Hammers slip to Wiltshire defeat

The Vortex Hammers slipped to a heavy defeat in Wiltshire this evening, losing 55- 37 to the Swindon Robins.

Skipper Davey Watt top scored for the Essex club, on a night when the Hammers deployed the tactical ride rule for the first time this season, but failed to deliver a hammer blow on both occasions it was used.

After keeping the scores close for the first four heats, before trading 5-1s in heats 5 and 6,  the Hammers soon found themselves on the tail end of a string of home heat advantages, resulting in the first tactical nomination in heat 10, with Mikkel Bech finishing behind Lewis Bridger. The second tactical nomination quickly followed in heat 11, with Davey Watt, who had won his two previous races, finishing behind Hammers guest Kyle Newman and the Robins skipper Troy Batchelor.

Twelve points adrift with four races left, two further shared heats and two home heat advantages meant that the Hammers left Wiltshire pointless in the race for the play-offs.

Scores and results.

Swindon Robins = 55

1. Peter Kildemand – 1′ , 3 , 3 , 3
2. Dakota North – 2 , 3 , F/X , 3 , 2′
3. Simon Gustafsson – 3 , 0 , 3 , 0
4. Nick Morris – 2 , 1 , 2′ , 3 , 3
5. Troy Batchelor (Captain) – R , 2′ , 2 , 1
6. Nathan Greaves – 3 , 1′ , 2′ , F
7. Steve Worrall – 2′ , 2′ , 3 , 0

Lakeside Hammers = 37

1. Davey Watt (Captain) – 3 , 3, 1^ , 2 , 1
2. Richard Lawson – 0 , 3 , 1 , 1′ , 0
3. Lewis Bridger – 2 , 1 , 0 , 2
4. Kyle Newman (Guest) – 0 , 1 , 3 , 1′
5. Mikkel Bech – 1′ , 2′ , 2^ , R
6. Ben Morley – 0 , 0 , 1 , (PS – 2)
7. Paul Starke (Guest) – 1 , 0 , 0 , 2 , 2

Heat Results

Heat 01: Watt, North, Kildemand, Lawson 3-3 Time: 65.30
Heat 02: Greaves, Worrall, Starke, Morley 5-1 8-4 Time: 68.80
Heat 03: Gustafsson, Bridger, Bech, Batchelor – Retired 3-3 11-7 Time: 65.77
Heat 04: Lawson, Morris, Greaves, Starke 3-3 14-10 Time: 66.77
Heat 05: Kildemand, Batchelor, Bridger, Newman 5-1 19-11 Time: 66.65
Heat 06: Watt, Bech, Morris, Gustafsson 1-5 20-16 Time: 66.11
Heat 07: North, Worrall, Newman, Morley 5-1 25-17 Time: 68.21
Heat 08: Gustafsson, Morris, Lawson, Bridger 5-1 30-18 Time: 66.27
Heat 09: Worrall, Greaves, Morley, Starke 5-1 35-19 Time: 67.89
Heat 10: Kildemand, Bridger, BECH – 3-4 38-23 Time: 67.12 (North – Fell / Excluded)
Heat 11: Newman, Batchelor, WATT – Gustafsson 2-5 40-28 Time: 67.71
Heat 12: North, Starke, Lawson, Greaves 3-3 43-31 Time: 67.58
Heat 13: Kildemand, Watt, Batchelor, Bech 4-2 47-33 Time: 66.89
Heat 14: Morris, Starke, Newman, Worrall 3-3 50-36 Time: 67.64
Heat 15: Morris, North, Watt, Lawson 5-1 55-37 Time: 67.85

Courtesy of @speedwayupdates & @lakesidelive

Image: Davey Watt of Lakeside Hammers – Lakeside Hammers vs King’s Lynn Stars, CREDIT: Rob Newell/TGSPHOTO