2ndbendbeerhut

Well thats the first time in 30 odd years of speedway that i have seen a rider "ejected" from a meeting. Wasn't in the pits so couldn't see full extent that went on after the heat but from "view" from back straight/2nd bend it just kicked off for some reason, could just see a white helmet in the melee. Thing is nothing out of the ordinary happened during Heat 1. Witches pair gated from 1 and 3, Barker went too wide into 3 and Sneddon got past. Coming off 2nd bend on lap 3 Sneddon lifted and Barker tried to pass but nearly clipped the back of Sneddon's bike, Cook then overtook off 4th bend. Barker then messed up 1st bend of last lap and nearly ran into Cook, shut of and trailed round at back. 3-3 over the line, and time to fill in programme. Next thing when riders were back into pits it kicked off! Wasn't like the Barker / North incident at Foxhall a few weeks back when it was clear why there was "handbags". There was a delay whilst the ref was called down from his box to "have a word" with the riders involved. Couple of minutes later it was announced that due to Cook's actions he was ejected from the meeting. Fews cheers from the Witches fans but most were upset that the match was basically over as a contest. Have to feel sorry for the remaining Monarchs and any of their fans that travelled. A few comments were made afterwards regarding the "incident" most to the tune of "things like that are not needed" and "Cook was in the wrong to do what he did". (alleged starting a fight/throwing punches at an "unhelmeted" Barker whilst protected by his helmet) eg an unfair fight...

Lots of if's but's and maybe's...... If Tungate is fit, if Barker has his bikes sorted. Can Ritchie continue his form from last week. In fact could say that about all the riders for both sides.

Dropped before he made his debut?

Looks like Wooodward is in...... USA 1 Ricky Wells 0 2 Gino Manzares 0 3 Ryan Fisher 0 4 Greg Hancock 0 Latvia 1 Kjastas Puodżuks 0 2 Maksim Bogdanow 0 3 Wiaczesław Gieruckis 0 4 Andrzej Lebiediew 0 GB 1 Tai Woffinden 0 2 Lewis Bridger 0 3 Chris Harris 0 4 Ben Barker 0 Australia 1 Jason Doyle 0 2 Troy Batchelor 0 3 Cameron Woodward 0 4 Darcy Ward 0

Interested to see Barker v North part 3.....

But not the bikes! As he doesn't have a team mate will probably do ok though......

Joke decision, but hey what does Middlo know about British riders? Not as though he watches many at Poole is it?

Think that at Ipswich its a £1 off for every heat from the rained off meeting. So if the rained meeting sees 3 heats its £3 plus rain off ticket.

the bloke is called Tony Carter and apparently he comes from a speedway background! As his dad and grandad both raced speedway and grass track!

Should see more improvements by the next time we race at Foxhall too. Certainly not the "Foxhole" it used to be!

1. There's only one disgrace here! 2 .Adam is a 3 point rider that scored 3 points last night so is doing exactly what he is employed to do. 3. Wonder if Josh Bates had of scored 0 then it would have been "he's only in the team as he is dating Louis' daughter!

Now thats how a meeting should run, all over by just after 9! If anything track was too dry after the threat of rain but still produced good racing. For the second year running, Glasgow were shocking! Barker - awesome (15 pt full max), gated in 3 of them and made 2 excellent passes both on Screen in the other 2 Bates - didn't expect him to score tbh, but to get 6 including a great heat 8 win was superb. best i've seen him ride. Tungate got a max too (12 pt full) looked much quicker, especially off the corners, went un-noticed really! Risager - No race wins but was trying inside and out to pass, great move off the last bend in heat 3 Lanham - only dropped a point, passed Grieves off last corner in his 1st heat which set up his night.Allowed Barker through off the last bend in heat 15 for max Ellis - Customary heat 2 win but then seemed to be over riding in remaining heats after being out gated. Does alot better off inside gates, so personally i'd switch him and Heeps in 7 and 8. Heeps - Very mature display, twice sitting behind partner for a paid 5-1 win. Excellent ride in heat 12 after being off dodgy gate 4. Cut back and was 2nd coming off the 2nd bend, Bager dived under him only for him to see him coming and cut back to repass off the corner, to finish with a paid 12 pt max! For Glasgow Screen - last time "Super Joe" Screen will grace Foxhall, can still mix it, and admitted that he wanted a heat win badly. Raun - fell off in 1st heat, gated better in his last heat but shut out off 2nd bend. Bager - 3rd highest scorer with 4+1! Compton - Good gate in heat 14 for only the 2nd Glasgow win on the night Grieves - Of his opponents he could only beat Bates. Ringwood - Did beat Jacobs in heat 2 Jacobs - did better in heat 14 when he beat Ellis but was also challenging Risager in 2nd Decent crowd, a fair few away fans in the new stand and big home win in the Premier League Ps Sure Jackal will have a few points to make regarding..... Ellis vs Jacobs Why its Chris Louis' fault that Glasgow were so poor Why did Risager not get a race win? Why did Lanham not get a max too? Where was Ritchie Hawkins?

Still slight drizzle about, forecast the same for the rest of the night! should just make for a bit of an inconvience for the supporters and a great naturally watered track for the riders.

Really weird tonight in that so soon as Bunyan and Mellgren won a heat, they then came last and looked totally different riders. Lykke was consistent (thirds) Lambert was shocking. Nelson kept doing wheelies before the race then had nothing to celebrate after. Could also see all the riders fighting for extra points off team-mates, obviously not being paid BP's then!

Started raining about an hour a go, not much, still warm though but just updating.....

7th time lucky?

not a bad choice of guest .... strange you don't know jackal?

Was the meeting "filmed" to buy on dvd?

We looked rusty this week against Newcastle, especially from the gate. Couple of matches has got us in the swing of things. Expect the same to happen the next time we race. A bit of a strange comment made by the presenter regarding the team managers role. Agree with catch22.

Wow 2 points! Amazing, didn't think we would get anything from the 2 away matches so the 3 points makes up for Thursday's blip. Pity we haven't got a meeting this week....

where's zager?

Ben Barker in heat 1 win shocker! Well actually its the 4th time away he's done it, still awaiting the home one!

Witches to sneek a heat win!

Don't forget that Matej Zager is riding for the Czech Rep......

Congrats to the Diamonds who deserved the win. Solid team performance and outgated the Witches all night. Home team seemed rusty after a week off. Think it was the first time this year that both Ellis and Heeps had off nights and with Risager and Lanham struggling too it was always going to be hard. Track was tricky early on but once it settled down as is often the case the Witches don;t seem to make the changes to adapt. Richie Worrall gated with Barker in heat 15, pushed him wide enough to allow Robson and Tungate through. Tungate then for some reason went wide himself nearly collecting Barker and it was game over for the Witches. Tully has to be pleased with his comeback, should have got the win in heat 1, spinning round whilst leading on 2nd bend on last lap. Also don't know what the ref was watching but no way did Risager win heat 14, about a wheel behind Kerr, Barker did just get Robson on line though in 13. Ps. Another free week at Foxhall next week as it seems Edinburgh can't/ won't ride as they are on Sky on tuesday so would be too much for them! (thats what i heard in the pits anyways) Oh yeah... Ritchie Hawkins has agreed to continue for the rest of the season