Hammers frustrated at Wolves
The Vortex Lakeside Hammers suffered a frustrating second half to their meeting against The Wolverhampton Wolves, eventually going down 52-38, in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
The Hammers had started brightly, with Kim Nilsson and guest Jason Doyle taking a 4-2 advantage in the opening heat, a feat which was quickly followed by Adam Ellis and James Wright in the second. Wolves took their own heat advantage in the following race, before opening a two point gap after Ricky Wells and Lewis Blackbird combined to take a 5-1 heat advantage in the fifth.
The Hammers hit back immediately with Doyle and Lawson either side of Musielak, and when Bech and Kennett slotted in behind Lindgren in the 7th heat, despite the best efforts of the Hammers Danish star to pass the Wolves number 1, the scores were level. The home team then turned the screw, first with a 4-2 in the 8th, followed by another maximum 5-1 from Blackbird and Wells, before Musielak got the better of Doyle, with Thorssell keeping Nilsson at the back.
Three shared heats left the Hammers eight points down approaching the penultimate heat, which saw Kennett suffer an engine failure at the gate. Mikkel Bech chased Peter Karlsson, but the former Hammer showed his knowledge of the Monmore track, taking the victory, edging Wolves into a ten point lead.
Needing a 5-1 in the final heat to salvage an away point, the Hammers were again left frustrated as Lindgren and Wells took the flag, with their maximum heat win denying any reward for the Hammers.
Doyle 7+1
Nilsson 6
Bech 6
Kennett 3+2
Lawson 7+1
Ellis 6+1
Wright 3
Wolverhampton Wolves 52
Lindgren 9
Wells 12+2
Musielak 7
Karlsson 9
Thorssell 4
Blackbird 11+1
Bates 0
Heat Results
Heat 1: Nilsson, Wells, Doyle, Lindgren 2-4 (2-4)
Heat 2: Ellis, Blackbird, Wright, Bates 2-4 (4-8)
Heat 3: Thorssell, Lawson, Musielak, Bech 4-2 (8-10)
Heat 4: Karlsson, Ellis, Kennett, Bates RET 3-3 (11-13)
Heat 5: Wells, Blackbird, Nilsson, Ellis 5-1 (16-14)
Heat 6: Doyle, Musielak, Lawson, Karlsson 2-4 (18-18)
Heat 7: Lindgren, Bech, Kennett, Thorssell 3-3 (21-21)
Heat 8: Karlsson, Nilsson, Blackbird, Ellis 4-2 (25-23)
Heat 9: Blackbird, Wells, Kennett, Wright 5-1 (30-24)
Heat 10: Musielak, Doyle, Thorssell, Nilsson 4-2 (34-26)
Heat 11: Wells, Bech, Lawson, Lindgren 3-3 (37-29)
Heat 12: Blackbird, Wright, Ellis, Bates 3-3 (40-32)
Heat 13: Lindgren, Lawson, Doyle, Thorssell 3-3 (43-35)
Heat 14: Karlsson, Bech, Musielak, Kennett RET 4-2 (47-37)
Heat 15: Lindgren, Wells, Lawson, Doyle 5-1 (52-38)
Updates courtesy of @lakesidelive
Image: Richard Lawson of Lakeside Hammers – Lakeside Hammers vs Swindon Robins, Elite League Speedway at the Arena Essex Raceway. CREDIT: Rob Newell/TGSPHOTO