Birmingham Vs Eastbourne 2nd September (@ 7:30?)

[ruckerroo 792]

Ht8 killed eastie, half a lap clear on a 5-1 and spiller picked up and crashed, they were home and dry if staying upright.

 

Well done brum

[Brummie Kev 519]

That meeting had everything, absolutely brilliant! Some great racing at times, some points thrown away from both sides, a great duel between Adam Ellis and Bradley Wilson Dean, some big crashes and a meeting won on the last heat. For me thats in my top 3 Brummies matches since 2007 when i followed the sport.

 

Massive respect to both teams for the effort they put it, we had our slice of luck like Heat 8 when it was Spiller and Andrews were miles infront over Govier on a 5-1 then Spiller ploughs into the main straight fence. We had that heat when BWD missed the two minutes and had to come off 15m, then he came off third bend in the rerun when he probably would have caught a Brummie. We had a bit aswell like when Eliis came off miles in front for no reason, I thought at the time we would be made to pay for it but in the end we didnt.

 

The duel between Adam Ellis and Bradley Wilson Dean was great, nobody upto now imo is a match for Ellis in the NL. We saw BWD gate and get in front of Adam in Heat 1 but Adam passed in during the race but BWD got is revenge in heat 13 with a great gate and ride to win. However with so much on the meeting going into heat 15 BWD gated ahead of Ellis but Adam passed him back straight first lap to win it for the Brummies. Enjoyed that and I must add a Tom Perry special round the outside of Andrews and BWD in one move in heat 11. I kid you not I shut my eyes, as I thought for all the tea in china that Perry was going into the fence.

 

A big result for us but we need to get something from Mildenhall on sunday. That was a fantastic advert for not only the NL but the sport, well done Eastbourne, your riders gave it their all tonight.

Edited September 2, 2015 by Brummie Kev

[LordoftheShale 32]

Three more points for Birmingham, that'll do me.

[CUFC_Brummie 132]

Absolutely brilliant result, best of the admittedly few meetings I've seen this season. Thrills and spills for both sides, but credit to Adam and Zach (who did his job of bogging down BWD in turn 1) for pulling out what we needed in heat 15.

 

Now to find a way to get to Mildenhall on Sunday....

Edited September 2, 2015 by CUFC_Brummie

[arnieg 3,637]

Well that was a meeting of contrasts. An almost unraceable track (falls in every one of heats 2 to 9) but a fiercely competitive match with Tom Perry showing no fear for the conditions and Ellis and BWD proving well matched.

 

The advantage swung from one team to the other with never more than four points separating the teams and just one going into heat 15 after Hopwood and Spiller salvaged a 3-all in Ht 14 from what looked to be heading for a Brummie 5-1 for two laps.

 

Brummies have had a fantastic year after last year's agonising death, but I hope Mildenhall pull off a shock win on Sunday just to keep this intriguing title battle between two well matched (but vey differently structured) teams going a little longer.

 

A great shame that the weather affected the crowd, more paying fans would have improved the atmosphere and Birmingham's bank balance - but what an absorbing contest.

[uk_martin 1,606]

Well that was a meeting of contrasts. An almost unraceable track (falls in every one of heats 2 to 9) but a fiercely competitive match with Tom Perry showing no fear for the conditions and Ellis and BWD proving well matched...

...

A great shame that the weather affected the crowd, more paying fans would have improved the atmosphere and Birmingham's bank balance - but what an absorbing contest....

 

If the definition of an unraceable track is measured by the number of fallers, then Birmingham's track has been unraceable all year. Last night's faller count was 11. The season's average is about 9. Hardly an earth shattering difference, so hardly a fair way to come to that conclusion. Granted that it was disappointing that a higher than average tumble count came in the match between the league's top two teams, but then again these are youngsters for whom this may be their first experience of real pressure...so maybe there were other factors at play?

 

I have to admit to being disappointed with the crowd levels. OK it had been wet in the previous days, but this isn't the EL any more, NL riders are known for "getting on with it" so the experienced fans should have expected to see some racing. That said, I'll go back to what I said before the season started, that success or failure for the Brummies won't be measured by whether or not they win the league, but on how much bigger the crowd is at the end of the season than it was at the start of the season. Sad to report, that despite topping the league, and having the best rider and the best British newcomer in the league, and despite winning the NL 4's, there's not been any obvious growth in numbers. Mind you, nor have there been any high profile fan recruitment campaigns either. It seems to me that there's enough income from the existing and increasingly aged fan base to pay the bills and to "make it worthwhile" to just plod on as is. There seems to be a contentment with the status-quo and no apparent ambition to elevate the club...or not at this point anyway.

 

So, has the season been a success? Well, it ran it's course, which is what it didn't do last year, that has to be a good thing. But by just treading water rather than building for long term survival and viability, that has to be seen as a bad thing. Seems to me that Tony Mole's tactics are to allow income to exceed the lower levels of expenditure at this level of speedway and to deliver a club that has a decent set of accounts so that he can sell it on (as he undoubtedly will) to someone else prepared to take the risks of advancing the club. An understandable strategy for someone of his age, as just like the fans, he's no spring chicken any more. Hardly reassuring to the fans who want to see something more befitting "one of the biggest clubs in speedway" (quote: Graham Drury)

Edited September 3, 2015 by uk martin

[catinthehat 115]

Shame really but i guess if Birmingham pick cradely in the Gold Cup then we will know is all about money in the pockets.

[Graham C 10]

Shame really but i guess if Birmingham pick cradely in the Gold Cup then we will know is all about money in the pockets.

Birmingham would be crazy to pick any team other than Cradley in the Gold Cup Semi-Final(if they have the choice).

 

Guaranteed good crowd, plenty of "local" media interest, money in the bank - balance this against choosing any other opponents.

You would probably get a "decent" crowd, but nowhere near as good as against Cradley, "local" media interest and money in the bank, would also be reduced.

 

Given the choice Brummies should choose Cradley, with the 1st leg at "home", and, if we did happen to qualify for the Final see what we can do to maximise the interest from supporters and media alike, having already had a "Bumper" pay day in the Semi's!

[catinthehat 115]

I can see the reason why but thats going to be a close one for Birmingham too a very big chance to take, whos is going to be 4th Rye House or Coventry?

[uk_martin 1,606]

I can see the reason why but thats going to be a close one for Birmingham too a very big chance to take, whos is going to be 4th Rye House or Coventry?

Consider if they chose Coventry or Rye House and lost...

 

Eastbourne with trick track advantage will beat Birmingham over 2 legs so grab the money on the way to the final whilst you can. Total business sense. Remember, Tony Mole is a businessman first and foremost, NOT a romantic.

[Countershaftcounter 360]

Just noticed on the updates site that Dugard was RR in heat 4. i thought RR didn't count as a normal ride ? Therefore he didn't take his 3 rides ??

[kitten2502 261]

Just noticed on the updates site that Dugard was RR in heat 4. i thought RR didn't count as a normal ride ? Therefore he didn't take his 3 rides ??

That thought also crossed my mind..........

[Alan_Jones 1,005]

Just noticed on the updates site that Dugard was RR in heat 4. i thought RR didn't count as a normal ride ? Therefore he didn't take his 3 rides ??

 

It does, it's any 3 rides.