Vortex Hammers outshine the Stars

The Vortex Lakeside Hammers returned to winning ways with a 53-39 victory over the King’s Lynn Stars, on a warm evening at The Raceway, in front of the Sky Sports Cameras.

Much of the pre-meeting build up had centred around the return to the Raceway of former Hammer Richie Worrall, a recent siging at reserve the Stars, but it was the Vortex Hammers who took immediate control, opening up a 6 point lead, with Captain for the night Rob Mear and fellow reserve Richard Lawson leading home their reserve counterparts from Norfolk in heat 2.

The Vortex Hammers then began to press home their advantage, opening up a 6 point lead by heat 7, with Number one, Swedish veteran Peter Karlsson, showing his class and first bend dominance with three heat victories.  Heat 8 proved to be a decisive race, with the previously unbeaten Mads Korneliussen partnered by Richie Worrall against home riders Kim Nilsson and Robert Mear.  In a quality race the Hammers pair edged to a 5-1, increasing the home sides lead to 10.

The Essex based side then continued to turn the screw, cancelling two tactical rides from the visitors with Piotr Swiderski first thwarting Rory Schlein in heat 9 to deliver a 5-1 with Lewis Bridger, before then leading home Niels Kristian Iversen for a shared heat 11.

The visitors staged an initial fightback with two maximum heat advantages themselves in heats 12 and 13, before Lewis Bridger and Richard Lawson sealed the match points with a comprehensive 5-1 over Nicolai Klindt and Richie Worrall in heat 14.

It was left to top scorer for the Vortex Hammers, Piotr Swiderski, to lead home in heat 15 for a final heat draw, despite the valiant efforts of Bridger to pass Korneliusson and Schlein.

A delighted Vortex Hammers team manager Neil Vatcher commented ” It was a fantastic, gusty performance from all six of the guys, especially covering for Davey.  PK led from the front with his usual quality, but had great backing from all the team, with some determined first corners, which we aim to continue tomorrow night away at Birmingham.

Image: Heat 9: Lewis Bridger (red), Piotr Swiderski (blue), Rory Schlein (tactical) and Sebastian Alden – Vortex Lakeside Hammers vs Kings Lynn Stars – CREDIT: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO

Heat 2: Richard Lawson (red) and Richie Worrall – Vortex Lakeside Hammers vs Kings Lynn Stars  CREDIT: Gavin Ellis/TGSPHOTO

View meeting images here:

Meeting scores and heat results:

Vortex Lakeside Hammers = 53

1. Peter Karlsson – 3, 3, 3, 3, 0 = 12
2. Kim Nilsson – 1, 1′, 1, 2′, 2′ = 7+3
3. Lewis Bridger – 2, 1, 3, 1, 3, 0 = 10
4. Davey Watt R/R – (KN – 1′, PK – 3, PS – 2′, LB – 3)
5. Piotr Swiderski – 2, 2, 2′, 3, 1, 3 = 13+1
6. Richard Lawson – 2′, 0, 1, 2′ = 5+2
7. Robert Mear – 3, 0, 3, 0 = 6

Kings Lynn Stars = 39

1. Niels-Kristian Iversen – F, 2, 4^, 3 = 9
2. Simon Stead R/R – (RW – 2, NK – 0, MK – F, SA – 0)
3. Mads Korneliussen – 3, 3, F, 1, 3, 2 = 12
4. Nicolai Klindt – 0, 0, 1, F = 1
5. Rory Schlein – 3, 2, 1, 2′, 1′ = 9+2
6. Sebastian Alden – 0, 0, 0, 0 = 0
7. Richie Worrall – 2, 1, 1, 1, 0, 2′, 1 = 8+1

Heat Results

Heat 01: Karlsson, Worrall, Nilsson. 4-2…59.49
Heat 02: Mear, Lawson, Worrall, Alden. (5-1)…9-3…60.64
Heat 03: Korneliussen, Bridger, Nilsson, Klindt. (3-3)…12-6…59.64
Heat 04: Schlein, Swiderski, Worrall, Mear. (2-4)…14-10…59.23
Heat 05: Karlsson, Iversen, Bridger, Klindt. (4-2)…18-12…58.50
Heat 06: Karlsson, Schlein, Nilsson, Alden. (4-2)…22-14…58.97
Heat 07: Korneliussen, Swiderski, Klindt, Lawson. (2-4)…24-18…60.11
Heat 08: Mear, Nilsson, Worrall, Korneliussen (fell) (5-1)…29-19…NO TIME
Heat 09: Bridger, Swiderski, Schlein, Alden. (5-1)…34-20…58.89
Heat 10: Karlsson, Nilsson, Korneliussen, Worrall. (5-1)…39-21…60.33
Heat 11: Swiderski, IVERSEN, Lawson, Alden. (4-4)…43-25…59.11
Heat 12: Korneliussen, Worrall, Bridger, Mear. (5-1)…44-30…59.55
Heat 13: Iversen, Schlein, Swiderski, Karlsson. (5-1)…45-35…58.44
Heat 14: Bridger, Lawson, Worrall. (5-1)…50-36…59.52
Heat 15: Swiderski, Korneliussen, Schlein, Bridger. (3-3)…53-39…59.22