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EASTBOURNE EAGLES 50 – LAKESIDE HAMMERS 43 |
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Sun 29 Mar 2009
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| Posted by
Thankyou to Eastbourne Eagles Website |
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(Aggregate Hammers 100 - Eagles 88)
KNOCKOUT CUP – 2nd LEG : SATURDAY 28th MARCH 2009
Despite a valiant effort and a hard fought 50-43 home victory, Sussex speedway squad Eastbourne Eagles relinquished their hold on the Knockout Cup as near neighbours, the Lakeside Hammers completed the job they had started the previous evening and went through to the competitions semi-final stage by a 12-point aggregate margin, 100-88 over the two legs.
The Purfleet outfit had amassed an imposing 19-point, 57-38 lead around their home shale and try though they might, and indeed they looked to be coming close at times, the Eagles found that just too big a hurdle to overcome.
With the home side preparing to play that 19-point catch up, a positive opening to proceedings was imperative if they were to reel in their rivals, however it was former Eagle Adam Shields who powered away from the tapes winning at a canter to dent the home sides ambition, Davey Watt trading places with partner Cameron Woodward to at least anchor a share of the spoils.
The Sussex faithful were handed a moment to cheer in the next, Ricky Kling and Simon Gustafsson gating side by to see off the challenge of visiting reserve duo Robert Mear and Stuart Robson but their joy at the 5-1 was unfortunately shortlived as Joonas Kylmakorpi and Lee Richardson immediately countered the result with a maximum of their own, comfortably ahead of Lukas Dryml with Lewis Bridger seldom looking likely to make up ground after a shabby start and he was set to pull up on the final lap.
With equilibrium restored at 9-9, a further 3-3 moved the scores to 12-points apiece, David Norris nipping sharply from the start to lead the chasing Robson and Kauko Nieminen for the full four laps but sadly Norris’s victory wasn’t destined to be supplemented by Gustafsson who suffered a fall at the tail end of lap two.
Heat five was about to restore the smile to the faces of the Eagles supporters however, Dryml scorching into th e first turn and away for his first race win in Eastbourne colours. With Bridger winning a compelling duel with Shields this completed the home sides second 5-1, one that offered them a 4-point lead on the night (17-13) but with 15-points (70-55) still the difference over the two legs, there was a mountain still to be scaled if they were to avoid being bundled out of the competition.
Race six was twice thwarted, an unsatisfactory start, Watt taking a tumble at the first turn, then a subsequent exclusion for Mear following a fall when Lakeside were holding a 5-1, being responsible for calling the remaining three riders back under orders for a third time.
As the action resumed, this time it was Watt who emerged clear of Nieminen and that was how it stayed with Woodward making a gallant, if ultimately fruitless attempt to get on terms.
Even so the 4-2 drew the Sussex side ever closer to their visitors, 21-15 now the score on the night with the aggregate disparity a still imposing 13-points, 72-59 in favour of the Hammers.
Kylmakorpi and Richardson were on hand to spoil home hopes once again however, their second 5-1 of proceedings bringing the visitors to within 2-points of their hosts once more. Indeed heat seven had proved particularly problematic for the home side, Kling suffering a tapes exclusion, then Gustafsson a fall before Norris was merely able to follow the two former Eagles to the chequered flag.
The Sussex duo of Woodward and Gustafsson remained undaunted however, and hit right back with a swift reply 5-1, this coming at the expense of Robson and Davidsson, but with 13-points (now 78-65) still the difference and just six heats still remaining time and opportunity to claw back the balance was suddenly in short supply.
Bridg er and Dryml combined to snip a further 2-points from the deficit however, their 4-2, with Nieminen taking second place moving the totals on the night to 31-23 with the aggregate reducing to 11-points, 80-69.
Race ten instilled further belief however as Watt and Woodward blazed away for Eagles fourth 5-1 of the match, well ahead of the previously unbeaten Kylmakorpi with Richardson, who had also yet to be headed by a home rider, suffering a fall on the second turn.
With that the scores on the night now stood at an impressive 36-24, the aggregate standings being eroded further to just 7-points (81-74).
With the Eastbourne lead now in double figures however, this handed Hammers boss Jon Cook the opportunity to employ tactics and Shields was quickly nominated to ride for double points.
In rather bizarre circumstances heat ten was effectively to prove their undoing. To be truthful the Hammers already led in the 8-1 position, Shields leading the charge with Davidsson holding off Norris in second. As the riders headed down the back straight at the second time of asking, a red light, presumably from a camera in the crowd was sighted and each rider slowed anticipating the race to have been halted.
Indeed no such action had been taken by referee Mick Posselwhite and following a degree of hesitation, the Hammers pair sped up again and continued to claim the 8-1 that was destined to prise the Cup from Eastbourne’s grasp.
Bridger took heat 12 comfortably from Richardson while Gustafsson’s last bend spurt that saw him overcome Robson on the line earned Eagles the 4-2 that meant no fewer than three 5-1’s in the final three races would yet see them through.
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That also meant of course that the Hammers were only one second place away from a place in the semi’s and it was that man Shields again who duly obliged and although he trailed Watt home in heat thirteen, importantly he was ahead of Norris and that proved sufficient to see them into the next round.
Dryml powered past Kylmakorpi in the penultimate race to record his second victory of the night and although they were now out of the Cup that at least offered the home fans some solace and the knowledge that the best of the former Grand Prix rider is yet to come.
The final word belonged with the Hammers however, Shields finishing just as he’d started with a win ahead of Watt and with Kylmakorpi also fending off Bridger for a show closing 4-2, one that saw the visiting fans much the happier as they filed from the stadium.
Scorers :
Eagles :
Davey Watt 13(5), Lewis Bridger 8+1(5), Lukas Dryml 8(4), Cameron Woodward 7+2(4), Simon Gustafsson 5+2(5), David Norris 5(4), Ricky Kling 4(3) – 50 (Aggregate 88)
Hammers :
Adam Shields 15(5), Joonas Kylmakorpi 10(5), Lee Richardson 6+2(4), Kauko Nieminen 5+1(4), Stuart Robson 3(4), Jonas Davidsson 2+1(4), Robert Mear 2+1(4) – 43 (Aggregate 100) |
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