66MERCURY May 9, 2008e-mail: sportsdesk@hertsessexnews.co.ukRye House Rockets speedway reports round-up, pictures and all the latest team newsSampford:
Mear8217s a
sensationROCKETS team manager
John Sampford has praised
the efforts ofRobert Mear
whose amazing 16 point
haul from seven rides made
all the difference in
Monday8217s close encounter
with Workington.
"We always new it was going
to be hard 8211 but it was even
stiffer than we thought,8221 he
said.
8220It was another team effort
that got us through,
although I guess I have to
single out Robert Mear for
special praise.
8220We8217re running out of
words to describe him 8211 he
was just brilliant, and fully
deserves his move up into
the team.8221
Sampford also expressed his
disappointment at his team8217s
narrow defeat in Cumbria
on Saturday.
"It was frustrating, for sure,
to go eight points up early
on, and then end up losing
by two.
8220The track leant itselfto the
situation where we were
able to pull away early on
because we had the better
gate positions. 8220Later on in
the meeting, when the posi-
tions came round, the
Comets came to the fore,
pulled the points back and
went in front.
8220We managed to stay in it
until Heat 14, where we got
the 5-1 that took it to a last
heat decider.
8220Unfortunately, although we
won the toss for that last
race, and chose the best set
ofgates, Daniel Nermark
popped out ofthe start, and
was away.
"I hope that at the very least
it's helped lay the perception
ofthe Rockets having a 8216big
track bogey8217 to rest.8221
But Sampford was delighted
with the Premier Trophy
victory at Mildenhall.
"It8217s always a great feeling
to get that first away win of
the year. We rode really
well, and hopefully the
result will set us up for a
few more on the road.8221q
qROCKETStravel to
Somerset for a Premier
League match tonight and
host Edinburgh tomorrow
(7pm), for what promises to
be a thrilling encounter
against the form team ofthe
moment.Gutsy Bowen helps
shoulder injury burdenGUTSYLuke Bowen rode
through the pain barrier to
help steer his Rockets side to
a comfortable victory over
Workington at Hoddesdon on
Monday.The Harlow-born rider may
have only scored four points
from his four outings 8211 but he
displayed nerves ofsteel to set
foot on the track where just a
few weeks earlier he had been
involved in a horrific crash
which saw him career into the
safety fence.
Bowen suffered a serious
shoulder injury, but after
extensive physiotherapy the
former Mark Hall School pupil
took his place in Rockets8217 line-
up for the Workington clash
with heavy strapping.
It was hot, dusty and the
start was delayed due to the
late arrival ofthe ambulance,
but the action served up was
well worth waiting for.
The Rockets gained revenge
for the narrow defeat at
Derwent Park two days earlier
and the final score certainly
belied the intensity ofthe rac-
ing.
It took another huge haul
from Robert Mear, who fin-
ished the meet with 16 points
from seven rides and key
points from Tai Woffinden and
Stefan Ekberg to see the
Rockets home.
The visitors showed early on
that they definitely meant busi-
ness, by taking an 11-7 lead
after three races.
Daniel Nermark won the
opener in a swift time of57.1
seconds, with Barry Burchatt
following him home ahead of
Bowen and an under-powered
Chris Neath.
Although Mear won Heat 2,
Joe Haines and John Branney
squeezed out Danny Halsey for
the minor placings, while
Nieminen headed home
Woffinden and Ekberg in the
following race.
Heat 4 was something spe-
cial, with Ekberg surging
round Carl Stonehewer on the
back straight to claim victory,
and Mear charging around
John Branney and Stonehewer
over the next two laps to join
his partner for a 5-1.
Ifthat race was special, the
next was sensational, as Mear
once again left it late before he
drove inside Burchatt for sec-
ond spot behind Woffinden.
The Rockets8217 second straight
maximum gave them the lead,
at 17-13.
More mechanical misery for
race leader Neath gifted the
Comets a 5-1 oftheir own in
Heat 6, but Rockets went back
in front in Heat 8, after
Burchatt fell battling Mear for
the lead, to produce an award-
ed 4-2.
Mear and Woffinden took the
Rockets8217 advantage to six
points by easing home against
Stonehewer in the next race.
Skipper Neath8217s afternoon
finally took a turn for the bet-
ter with a win over the previ-
ously unbeaten Nieminen in
Heat 10. Bowen8217s third place
point made it 34-26.
Daniel Halsey and Nermark
were involved in a tangle in
Heat 11, with the Swede exclud-
ed and injured in the process.
Ekberg won the re-run, with
Halsey just holding off
Burchatt for the 5-1 that took
the score to 39-27.
Any remaining Workington
thoughts ofa comeback ended
when Woffinden came through
to win against the Tactically
nominated Nieminen in the
next race.
The Rockets went on to
cement their victory with fur-
ther wins from Ekberg and
Mear, before Stonehewer
brought the curtain down on a
fine match by holding offthe
British under-21 Champion in
the finale.
Rye House scorers: C Neath 4 (from four
rides); L Bowen 4 (4); T Woffinden13 (5);
S Ekberg 12+1 (5); D Halsey 3+2 (4); R
Mear 16+3 (7).qRYEHouse Rockets8217walk-
ing wounded produced a
tremendous overall per-
formance to force a last heat
decider at Workington on
Saturday, but lost out 46-44.
Despite the absence of
regulars Tommy Allen,
Luke Bowen and Danny
Betson, Rockets shocked the
Comets by taking an early
eight point advantage, and
then rebounded from the
home side8217s subsequent
fight-back to take the match
to its final four laps.
Rockets guest rider JoshCLASSACT:Andrew Aldridge (3) and Lee Strudwick (4) in action for the Cobras
against Sittingbourne in Heat 3 at Hoddesdon on Saturday
Photo: ZNPJ2FFW-01Kiwi shines for Cobras
in debut to rememberNEWZealand newcomer
Andrew Aldridge made a
stunning debut as the Kart
Raceway Cobras built up
a healthy 26-point
advantage in the
Conference League KO
Cup on Saturday.
The Cobras showed no
signs of rustiness after
two early postponements
to sweep aside the Kent
visitors and put
themselves in the driving
seat for this Sunday8217s
second leg.
Aldridge went through the
card unbeaten in six rides,
a feat replicated by team-
mate Lee Strudwick.
They received solid
support from Gary
Cottham and 15-year-old
Richard Franklin.
But for mechanical and
other problems for Rob
Smith and Terry Day, the
winning margin could
have been even higher.
For Strudwick, it was a
first-ever maximum in Rye
House colours, and the
19-year-old is quickly
showing that his recent
British Under-21 Final
appearance is no flash-in-
the pan.
Aldridge had a British
team debut to remember,
setting the fourth fastest
time (57.8) seen at Rye
House this season.
The Kiwi also delivered
two of the races of the
night with a never-say-die
attitude that produced
last-gasp passes of Jerran
Hart in Heats 12 and 15.
Cobras registered eight
maximum advantages
against a visiting side hit
by the unavailability of
Barry Burchatt (signed
that week by Workington)
and Mark Baseby, who
failed a late fitness test on
a knee injury.
The Cobras were also
missing key riders,
however, with Danny
Halsey away with the
Rockets and Danny
Betson sidelined with a
hairline fracture of the left
elbow.
Rye House scorers: R
Smith 7 (from five rides);
A Aldridge 16+2 (6); L
Strudwick 16+2 (6); T Day
3+1 (4); R Franklin 7+3
(5); G Cottham 10 (4).Rye relief as away duck is finally brokenROCKETSfinally broke their away
duck as they eased home against the
Fen Tigers to ensure second spot in
their Premier Trophy group.
With five different visitors win-
ning races, the Rockets held the
Fenmen to just three such successes
and a single heat advantage.
Tai Woffinden and Stefan Ekberg
each dropped just one point, while
Robert Mear contributed three wins
on his way to to paid 13, and Danny
Halsey added a solid paid seven that
included a victory in Heat 2.
The Rockets were actually briefly
behind, as a fall by Chris Neath and
mechanical problems at the start line
for Mear, gave Mildenhall an early 7-
5 lead.
Woffinden8217s first win quickly
brought the sides level, before a trio
of4-2s put the Rockets in command.
Neath and Joe Haines delivered
the first in Heat 5, swiftly followed by
Ekberg and Halsey, with the hat-trick
completed when Woffinden surged
past Robbie Kessler, with Mear third,
in Heat 7.
Mear then moved to centre stage
himselfby edging Jari Makinen on
the line to win Heat 8, and partnered
Woffinden to the Heat 10 5-1 over
Kessler and Graverson that made the
score 35-25.
The Rockets8217 win was ultimately
cemented late on as both Graverson
and Kessler were excluded in Heat 12
to leave Ekberg and Neath to go
through the formality ofa 5-0. Rye House Rockets .. 52
Workington Comets . 40
Mildenhall ..................... 35
Rye House Rockets ......... 56(Premier League)
(Premier Trophy)Rye House ........... 59
Sittingbourne ...... 33(Conference League KOCup,
first round)Grajczonek performed solid-
lyly to end the night with
nine points from his five
rides
A crucial 5-1 from Robert
Mear and Stefan Ekberg,
against Charles Wright and
Haines set up the thrilling
finale.
Alas for the visitors their
long distance haul to
Cumbria saw victory for
Daniel Nermark in the nom-
inated race, with Ekberg
and Woffinden collecting
the minor places.
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