Hammers see off the Aces

Led by Skipper Andreas Jonsson with 13 points and Elite Draft Reserve Adam Ellis with 12 paid 14, his best score at The Raceway in 2015, the Lakeside Vortex Hammers took the maximum Elite league points this evening with a hard fought 51-42 victory over The Belle Vue Aces.

In their last visit to The Raceway, the Aces had snatched a two point win, and their GP star Matej  Zagar set his intentions down in the very first heat, with a fast gate to flag victory. Jonsson missed the gate but claimed second place by the end of the second lap, with the guesting former Hammer Piotr Swiderski picking up a point.

Steve Worrall claimed the chequered flag in the first reserves race, despite initial pressure from Ellis, whilst Ben Morley, in for the injured Ashley Birks, comforably dealing with Hughes for a second shared heat.

Zagar and Scott Nicholls then teamed up in the third for a maximum heat advantage over former Hammers skipper Davey Watt, in for the injured Kim Nilsson, and Edward Kennett, to open up a four point advantage.

The Hammers immediately hit back with a maximum of their own in the following race, with Lawson team riding Ellis to victory over Zengota, to level the scores. Swiderki showed a clean pair of gating gloves in the fifth, leaving Morley, Doolan and Worrall to scrap for three laps for the minor places, with Doolan claiming second and Morley a point, as Worrall spun on the third bend of lap three.

Zagar continued his impressive form in the following heat, with Lawson and Kennett in points scoring positions behind, before Scott Nicholls delivered a delicious move to ride straight between the Hammers pairing on the third lap, to join his team mate for a 1-5 and edge the Aces back in to the lead.

After further track grading, the Hammers then hit back again in the seventh with Jonsson delivering a strong first and second bend, to leave a gap for Watt to join him for a Hammers max and a two point advantage.

With Worrall excluded for missing the two minute warning in the 8th, Lawson and Ellis extended the lead to six points with another comfortable maximum.  This advantage was extended further in the following heat when after two initial false starts for movement at the tapes and a re-run following a first bend spill for Zengota, Swiderski and Ellis team rode to keep Worrall at the back.

With the Aces ten points down, Zagar was the obvious tactical nomination, and didn’t disappoint with another dominant tapes to flag victory, whilst Watt eventually squeezed past Doolan, as the Aces pulled the deficit back to five points.

Jonsson got the better of Nicholls in the 11th as Swiderski kept Zenogta at bay, before Ellis continued his impressive nights work to take victory in the second reserves race. Jonsson then eased any Hammers fears taking the flag ahead of the Nicholls / Zagar pairing in the thirteeth, before Edward Kennett and Richard Lawson sealed the points for the Hammers with a final 5-1 in the penultimate race.

Zagar finished the night with victory in the nominated heat 15, to top score for the Aces with an impressive 19 paid 20, but the Hammers determination had seen them through.

Reflecting after the meeting Hammers Co-Promoter Jon Cook commented.

“I was pleased with the result, there was some good racing and the boys dug in when Zagar delivered on the tactical, with AJ leading the way. I’m particularly pleased for Adam, who after going through some tough times this season, really showed what he is capable of, both with his gating and his riding in general.

Cook also announced during the Belle Vue meeting, that the entrance fee for the next home meeting, which takes place on Monday 27th July at 7.30pm against the Coventry Bees, will by £5  if bought in advance via the clubs on-line ticket store, which can be accessed via the “Next meeting” image on the homepage.
Scores and heat results:

Lakeside = 51

1. Andreas Jonsson 2, 3, 3, 3, 2 = 13
2. Piotr Swiderski (G) 1′, 3, 3, 1 = 8+1
3. Edward Kennett 0, 0, 0, 3 = 3
4. Richard Lawson 2′, 1, 3, 2′, 0 = 8+2
5. Davey Watt (G) 1, 2′, 2, 0 = 5+1
6. Ben Morley (G) 1′, 1, 0 = 2+1
7. Adam Ellis 2, 3, 2′, 2′, 3 = 12+2

Belle Vue = 42

1. Matej Zagar 3, 3, 3, 6!, 1′, 3 = 19+1
2. Kevin Doolan (G) 0, 2, 1, 1, 1 = 5
3. Craig Cook R/R (MZ 3, SW 0, GZ 0, KD 1 = 4)
4. Grzegorz Zengota (G) 1, 1, Fx, 0, 0 = 2
5. Scott Nicholls 2′, 2′, 2, 2, 1 = 9+2
6. Steve Worrall 3, F, 0, M, 1, 2 = 6
7. Kyle Hughes (G) 0, 0, 0, 1′ = 1+1

Belle Vue win toss take 2 and 4

Heat Results

Heat 01: Zagar, Jonsson, Swiderski, Doolan. 3-3 3-3 58.2
Heat 02: Worrall, Ellis, Morley, Hughes. 3-3 6-6 60.1
Heat 03: Zagar, Nicholls, Watt, Kennett 1-5 7-11 58.2
Heat 04: Ellis, Lawson, Zengota, Hughes. 5-1 12-12 59.7
Heat 05: Swiderski, Doolan, Morley, Worrall fell 4-2 16-14 59.3
Heat 06: Zagar, Nicholls, Lawson, Kennett. 1-5 17-19 58.9
Heat 07: Jonsson, Watt, Zengota, Worrall. 5-1 22-20 59.0
Heat 08: Re-run Lawson, Ellis, Doolan, Hughes. 5-1 27-21 60.3
Heat 09: Re-runx3 Swiderski, Ellis, Worrall 5-1 32-22 60.6
Heat 10: ZAGAR, Watt, Doolan, Kennett. 2-7 34-29 59.7
Heat 11: Jonsson, Nicholls, Swiderski, Zengota. 4-2 38-31 59.7
Heat 12: Ellis, Worrall, Hughes, Morley. 3-3 41-34 60.4
Heat 13: Jonsson, Nicholls, Zagar, Watt. 3-3 44-37 59.2
Heat 14: Kennett, Lawson, Doolan, Zengota. 5-1 49-38 60.3
Heat 15: Zagar, Jonsson, Nicholls, Lawson. 2-4 51-42 59.6

Updates courtesy of @lakesidelive @speedwayupdates

Image: Adam Ellis and Ben Morley – Lakeside Hammers V Leicester Lions. Credit: Rob Newell / TGS Photo.