, but took second place when Lemon fell on the second bend of Lap 2 whilst forlornly chasing Doyle. Lemon was back on his feet quickly, and remounted to finish in third place.

The loss of the maximum, and the shared points in Heat 13left the Rebels still with 2-points to make up to level the scores overall, so Heat 14 was always going to be a turning point, one way or another. Reading replaced Jamie Smith, with the inform Nicki Glanz, and Gary May replaced the injured Walker by sending Jason Doyle out as a tactical substitute, under a 15 meter handicap.

Matthias Kröger has been improving as the meeting progressed, and he played his part here by making his best start of the afternoon, to lead early. He moved wide on the first turn to snuff out the outside run of Tomas Suchanek. As Kröger moved wide, Glanz came up his inside on the second bend, to grab the lead. Meanwhile Doyle was flying, and ripped passed Suchanek on the second bend. He then set off down the back straight, powering passed Kröger, in pursuit of Glanz. He caught Glanz in the middle of the final turns of the lap, and completed a pulsating opening lap by powering into the lead as they ran back onto the home straight.

Doyle headed off into the distance, leaving Kröger hot on the tail of Glanz. The experienced German stalked Glanz until he powered passed him down the home straight at the end of Lap 3, sending the large contingent of travelling Rebels fans into state of sheer delight, as he followed Doyle home to take the maximum advantage. Barring a disaster in Heat 15, the 1-8 advantage gave the Rebels the overall win, as Reading now needed a total 5-0 whitewash in the final race to force a draw.

You could have forgiven the Rebels pair in the nominated heat if they had just ridden round in celebration of the win, but Jason Doyle was still unbeaten by an opponent, and he wanted to keep it that way. The Racers put up Ulrich Ostergaard, and Tom P Madsen in opposition, and Emil Kramer completed the line up for the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels. Ostergaard, and Doyle broke together, but it was Doyle who emerged from the opening bend duel in front. Emil Kramer took Madsen on the back straight to grab third spot. The race looked as though it would run it’s course without further incident, but at the beginning of the second lap, Ostergaard got completely out of shape, and dropped from second to last place. He recovered and soon passed Madsen, but it was a full lap before he got to Kramer, passing him in the same spot he had lost the place a lap previously. By this time Doyle was long gone, and completed a 20+1-point haul with ease.

Mike Golding has built a team that is balanced and provides much needed depth especially away from home. One of features of the team is that they are able to take up the slack if one or more have a bad day, and that was demonstrated in spades in this match. For various reasons some of the seven were not at there best, but other were there to make up the shortfall, none more so than the superb Jason Doyle, who was completing his second 20-point haul of the season, and both have come away from home. His first came in the league match at Newcastle in May, when he posted a 19+1 score.

The Final score line of 51-44 gave the Rebels the tie, and a place in the Semi-Final, where Rye House await them. A lot has been made about the use of the tactical rides in this encounter, but it should be remembered that Reading also used two tactical rides in the opening leg. The difference being, they didn’t make full use of them, with Ostergaard in particular squandering his chance when finishing behind Matthias Kröger and Simon Walker in Heat 14 of that particular match. In fact if you discount the tactical points scored in Sundays match, the Rebels would still have won by a single point, and if you discard the tactical points in both matches they would have increased that winning margin to three points.

So the chance of a third consecutive Knock Out Cup Final appearance is still on the cards for the Rebels, but Rye House still stand in their way, and they will surely not be as bad as their last visit to the Oak Tree Arena…will they?

NEWCASTLE 'SAPPHIRE ENGINEERING' DIAMONDS

V

SOMERSET 'SHARP' REBELS
PREMIER LEAGUE

Click HERE to read the match report from the Diamonds website

Redcar Bears
versus
Somerset 'Sharp' Rebels
PREMIER LEAGUE

REDCAR BEARS
1. Gary Havelock (C) 1, 6^, 1, 2, 2, = 12
2. R/R ~ Chris Kerr
3. James Grieves 3, 1, 3, 3, 0, = 10
4. Daniel Giffard 0, 0, r, 2', 0, = 2+1
5. Ty Proctor 3, 1, 2, 1, 1', 1^, = 9+1
6. Arlo Bugeja 0, 0, 0, = 0
7. Josh Auty 2, 0, 3, 0, 0, 1, = 6
8. David Wallinger
Team Manager: Jason Pipe

SOMERSET REBELS
1. Jason Doyle 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, = 15
2. Jordan Frampton 2', 2', 1, 2', 1, = 8+3
3. Emil Kramer 2, 2, 3, 2, = 9
4. Matthias Kroger 1', r, 2', 2', = 5+3
5. Stephan Katt 2, 2, 0, 0, = 4
6. Simon Walker (C) 1, 1', 1, 0, = 3+1
7. Brent Werner 3, 1', 3, 3, = 10+1
Team Manager: Steve Bishop

HEAT DETAILS;
Ht 1; Doyle, Frampton, Havelock, Giffard (r/r), 1-5, 54.7
Ht 2; Werner, Auty, Walker, Bugeja, 2-4, 3-9, 55.5
Ht 3; Grieves, Kramer, Kroger, Giffard, 3-3, 6-12, 55.2
Ht 4; Proctor, Katt, Werner, Auty, 3-3, 9-15, 56.4
Ht 5; Doyle, Frampton, Grieves, Giffard (r), 1-5, 10-20, 55.6
Ht 6; Havelock (t/r), Katt, Walker, Bugeja (r/r), 6-3, 16-23, 55.8
Ht 7; Auty (r/c), Kramer, Proctor, Kroger (r), 4-2, 20-25, 55.6
Ht 8; Werner, Proctor (r/r), Frampton, Auty, 2-4, 22-29, 56.0
Ht 9; Grieves, Giffard,  Walker, Katt, 5-1, 27-30, 55.7
Ht 10; Kramer, Kroger, Havelock, Auty (r/r), 1-5, 28-35, 55.9
Ht 11; Doyle, Frampton, Proctor, Bugeja, 1-5, 29-40, 55.6
Ht 12; Grieves, Kramer, Auty, Walker, 4-2, 33-42, 55.6
Ht 13; Doyle, Havelock, Proctor, Katt, 3-3, 36-45, 56.1
Ht 14; Werner, Kroger, Proctor (t/s), Giffard, 1-5, 37-50, 56.6
Ht 15; Doyle, Havelock, Frampton, Grieves, 2-4, 39-54, 56.2

WITH THANKS TO

OFFICIAL REDCAR SPEEDWAY

website.

Tuesday 8th April 2008

Premier Trophy (2nd leg)

Isle of Wight 'Wightlink' Islanders
v

Somerset 'Sharp' Rebels

Isle of Wight Islanders - 58

1. Krzysztof Stojanowski - (R/R)
2. Cory Gathercole - 1, 3, 3, 3, 0 = 10

3. Jason Bunyan - 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, ef = 15
4. Paul Fry - 0, 1, 2*, ef = 3+1
5. Glen Phillips - 3, 2*, 1, 2, 3, 3 = 14+1
6. Andrew Bargh - 2*, 3, 0, 2 = 7+1
7. James Holder - 3, 2*, 2*, 1, 1* = 9+3

Somerset Rebels - 34
1. Jason Doyle - 2, 4^, 3, 1*, 2 = 12+1
2. Henning Loof - 0, 0, exl, exl (tapes) = 0
3. Emil Kramer - 2, ef, 2, 0 = 4

4. Simon Walker - 1*, 1, ef, 0 = 2+1
5. Brent Werner - 1, 1, 1*, 2 = 5+1
6. Stephan Katt - 0, 0, 2, 2 = 4

7. Jordan Frampton - 1, 0, 1, 1, 3, 1* = 7+1

SCB Referee: Christina Turnbull

Heat Details
Heat 01: Bunyan, Doyle, Gathercole, Loof (4-2) (4-2) 67.3
Heat 02: (re-run) Holder, Bargh, Frampton, Katt (5-1) (9-3) 69.0
Heat 03: Bunyan, Kramer, Walker, Fry (3-3) (12-6) 67.5
Heat 04: Phillips, Holder, Werner, Frampton (5-1) (17-7) 68.3
Heat 05: Bunyan, Doyle (tactical), Fry, Loof (4-4) (21-11) 67.2
Heat 06: Gathercole, Fry, Werner, Katt (5-1) (26-12) 70.1
Heat 07: Bargh, Phillips, Walker, Kramer (ef) (5-1) (31-13) 69.2

Heat 08: (re-run) Gathercole, Holder, Frampton, Loof (exl) (5-1) (36-14) 69.6
Heat 09: Bunyan, Katt, Werner, Fry (ef) (3-3) (39-17) 69.3
Heat 10: Gathercole, Kramer, Phillips, Walker (ef) (4-2) (43-19) 70.0

Heat 11: Doyle, Phillips, Frampton (for Loof – exl Tapes), Bargh (2-4) (45-23) 68.4
Heat 12: Bunyan, Katt, Holder, Kramer (4-2) (49-25) 69.5
Heat 13: Phillips, Werner, Doyle, Gathercole (3-3) (52-28) 69.1
Heat 14: Frampton, Bargh, Holder, Walker (3-3) (55-31) 69.3
Heat 15: Phillips, Doyle, Frampton, Bunyan (ef) (3-3) (58-34) 69.1

The Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels arrived at Smallbrook with the possibility of taking their third away win on the spin, but eventually left with nothing, after suffering a night of frustration. Thinks started badly as the Islanders took the opening two heats, with comparative ease. In Heat 1 Islanders skipper Jason Bunyan, rider replacement for the injured Krzysztof Stojanowski, just got the better of Jason Doyle as they ran on to the back straight, and although Doyle chased hard, and closed slightly at the end, he could never get back on terms with the flying Bunyan.

The Rebels reserves have been a scoring machine so far this season, but they were left standing, as James Holder and Andrew Bargh got the better of the first bend. That was the third time of asking, with the two previous starts being called back for movement at the tapes. Jordan Frampton appeared to be the culprit, and was warned by the referee.

Heat 3 saw the Rebels take a share of the points, with Emil Kramer and Simon Walker filling the places behind the very quick Bunyan. Kramer got a decent start, but had no answer to Bunyan, as he came storming around the outside of the second bend. Simon Walker made the best of the same bend to take third spot from former Rebel, Paul Fry, who chased him all the way, but could not get the place back.

Another former Rebel, Glen Phillips, flew from the tapes to pile on the agony for the Highbridge outfit in Heat 4. He was accompanied by his team-mate, James Holder, and the pair pulled clear to win easily from Brent Werner and Jordan Frampton. That 5-1 left the Rebels 10-points down, and Steve Bishop wasted no time in sending out Jason Doyle in the ‘Black & White’ for Heat 5. From the gate it looked as though the Rebels would be left with just a single point, as the Islanders pair gated in front. Doyle was soon on terms, and cut up the inside of Paul Fry on the opening bend. The pair then traded places, wheel to wheel, for the whole of the opening lap. They came off the final bend only inches apart, before Doyle switched to the outside, and powered round Bend 1 to grab outright second spot. By the time Doyle got clear, Jason Bunyan was gone beyond recall, leaving the Rebels to share the points 4-4.

Jason Bunyan, and several of the Islanders team had arrived early at the track, and took control of the track preparation, in order to get the surface exactly to their liking, and it showed in their racing. The following three heats all went 5-1 to the Islanders, leaving the Rebels 22-points down by Heat 9. Cory Gathercole and Paul Fry blasted from the start to take Heat 6 with ease, and they were quickly followed by Andrew Bargh and Glen Phillips in Heat 7. The Young New Zealander swooped wide passed Phillips, and Emil Kramer on the second bend. Any danger to the Islanders pair evaporated when Emil Kramer’s machine expired on the last lap, but to be honest they were already home and hosed.

The Rebels supporters were on their feet as Jordan Frampton, and Henning Loof shot from the gates to lead in Heat 8. Their joy was short lived however, as Cory Gathercole came into contact with the rear wheel of Loof’s machine, and tumbled to the ground. Much to the dismay of many, Loof was excluded for unfair riding, as it looked like Gathercole had fallen on his own. To be fair there was contact between the pair, but it was minimal, and incident of that nature take place every week, resulting in all four riders being sent back to the start. In this case, Christina Turnbull took the view that Loof had taken Gathercole's leg away, but even a good number of home supporters though it a harsh decision.

In the re-run the inevitable happened, with Frampton getting a huge lift off the line, leaving the home pair to grab the lead. Frampton was soon back on the pace, and was all over the back of Holder for the whole race, but could not find the drive to pass. Gathercole was left clear at the front, winning easily 

The Rebels were outgated, and outraced as the Islanders took full control of the tie. Taking a battering of this nature is normally enough to bring down the heads of many teams, but in the pits the Rebels were hard at work trying to find a solution to their problems. Alterations were being made to set ups, and equipment swapped on the machines, as they tried to compete. The Rebels have not been used to losing this season, and it was hard to swallow as they struggled to compete.

Whatever the Rebels did it worked, as they were much better in the second half of the meeting. Over the closing 7 heats they shared the points in four heats, took a 4-2 advantage, against two 4-2’s to the home side. The end result was that in this section they were only two points adrift, but the opening 8 heats had unfortunately sealed their fate.

In Heat 9 Paul Fry lead from Stephan Katt with Brent Werner in third spot. Jason Bunyan recovered from a slow start, and came storming off the second bend to race between the Rebels pair with so much speed that he was soon on terms with Fry. That was the order, until Fry dropped a chain on the third lap.

Emil Kramer made a superb start to Heat 10, but was soon challenged by Cory Gathercole. It was tight coming off the second bend, with the Swede just easing into the lead, and pulling out a couple of bike lengths. Glen Phillips took third spot as Simon Walker’s bike gave up the ghost along the back straight. Kramer looked to have the race in the bag, until Gathercole came with a terrific run to close on his opponent on the third bend of Lap 4, and then powered round his outside of the final bend to grab the three points.

The Rebels took heat 11 by a 4-2 margin, when Jason Doyle got the better of a three into the first bend together situation, to lead out of the second turn. Glen Phillips, taking his second ride in as many races, just eased in front of the quick starting Jordan Frampton as they raced down the back straight. That was the way it stayed, despite Frampton chasing Phillips all the way. Frampton’s participation in the heat was brought by Henning Loof being excluded for touching the tapes, after the young German’s clutch started to drag.

Heat 13 saw the Islanders take another two-point advantage with a 4-2 of their own. It was the busy Glen Phillips who took the heat, lowering the colours of Jason Doyle & Brent Werner in the process. The trio of Phillips, Werner and Cory Gathercole broke together, but it was the Kent born racer who took up the running on the second bend. Werner quickly challenged Gathercole, and grabbed second spot down the back straight, with Doyle trailing his younger compatriot for the first three laps, before making a superb pass to take third place on lap three.

Jordan Frampton took a deserved win in Heat 14 to share the points. He got the better of a level break, just leading into the first bend closely followed by the remaining three riders. Andrew Bargh emerged as his main rival, but Frampton had it all in hand, and won with some ease. James Holder replaced Paul Fry, who was suffering bike problems, and he took third spot from Simon Walker.

Heat 15 also ended with the point’s level, when that man Phillips topped off a great nights work with a third wins of the evening. In the process he brought the score to 2-1 in his favour, over Jason Doyle in their duels on the night. For the Rebels third spot went to Jordan Frampton, who was taking a well-earned ride in the nominated heat. Jason Bunyan, in with a chance of a full 18-point maximum going into the race, ended his superb showing with a disappointing engine failure, caused by a faulty spark plug.

The Islanders had clearly done a lot of work to bring about this victory, but even they could not have expected to win by such a margin. It was a great all round performance, with the staring roles going to Jason Bunyan, and Glen Phillips, ably backed up by the remainder of the team. On the other side of the coin, the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels struggled in the early stages to compete, both at the gate, and in running. By the time they had sorted out most of their problems, and they did work hard to do that, the meeting was already beyond them. Despite trailing badly they showed some great spirit to keep the second half of the meeting close, when they could so easily have given up.

Jason Doyle was the main scorer with 12+1, and a battling Jordan Frampton, with 7+1, supported him. Of the remainder, Emil Kramer, Simon Walker, and Stephan Katt all suffered bike problems, with Katt the only one able to end on a high note, with two good second spots after changing his bike. On Friday the Rebels will entertain the Reading Racers, in their final Premier Trophy tie, and with a semi-final spot at stake there can be no slip ups if they are to progress. The Racers will be out to avenge their home defeat at the hands of the Rebels, so we should be in for a terrific match.

The Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels made light of the a heavy and grippy Smallmead track to register a stunning victory over the Reading Racers, a team many pundits have tipped for honours this year.

Reading, fresh from a record away win the previous day at Newport, were forced to track guest Mark Burrows at reserve for the still injured Danny Warwick and Somerset used the rider replacement facility for Henning Loof who was ruled out of this meeting following the concussion he sustained in Friday’s match at home to Newport.

Somerset opened the meeting in the best way possible with a maximum heat win courtesy of Stephan Katt and Jason Doyle over the home pairing of Lemon and Suchanek.  Katt, in as rider replacement for Loof, made a lightening start, and held of a strong challenge from Lemon as the rides exited the second turn.  Seizing his opportunity, Doyle nipped up the inside of Lemon to join his team mate at the front and from thereon in they were never troubled by the home riders, as they raced away to a 5-1 heat win and to establish a lead that they were never to relinquish.

The next four heats were shared to maintain Somerset’s four point advantage, the pick of the action here coming in heat 4 as Reading’s Burrows and Somerset’s Jordan Frampton rode wheel to wheel for the first half of the race, the pair of them swapping positions for the lead on almost every bend before Frampton eked out an advantage to take the heat win.

This typified the determination in the Rebel camp, and this was backed up in the next race as Somerset captain, Simon Walker, never gave up on suffering a bad start to gradually reel in Reading’s Chris Mills, Si-Co making up some three bike lengths in the run for the chequered flag to pip Mills by half a wheel on the line to gain a valuable third place.

Reading’s hopes of a come-back were raised in heat 6 as Lemon and Suchanek gained a heat advantage over Somerset’s Brent Werner and Stephan Katt, Lemon producing a stunning ride to round Katt as the pair came round the pits bend, Katt then suffering bike problems on the final lap to gift Suchanek a point for third place.

The cheers of the home fans were quickly silenced, however, as Somerset immediately hit back with their second maximum heat win of the match to go six points to the good.  The signs were not good in the first instance as Simon Walker failed to make the start within the 2 minutes time allowance, and was promptly excluded from the race.

Jordan Frampton came in as replacement and made a blinding start to lead from the off.  With Emil Kramer covering his partner from any possible attack by the Reading duo, Frampton sped away for his second heat win of the night to the resounding cheers of the Somerset fans who had made the relatively short trip to Berkshire.

Three more shared heats followed with two thirds of the meeting now completed time was fast running out for the home side if they were to salvage anything from the match, and their cause was not helped as Somerset increased their lead to eight points in heat 11 with their number 1, Jason Doyle, taking an easy win.  With Frampton picking up the point for third place after getting the better of Reading’s Jamie Smith in a tough first bend, the writing was now well and truly on the wall for the Racers.

Kramer then produced a stunning ride to win heat 12 ahead of the hereto unbeaten Ostergaard, who put Somerset’s ‘Super Swede’ under intense pressure for the whole four laps, but Kramer never buckled and held on for the win that virtually sealed the victory for Somerset.

A nasty looking incident marred the next race as Somerset’s Jordan Frampton clipped Lemon’s back wheel as the riders entered the pits bend send both riders hurtling towards the Smallmead air fence in a horrific looking crash.  Such was the force that they hit the air fence that Frampton’s bike ended up going through the fence and onto the dog track!  Luckily both riders were soon up on their feet, but Reading’s hopes of snatching a win at the death were dealt a severe blow as Lemon was forced to withdraw from the meeting with a hip injury.

With Frampton excluded from the rerun, it left Doyle as the sole Rebel and although Madsen initially headed the field, Doyle swept round the outside of the hapless Dane and speed away for the heat win that maintained Somerset’s eight point lead.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and so in a final throw of the die, Reading’s Ostergaard came into the penultimate heat as a tactical substitute for Jamie Smith, the Dane starting off a 15 metre handicap.  If Reading were to take this match into a last heat decider, then it needed a big ride from Ostergaard’s partner, Chris Mills, but any hopes they had of this happening evaporated after less than a quarter of a lap as Mills, trying to make up for a bad start, over did it on the first bend, coming to grief in the process, allowing Katt and Walker through in the process.

Although Ostergaard then produced a superb ride to make light of his 15 metre handicap to be leading the race by the end of the opening lap, his six race points were not enough to save Reading from defeat with the final heat still to come.

Another win, his fifth of the night, by Ostergaard in heat 15 was of little consequence for the home fans as Madsen fell on the opening lap to leave Kramer and Doyle to cruise round for the minor places and the meeting victory.

Make no mistake about it, this was a superb win by Somerset, based, yet again on a solid all round team performance that has been the Rebel ‘hallmark’ so far this year, and put them in the driving seat as far as qualification for the semi-final stages of the Premier Trophy.

Report: Ian Belcher

Newport Wasps – 43

1. Craig Watson - 0, 3, rtd, 3, 2^, 3 = 11

2. Paul Clews - 1, 0, 2, 2 = 5
3. Marek Mroz - 0, 0, 2*, rtd = 2+1
4. Tony Atkin - 2, 2, 3, 3 = 10
5. Sebastian Truminski - 3, 2, 4^, 1, 0 = 10

6. Nick Simmons - 2, flx, 1*, 1 = 4+1
7. Jerran Hart - 0, 1, 0 = 1

Somerset Rebels - 50
1. Jason Doyle - 3, 3, 3, 2, 1* = 12+1
2. Simon Walker - 2*, 1, 1, 0 = 4+1
3. Emil Kramer - 3, 3, 3, 3, 2 = 14

4. Henning Loof - 1, 1, 1, = 3
5. Brent Werner - 2, 1*, 0, rtd = 3+1
6. Stephan Katt - 3, 2, 1, 2*, 2 = 10+1
7. Jordan Frampton - 1, rtd, 3, flx = 4

SCB Referee: Barbara Horley

Heat Details
Heat 01: Doyle, Walker, Clews, Watson 59.9 (1-5) (1-5)
Heat 02: Katt, Simmons, Frampton, Hart 60.7 (2-4) (3-9)
Heat 03: Kramer, Atkin, Loof, Mroz 59.7 (2-4) (5-13)

Heat 04: Truminski, Werner, Hart, Frampton (rtd). 61.1 (4-2) (9-15)
Heat 05: Doyle, Atkin, Walker, Mroz 61.9 (2-4) (11-19)
Heat 06: Watson, Katt, Werner, Clews 61.2 (3-3) (14-22)
Heat 07: Kramer, Truminski, Loof, Simmons (flx) 60.9 (2-4) (16-26)
Heat 08: Frampton, Clews, Walker, Hart 61.3 (2-4) (18-30)
Heat 09: Atkin, Mroz, Katt, Werner 61.9 (5-1) (23-31)
Heat 10: Kramer, Clews, Loof, Watson (fl-rmtd) 60.2 (2-4) (25-35)
Heat 11: Doyle, Truminski, Simmons, Walker 60.8 (5-3) (30-38)
Heat 12: Kramer, Katt, Hart, Mroz (rtd) 63.7 (1-5) (31-43)
Heat 13: Watson, Doyle, Truminski, Werner (rtd) 61.5 (4-2) (35-45)
Heat 14: Atkin, Katt, Watson, Frampton (flx). Awarded (5-2) (40-47)
Heat 15: Watson, Kramer, Doyle, Truminski 61.6 (3-3) (43-50)

Following two shakedowns in last weeks challenge matches, the Somerset ‘Sharp’ Rebels took on the Newport Wasps for their first competitive action of the season. On Sunday the Hayley Stadium was the venue, which saw the two teams contest their opening fixture of the 2008 Premier Trophy.

Newport were bolstered by the return to their ranks of Craig Watson. The Australian, who is worshipped as a hero by the Wasps fans, had spent last season absent from Queensway Meadows. He spent last term, firstly in a disappointing return to the Elite League, and later at Glasgow, where he enjoyed a successful end to the season, as he recovered from the previous seasons serious injury.

Earlier in the week, Wasps promoter Tim Stone had spoken to the press, saying that he felt that his side could halt the trend of the Rebels dominance in recent clashes between the two sides. Mike Golding’s men chose to do their talking on the track, and did it in some style too. In Heat 1 they got off to the best possible start when Jason Doyle and Simon Walker got away to the best start, and led all the way from Nick Simmons. Craig Watson was slowly away, and never got into the hunt.

Heat 2 also went to the Rebels, with Stephan Katt making a fast start, taking the win from Nick Simmons. It took two attempts to get the race under way, after Jerran Hart, making his league debut, fell on the opening turn. Hart was lucky to be included in the re-run, as the referee appeared to be letting the race run after his fall, only stopping the race when Hart did not rise. With the rest of the field approaching the fourth turn, it came as a surprise to many that Barbara Horley did not exclude Hart. Hart was on the floor again in the re-run, falling as he challenged Jordan Frampton at the end of the opening lap.

The Rebels continued to pile on the pressure in Heat 3, with Emil Kramer leading all the way from Tony Atkin. The race was more memorable for the fact that it marked the first point scored in British league speedway by Henning Loof. Loof made a good start, and held his line around the opening turn to take a deserved third place from Marek Mroz, returning to loud cheers from the visiting fans. Emil Kramer returned the fastest time of the day in this heat, 59.7 sec, and the track grading that followed, strangely added over a second to the subsequent four heat times, and despite the track crew’s efforts it never returned to the fast times set in the opening heats.

With the Rebels taking all three opening heats, they had established an early 8-point lead; it was left to Sebastian Truminski to steady the Newport ship. The Pole shot from the tapes in Heat 4 to lead from his teammate, Jerran Hart. Brent Werner, who had a superb home debut a couple of days earlier was third in the opening turn, and quickly worked his way passed the young Ipswich born rider, as they ran down the back straight. Jordan Frampton lifted at start, and retired with mechanical problems before a lap was completed.

Heat 5 saw the Rebels turning the screw once more, as Jason Doyle took his second win of the day, but it was skipper Simon Walker who got the best start ahead of his teammate, and his Wasps counterpart, Tony Atkin. As Walker took a tight line, Atkin and Doyle swooped on the outside of the back straight, with Atkin holding the upper hand over the first lap. Doyle bided his time, and when the opportunity arose he took it, cutting up the inside of Atkin on the back straight second time around. Simon Walker worked his way back into the race, and came with a big run off the final turn, but could not quite get back on terms.