Lakeside Hammers 49, Belle Vue Aces 44
LAKESIDE managed to secure victory but a strong revival by the Aces earned them the additional Elite League point at Arena Essex on Friday evening.
It was a remarkable comeback by Aces, who had looked pretty woeful over the course of the first seven heats, but questions must also be asked about Hammers’ application.
Four 5-1s in the space of five heats had seen the home side build a 20 point lead against a side that just weren't at the races - until the eighth race.
Lakeside had former star Joonas Kylmakorpi in as replacement for illness victim Lee Richardson and he opened proceedings with a win over Grand Prix star Hans Andersen. Kauko Nieminen's third place brought the home side a 4-2 which was repeated in the next race when Stuart Robson drove around the outside of Kyle Legault.
Heat three saw the start of the run of 5-1s as the Davidsson brothers, Jonas and Daniel saw off former Hammers hero Leigh Lanham in the third and repeated the feat over Hans Andersen in heat five after a flying start from Daniel. It was Kylmakorpi's turn in the sixth race when he overturned Kyle Legault on the run in to the line in a very exciting finish and Adam Shields and Paul Hurry out rode Lanham and Ulrich Ostergaard in the very next race.
On to heat eight and the major turning point in the meeting as Ostergaard, nominated for a tactical ride by Aces boss Chris Morton, teamed up with James Wright for an 8-1 over Stuart Robson and Kauko Nieminen. This was immediately followed by a sparkling maximum from Peter Karlsson, who had shown no such form in his previous two outings, and Canadian Legault, who showed he was starting to adapt to the Arena raceway.
A run of shared heats followed, the highlight of which was the twelth race entertainment wise as Ostergaard scraped the boards for two laps to pass Robson and Daniel Davidsson. It was Andersen and Karlsson's maximum in the thirteenth that brought the Aces to within just five points - the question was whether they could complete a remarkable comeback and take the meeting.
The men from Manchester didn't quite manage that as Jonas Davidsson all but sealed victory for the home side with victory in the penultimate race but Andersen's final race victory over the Swede and Joonas Kylmakorpi ensured that the away side didn't go home empty handed, leaving the Hammers to think about what might have been.
Hammers: 1. Joonas Kylmakorpi 10+1; 2. Kauko Nieminen 5+1; 3. Daniel Davidsson 6+2; 4. Jonas Davidsson 10+2; 5. Adam Shields 7; 6. Paul Hurry 4+2; 7. Stuart Robson 7+1.
Aces: 1. Hans Andersen 11+1; 2.James Wright 2+1’ 3. Leigh Lanham 1; 4. Rider replacement; 5 Peter Karlsson 8+1; 6. Kyle Legault 7+1; 7. Ulrich Ostergaard 15.
Heat-by-heat
1: Kylmakorpi, Andersen, Nieminen, Wright (4-2) 58.6
2: Robson, Legault, Hurry, Ostergaard (4-2) (8-4) 58.8
3: D Davidsson, J Davidsson, Lanham, Legault (5-1) (13-5) 57.8
4: Ostergaard, Shields, Robson, Karlsson (3-3) (16-8) 58.3
5: J Davidsson, D Davidsson, Andersen, Wright (5-1) (21-9) 57.2
6: Nieminen, Kylmakorpi, Legault, Karlsson (5-1) (26-10) 57.9
7: Shields, Hurry, Ostergaard, Lanham (5-1) (31-11) 58.0
8: Ostergaard (tactical ride), Wright, Robson, Nieminen (1-8) (32-19) 58.2
9: Legault, Karlsson, J Davidsson, D Davidsson (1-5) (33-24) 58.5
10: Karlsson, Kylmakorpi, Nieminen, Lanham (3-3) (36-27) 58.2
11: Andersen, Shields, Hurry, Wright (3-3) (39-30) 58.6
12: Ostergaard, Robson, D Davidsson, Legault (fell exc) (3-3) (42-33) 58.8
13: Karlsson, Andersen, Kylmakorpi, Shields (1-5) (43-38) 58.2
14: J Davidsson, Ostergaard, Legault, Hurry (3-3) (46-41) 58.4
15: Andersen, Kylmakorpi, J Davidsson, Karlsson (3-3) (49-44) 58.2
l HAMMERS are back in action on Monday when they meet the Aces again on their own track and on Wednesday they host a rare midweek racenight when Coventry will be the visitors. Next Thursday Hammers go to Eastbourne.