marko

Gater1 mentioned about £17 being too much to see a team lose, well it's too much to see your team win as well because people go to speedway hoping more than expecting a win, they do expect and have the right to expect to see some entertaining action though and that was not provided last night and all too often it's the case at other tracks.

people can mock the World Cup but I would rather watch Spain vs Holland than the guest ridden elite league.

Watching via bet 365 gives a good chance to see action from other tracks over a period of time, meets from Perry Bar I have personally found to be as entertaining as any.

Had a very small bet that Cook would not effectively turn up and Barker would outscore him which he did very comfortably, bet was won even before Ben's appearance in heat 15.

Lakeside are a strength in depth team as an end result, it was not planned out to be like that, PK and Davey were signed to lead the team from the front, not reduce themselves to being average seven point riders that take points off third heat leaders and second strings whilst constantly being out done by other teams top riders in the key final few heats, its only the form of Richard Lawson, Mikkel Bech and to an extent Lewis Bridger that is keeping this team up the higher end of the table. Like Falcon Hammer said this team will not win anything because they are not capable of finishing the job off against teams who choose to go down the top heavy route. (its why Cookie dislikes the tactical ride, teams like Lakeside are so vulnerable to it) A top heavy side will beat one of strength in depth any day of the week, that's been the case for many a year. Also whilst i like the new format in general unlike previous seasons when a strength in depth will have reserves and second strings swapping places and heat leaders and second strings swapping places, this one is so tied down, the reserves stay at reserve and because of the rolling averages a lesser performing heat leader does not get a chance to ride some so called easier races nor does a on form second string get to test himself against consistently better riders, Richard Lawson should be riding at a heat leader not a second string and likewise PK who is our 5th averaged rider should not be riding in a heat leader position. Do i think Richard Lawson could do the job of a heat leader in the Elite? not sure at all but he proved with his heat 15 at Poole there is more to come from him and he does not fear any opponent.

When the Supernation Marathon was staged at Arena Essex all those years ago the start Marshall would often run off the track in the eight man final, those eight man races over what was 12 laps were really something unique.

Sky seemed to be anti Hammers tonight for some reason or maybe i am just being paranoid? anyway typical show from them, always going on about the weather then making no effort to get the meeting through with heat 15 being completed right on the two hour mark, clearly have not learnt a thing from the recent rain affected meetings.

Was not classic agent Watt stuff tonight though, at least he did try but the lines were not there, that said when the Poole meeting was rained off two weeks ago and they switched it to the end of the season when the picture will be clearer then you can expect some shenanigans if Poole need points to make the top four, that is the only reason i don't want him in the side. Maybe the agent Watt thing is a bit old hat but there are certainly times where the old boys head just isnt in it.

Feel sorry for non Hammers fans losing money tonight, at least i can get it back by not going on Friday if i so choose thus saving a score and getting half my money back, well lets face it, they only have themselves to blame for not getting the job done.

yep lost a tenner but thats my fault for putting the bet on, a handicap win would have worked however this was a great chance for Lakeside and they pretty much blew it bit like last season when they went to Eastbourne when they were seriously weakened with missing riders and you cant even say Hammers would have done better with Lawson and Bridger because Robbo and Schlein were excellent really tonight.

I have to admit Hammers have worked the guest system to its max here, pound for pound we are definately stronger I feel whilst Vue will be weaker, all the pressure then on Lakeside however nothing is certain the way both Pk and Davey have been performing at times. Just hope if the meeting starts it runs its course, I'm well cheesed off with all the manipulation from team managers when rain is around, awarding results after ten heats was always asking for trouble.

Only way to make a point is to boycott but not a few here and there but get together and pick one match, maybe arrange to go there but just sit in car park as a protest, hitting DH in the pocket is the only way, promoters in General would run the sport without us if they could but can't afford to, like it or not they need fans or there play thing becomes an expensive toy they can't keep. In meantime why not sign Daniel Davidsson if he still riding, when he rode for lakeside his gating was immense and would be a ten point rider around that track, probably only three everywhere else though.

Who is the ref? he is a blatant homer, if Lynn don't get four points from this meeting it will be a travesty. PS someone tell Sky not to go anywhere near this place, it will make our sport look terrible.

Every race seems so strung out, if you make the gate you look a million dollars, miss it and you look awful, they need to sort that track out badly, even PK could not pass Doolan ffs

Kelvin said he has a look a track, hmmm sounds like they are in a studio though and probably not even in that country.

Amazing isnt it, Cookie protests that the tactical ride is unfair but has no problem with a team winning the league possibly finishing the regular season as low as 4th and maybe up to 10-15 points off what the team who came top did, how can one be unfair and the other not?

Absolutely right, loses at home will not go down well at any track but especially Poole, you can bet their unofficial spokesman will be on the phone to Matt Ford in the morning begging him to make changes as he cant show his face on here for fear of embarrassment right now, shame one man has to give the club such a poor image as the rest don't deserve the stick which is often thrown at them because of the actions of a minority.

Not surprised, this rain off was on the cards right from the word go this morning.

The academy was rained off this morning so they have had a bit of rain there overnight, if it stays dry for the rest of the day then it wont be a problem but there are heavy showers forecast as possible, the strength of the Poole side is a bit off putting but if today was a nice sunny day with no threat i would be going tonight no question, i guess i will have to keep on eye on things but not prepared to risk making wasted journeys anymore, if i miss a good meeting because i make a wrong judgement call so be it.

Well i have no intention of going to this meeting, but more because ive learnt over the many seasons speedway that weather does not mix and there is no point in wasting petrol in going to a meeting which is by no means certain to either start or be completed. With the heavy rain we had in south essex overnight and this morning and ive seen the radar images, not many places would have got away with it, im sure the track is already in a soggy state, more rain expected during the afternoon some it likely to be heavy.

As of 09:30 this morning no mention of any guests on the preview page for tonight's meeting on the Lakeside official site, they are actually listing the Pirates side as normal, false advertising?

Bit surprised Lakeside have not called this off already as they seem hell bent on taking the moral high ground on anything in recent times even if it means they are cutting off their own noses to spite their face, is this really the same Jon Cook who was at Eastbourne? he never shy'd away from puling a few strings or taking advantage of the others misfortunes and bending rules when he was with them more often than not at the expense of Arena Essex.

Some really good racing in this meeting, Barker's heat 3rd to 1st in the last race was awesome stuff and got them the three league points, would have been harsh not to get them just because six points were gifted to Eagles via the joker rule.

Just found out the name of the rider i was thinking of by look through old programmes, it was Luke Clifton

I would not normally agree with you BCD but you are spot on as far as last night was concerned, the track was far slicker than it has been or needed to be, no excuses. RE the crowd, yes it looked poor on tv and whilst i was not there having regular knowledge of the lay of the land there i would guess maybe 500-600 tops, doesnt surprise me one bit, people who go to lakeside are seldom local to the Arena, petrol costs money so why pay for that when its on the telly, no special effort at all to advertise this meeting or encourage people to go, build it and they will come? ermmm no!