Hammers claim first away point
The Vortex Lakeside Hammers won their first away league point of the season tonight, in a hard fought 47-43 loss against the Swindon Robins.
The Wiltshire side selected the perfect guest in Hans Andersen who, covering for the injured Adrian Miedzinski, showed great gating to score 14 whilst at reserve Lewis Blackbird, in for Premier League bound Charles Wright, chipped in with 8 paid 9.
The Hammers were led from the front by Captain Andreas Jonsson with 11, Mikkel Bech and Edward Kennett both showed a return to form with 9 paid 11, and 9 points respectively, whilst at reserve, guest Steve Boxall delivered a healthy 7 paid 8.
The Hammers were again behind after the opening heats, before a 5-1 from Edward Kennett, and the impressive Steve Boxall, steadied the ship bringing the scores level.
The next three heats were shared, before Zengota and Blackbird combined to take full points over Nilsson and Boxall. Kennett took the win in the following race, with Boxall keeping Perry honest, to reduce the gap to 2 points. With Andreas Jonsson marooned on the inside in the tenth, Morris and Nicholls gated to slam in a 5-1 to the home team. Andersen followed with another fast gate in the following heat, whilst Howarth tucked in behind Bech to open up an 8 point lead to the Robins.
Blackbird again won the reserves race, with Boxall and Ellis keeping Perry at the back, leaving the Hammers still adrift with three heats to go. Jonsson responded perfectly, lowering the colours of Andersen for the first time of the evening, whilst Lawson passed Nicholls on the second lap, to deliver a 2-4 to the Hammers and keep hopes alive of an away point.
The Essex team continued their resilience when Bech and Kennett gated on a 5-1 in the penultimate heat, before Morris got the better of Kennett. Four points down, and needing to keep the score to a minimum of six to claim the away point. Jonsson and Bech duly delivered in the nominated heat 15, initially gating before Andersen drove between them on the 2nd bend, but the shared heat result meant that The Hammers return for tomorrow nights return fixture at The Arena Essex Raceway with their first away league point in the bag.
Scores and heat results.
Swindon = 47
1. Hans Andersen (G) 3, 3, 3, 2, 3 = 14
2. Kyle Howarth 1, 3, 2, 1 = 7
3. Nick Morris Fx, 1′, 2′, 2, 0 = 5+2
4. Grzegorz Zengota 1, 2, 3, 0 = 6
5. Scott Nicholls (G) 3, 0, 3, 0 = 6
6. Tom Perry (G) 1, 0, 0, 0 = 1
7. Lewis Blackbird (G) 3, 0, 2′, 3 = 8+1
Lakeside = 43
1. Andreas Jonsson 2, 3, 1, 3, 2 = 11
2. Kim Nilsson 0, 2, 1, 0 = 3
3. Mikkel Bech 2, 1′, 2, 3, 1′ = 9+2
4. Edward Kennett 3, 2, 3, 1 = 9
5. Richard Lawson 1′, 0, 0, 1 = 2+1
6. Adam Ellis R, 1′, 1′ = 2+2
7. Steve Boxall (G) 2, 2′, 0, 1, 2 = 7+1
Robins take 1 and 3 in Heat 1
Heat Results
Heat 01: Andersen, Jonsson, Howarth, Nilsson 4-2 65.82
Heat 02: Blackbird, Boxall, Perry, Ellis ret 4-2 8-4 68.72
Heat 03: Re-run Nicholls, Bech, Lawson 3-3 11-7 66.90
Heat 04: Kennett, Boxall, Zengota, Blackbird 1-5 12-12 66.95
Heat 05: Howarth, Nilsson, Ellis, Perry 3-3 15-15 67.27
Heat 06: Jonsson, Zengota, Morris, Lawson 3-3 18-18 67.14
Heat 07: Andersen, Kennett, Bech, Nicholls 3-3 21-21 67.44
Heat 08: Re-run Zengota, Blackbird, Nilsson, Boxall 5-1 26-22 68.08
Heat 09: Kennett, Howarth, Boxall, Perry 2-4 28-26 67.85
Heat 10: Nicholls, Morris, Jonsson, Nilsson 5-1 33-27 65.85
Heat 11: Andersen, Bech, Howarth, Lawson 4-2 37-29 67.81
Heat 12: Blackbird, Boxall, Ellis, Perry 3-3 40-32 68.93
Heat 13: Jonsson, Andersen, Lawson, Nicholls 2-4 42-36 67.22
Heat 14: Bech, Morris, Kenntt, Zengota 2-4 44-40 67.34
Heat 15: Andersen, Jonsson, Bech, Morris 3-3 47-43 67.43
Courtesy of @speedwayupdates and @lakesidelive
Image: Mikkel Bech of Lakeside Hammers – Lakeside Hammers vs Kings Lynn Stars, Elite League Speedway at the Arena Essex Raceway. CREDIT: Rob Newell/TGSPHOTO