Hammers see off the Aces

The Vortex Lakeside Hammers saw off the Belle Vue Aces this evening, with a comfortable 59-31 victory in a meeting which saw Hammers skipper Davey Watt taken to hospital for a precautionary X-ray on his ankle, after a heat 15 crash.

The Aces started the meeting in a determined manner, with Scott Nicholls and former Hammer Richie Worrall leading Davey Watt for three laps, before the Hammers Skipper finally managing to take second place.

In the first of the Fast track reserve races, the Hammers pairing of Adam Ellis and Ben Morley left their Aces counterparts standing to record a maximum heat advantage. This was quickly followed by a further 5-1 to the Hammers in heat three, in an action packed race which saw both Lewis Bridger and Hammers guest Danny King pick their way past Stuart Robson and Josh Grajczonek for the Aces, over the course of four laps.

The first attempt to run heat 4 was stopped due to first bend bunching, with Ben Morley hitting the air fence. The Re-Run then saw Kim Nilsson lead from the gate, but pick up unexpected grip on the second bend, to earn an exclusion after hitting the second bend airfence.  In the third running, Morley found himself squeezed out on the first bend, but then produced a fantastic ride to hunt down and pass first Nielsen and then Worrall much to the delight of the Hammers faithful.

A shared heat 5, was quickly followed by the third Hammers maximum of the night, with Bridger and Nilsson capitalising on a second bend mistake Grajczonek. Richard Lawson and Ellis joined forces for a further maximum in the 7th before Bridger powered from the gate in heat 8 for a shared heat, as Nilsson looked but was unable to find a way past Worrall and Robson.

The second reserve race saw the Hammers dominate for another maximum advantage, before Watt and Lawson saw off the first of two Belle Vue tactical nominations, when they kept Robson in third.

Lewis Bridger again showed the fastest way around the Raceway, teaming up with Hammers guest Danny King to keep Nicholls, on the second Aces tactical, behind them.  Lawson and Morley again led from the gate in heat 12, with the Hammers reserve taking victory to earn a fully deserved paid maximum.

Davey Watt notched up another victory in heat 13, before the Aces managed a heat advantage of their own in the the penultimate race of the evening, with Palm Toft getting the better of Nilsson.

With the meeting won and three league points gathered, the Raceway then fell silent as Davey Watt picked up extra drive on the second bend, flipping his bike and sustaining an ankle injury, despite Robson skillfully laying his machine down.

In the resulting re-run, Nicholls saw off the charging challenge of Bridger, who showed great speed as he top scored for the Hammers, on a night which despite the one sided scoreline, saw some competitive racing.

Scores and results

Lakeside Hammers = 59

1. Davey Watt – 2, 3, 3, 3, FX = 11
2. Richard Lawson – 0, 2′, 2′, 2′ = 6+3
3. Lewis Bridger – 3, 2′, 3, 3, 2 = 13+1
4. Kim Nilsson – FX, 3, 0, 2 = 5
5. Danny King (G) – 2′, 0, 2′, 1 = 5+2
6. Ben Morley – 2′, 3, 3, 3 = 11+1 PAID MAXIMUM
7. Adam Ellis – 3, 3, 2′, 0 = 8+1

Belle Vue Aces = 31

1. Scott Nicholls – 3, 1, 1, 2, 3 = 10
2. Richie Worrall – 1, 2, 2, 0 = 5
3. Stuart Robson (G) – 0, 2, 1′, 1, 1 = 5+1
4. Michael Palm Toft – 1′, 1, 0, 3 = 5+1
5. Josh Grajczonek (G) – 1, R, 0, 0 = 1
6. Lee Payne – 0, 0, 0 = 0
7. Stefan Nielsen – 1, 1′, 1, 1, 1 = 5+1

Heat Results

Heat 01: Nicholls, Watt, Worrall, Lawson. 2-4…57.8
Heat 02: Ellis, Morley, Nielsen, Payne. (5-1)…7-5…60.9
Heat 03: Bridger, King, Grajczonek, Robson. (5-1)…12-6…60.3
Heat 04 (Re-Run X2): Morley, Worrall, Nielsen. (3-3)…15-9…61.1
Heat 05: Watt, Robson, Palm Toft, King. (3-3)…18-12…59.8
Heat 06: Nilsson, Bridger, Nicholls, Grajczonek (Retired). (5-1)…23-13…59.6
Heat 07: Ellis, Lawson, Palm Toft, Payne. (5-1)…28-14…61.1
Heat 08: Bridger, Worrall, Robson, Nilsson. (3-3)…31-17…59.3
Heat 09: Morley, Ellis, Nielsen, Payne. (5-1)…36-18…61.2
Heat 10: Watt, Lawson, Robson, Grajczonek. (5-1)…41-19…60.2
Heat 11: Bridger, King, Nicholls, Palm Toft. (5-1)…46-20…58.9
Heat 12: Morley, Lawson, Nielsen, Worrall. (5-1)…51-21…60.6
Heat 13: Watt, Nicholls, King, Grajczonek. (4-2)…55-23…59.8
Heat 14: Palm Toft, Nilsson, Nielsen, Ellis. (2-4)…57-27…60.8
Heat 15 (Re-Run): Nicholls, Bridger, Robson. (2-4)…59-31…59.9

Updates courtesy of @speedwayupdates and @lakesidelive

Image: Lewis Bridger of Lakeside Hammers – Lakeside Hammers vs Leicester Lions, Elite League Speedway at the Arena Essex Raceway. CREDIT: Rob Newell/TGSPHOTO