Isle Of Wight Vs Scunthorpe

[scribbler 213]

Given the inexperience of 3 of the 6 riders Saints, all in their first season - with Richie Worrall his first meeting - I think the scoreline was very respectable against an experienced home side.

[rhidassa 73]

Both Press Releases c/o BSPA...

 

Islanders Press Release

TO coincide with the visit of ex Southampton Saint Barry Briggs visiting the Island as part of his round Britain bike ride the Islanders duly gave an on track display that the management team of Chris Hunt and Kevin Shepherd knew they were more than capable of producing.

 

In very warm conditions the Islanders knew they had a fight on their hands from heat number one when the impressive visiting guest Newport Hornets Mark Jones lead his team mate Steve Worrall from the gate ahead of the Island home pairing of skipper Nick Simmons and debutant Rikki Scarboro. Simmons finally forced away past Worrall but could not catch the fast starting Jones.

 

The tide started to turn towards the Islanders in heat three when visiting Gary Irving was adjudged to of been the primary cause of the stoppage after falling on the first bend and duly disqualified from the re-run. His partner Scott Richardson then ground to a halt in the re-run and unfortunately it was too early in the race for him to be able to push home for a consolation point gifting the home side a 5-0 and a lead in the meeting they were never to lose.

 

Shrewd tactical moves by visiting team manager Stuart Parnaby include an 8-1 heat win in heat eight from Jones on a tactical ride and the impressive Ashley Birks kept the home side management on tender hooks as it brought the away side to within 6 points of the Islanders at the half way point.

 

This was followed by 3 shared heats including one when Brendan Johnson who was on a 5-1 with partner suffered a fall on the middle of bend 3&4 when under pressure from Steve Worrall, although Brendan had no complaints with the visiting riders move.

 

The race of the night however was still to come in heat 11 when the visiting duo of Jones and Scott Richardson led the home pairing of Ben Hopwood and Dean Felton from the gate, but Hopwood was having none of it and passed Jones going into the 3rd bend with a forceful but fair manoeuvre before passing Richardson to gain the heat win and it was good to see all riders shaking hands after the race.

 

Parnaby’s final throw of the dice was to put reserve Ashley Birks out on a tactical ride in heat 14 to try and salvage something from the meeting, all to no avail as the home pairing of Danny Warwick and Dean Felton roared to a 5-1 and assured the home team of all 3 league points.

 

Danny Warwick duly completed a 5 ride maximum in heat 15 when he led home skipper Nick Simmons for the 3rd 5-1 on the trot to give the Islanders a much needed morale boosting win.

 

Joint team managers Kev Shepherd and Chris Hunt gave full credit to Scunthorpe for their performance. Kev said afterwards Stuart arrived with a changed team due to rider’s unavailability and illness but give credit where credit is due and they gave a very good account of themselves and kept us on edge. Our riders knew we needed a victory to prove to them they still have the ability which we had never doubted they had.

 

Final Score Island 56 Scunthorpe 36

 

Scorers:

Island Nick Simmons 12+2, Rikky Scarboro 2, Brendan Johnson 7+2, Danny Warwick 15, Ben Hopwood 9, Dean Felton 6+2, Tom Hill 6

 

Scunthorpe Mark Jones (G) 12+1, Benji Compton R/R, Scott Richardson 8, Gary Irving 0, Steve Worrall 6, Ritchie Worrall 2+1, Ashley Birks 8+2

 

Saints Press Release

WITH a makeshift side, and four riders who had never seen the Isle of Wight’s massive 385-metre track before, the Jotun Paints Scunthorpe Saints produced a strong performance last night only for the Islanders’ side to finish the meeting with three 5-1 heat advantages to stretch the winning margin to twenty points.

 

The final score was Isle of Wight 56, Scunthorpe 36 and leading the Saints’ scorers was guest rider Mark Jones who scored twelve points. Scott Richardson and Ashley Birks registered eight points a piece whilst Steve Worrall recorded six after having to move up to number five.

 

With Benji Compton and Adam Wrathall out injured and Mark ‘Buzz’ Burrows unavailable because of a holiday the Saints were forced to track the inexperienced Ritchie Worrall, twin brother of Steve. The move also forced Steve out of the reserve berth but he immediately combined with Jones for a 4-2 heat victory in heat 1. Ashley Birks then worked his way past Dean Felton in heat 2 to keep the scores tied at six but the next race was a disaster for the Saints. First Gary Irving was excluded after coming down at the first bend and then Scott Richardson suffered an engine failure whilst second in the re-run.

 

There was a reversal of fortunes in heat four when former Saint, Ben Hopwood, fell whilst chasing Steve Worrall and it enabled Ritchie Worrall to record his first race point in another 4-2 heat advantage. It left the scores at 13-10 but three heat advantages to the Islanders meant Team Manager Stuart Parnaby had to use a tactical ride in heat 8. He used it to maximum effect as Mark Jones and Ashley Birks combined for a superb 8-1 to bring the scores back to 28-22.

 

Heat 9 certainly highlighted why Steve Worrall has been given his chance with the Premier League Scorpions with him re-passing Brendan Johnson entering turn three before chasing Danny Warwick to the line and, with Johnson falling shortly after being passed, the heat was shared. There was another drawn heat in heat 10 but the result could have been so different. The Saints pairing of Scott Richardson and Ashley Birks led until Market Rasen-based former Scorpion and Saint, Ricky Scarboro, making his home debut for the Islanders, rounded Birks at the end of the first lap. However, he then clipped the fence and crashed heavily half way down the straight. Thankfully the following riders managed to avoid him and despite being battered and bruised he walked away without any major injuries.

 

Sadly, in the re-run the Islanders’ number one, and another former Scunthorpe rider, Nick Simmons, who had been stuck at the back of the first running made the gate and went on to win the heat. With the Saints generally gating quite well they looked set for another 5-1 in heat 11 but with Mark Jones trying to protect his team-mate Scott Richardson, he himself was passed by Ben Hopwood on lap two before Hopwood went on to pass Richardson later in the race. However, with four races to go the scoreline was 37-31 in favour of the home side and everything was still to be raced for. Unfortunately a potential Saints 4-2 went the other way in heat 12 with Johnson just getting the better of Richardson at the end of the first lap and Ashley Birks coming a cropper whilst lying in third place.

 

With the track now quite slick the home side seemed to hold the advantage and Hopwood and Simmons claimed a 5-1 over Mark Jones and Steve Worrall in heat 13 to take the scores to 46-34. With the deficit twelve Stuart Parnaby gave Ashley Birks a tactical ride but he, along with Gary Irving, who had a disappointing meeting, were out-gated by Danny Warwick and Dean Felton and the home side had their second consecutive 5-1. Unsurprisingly Warwick and Simmons managed a third in heat 15 but there were plenty of positives to take out of the meeting and with Benji Compton set to return to the line-up at Weymouth on Friday, and Mark Jones to continue covering for ‘Buzz’ Burrows, the Saints will be hoping to pick up some league points before the weekend.

 

After Friday’s meeting at Weymouth the Saints are next in action at the Eddie Wright Raceway as part of a double-header meeting on Sunday 4th July (5pm start. The Saints take on the Rye House Cobras after the club’s two Premier League sides go head-to-head at 5pm.

 

Full scorers:

 

Isle of Wight Islanders 56 – Nick Simmons 12+2 (5 rides), Ricky Scarboro 2 (4), Brendan Johnson 7+2 (4), Danny Warwick 15 (5), Ben Hopwood 9 (4), Dean Felton 5+2 (4), Tom Hill 6 (4)

 

Jotun Paints Scunthorpe Saints 36 – Mark Jones 12+1 (6 rides, including a six point tactical ride), Scott Richardson 8 (6), Gary Irving 0 (4), Steve Worrall 6 (5), Ritchie Worrall 2+1 (3) Ashley Birks 8+2 (6)

 

1 Jones, Simmons, S Worrall, Scarboro, 70.4 (2-4)

2 Hill, Birks, Felton, R Worrall (fell, remounted), 72.7 (4-2) (6-6)

3 (re-run) Warwick, Johnson, Richardson (retired), Irving (fell, excluded),

 

69.8 (5-0) (11-6)

4 S Worrall, Hill, R Worrall, Hopwood (fell, remounted),

 

Birks (excluded, two minutes), 70.7 (2-4) (13-10)

5 Warwick, Johnson, Jones, Irving, 69.8 (5-1) (18-11)

6 Simmons, Birks, Scarboro, S Worrall, 69.7 (4-2) (22-13)

7 Hopwood, Felton, Richardson, Irving, 71.3 (5-1) (27-14)

8 Jones (tactical ride), Birks, Scarboro, Hill, 71.3 (8-1) (28-22)

9 Warwick, S Worrall, R Worrall, Johnson (fell), 71.7 (3-3) (31-25)

10 (re-run) Simmons, Richardson, Birks, Scarboro (fell, excluded), 70.6 (3-3) (34-28)

11 Hopwood, Richardson, Jones, Felton, 71.3 (3-3) (37-31)

12 Johnson, Richardson, Hill, Birks (fell, remounted), 71.9 (4-2) (41-33)

13 Hopwood, Simmons, Jones, S Worrall, 70.2 (5-1) (46-34)

14 Warwick, Felton, Birks (tactical ride), Irving, 71.7 (5-1) (51-35)

15 Warwick, Simmons, Richardson, Jones (fell), 71.4 (5-1) (56-36)

 

National League points: Isle of Wight 3, Scunthorpe 0

[iggyy 0]

Inclined to agree... IOW reserves =

 

Dean Felton - 40+ and had his first season riding in 1994

 

Tom Hill - 24 and first season riding in 2003 - although there are gaps in his career.

 

 

Perhaps reserves should be under 18 or in their first 2 season in Speedway...at least under the old grading system for this level of Speedway it couldn't happen...

 

RIGHT IF YOUR GOING TO BE LIKE THAT THEN WHY DONT YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ALL THESE "HAVE BEEN" RIDERS IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE???

SO WHY POST THAT RESERVES SHOULD BE 18YO ETC??WHY NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT RIDERS WHO RACE IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE PREMIER ELITE??

 

Mod Note PLEASE DO NOT SHOUT - posting in capital letters is considered shouting

[scribbler 213]

RIGHT IF YOUR GOING TO BE LIKE THAT THEN WHY DONT YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ALL THESE "HAVE BEEN" RIDERS IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE???

SO WHY POST THAT RESERVES SHOULD BE 18YO ETC??WHY NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT RIDERS WHO RACE IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE PREMIER ELITE??

 

Mod Note PLEASE DO NOT SHOUT - posting in capital letters is considered shouting

 

I have done ... on many occassions...

 

The National League is - in the Official Rulebook - known as the National Development League.

 

I am also one of a fairly vocal minority of supporters who think that the reserve places in the PL should be young British riders. I also think that there should be a minimum number of British riders (2 ?) in the EL.

 

My reasoning in all this is that Team GB will cease to exist in the near future if young British riders are not brought through the Leagues. Promoters seem to think that foreign riders must be better riders...

 

If you read the thread National Development League you will see varying opinions on the subject of age and nationality...and I stand by my opinion that I gave in the quote that you used...

[KenB1 23]

Some footage from Heat 10 on my website, the full dvd is also available. http://t2tvmediauk.webplus.net/index.html