Vortex Hammers search continues

The Vortex Hammers search for vital away points continues, following a 58-36 defeat by the Peterborough Panthers, in front of the Sky Sports cameras at the East of England Showground.

The Midlands based club showed why they are the in-form team in the Elite League on the back of four successive wins, including away at both Swindon and Poole, opening up an 8 point lead after heat 3, despite their number one rider Kenneth Bjerre suffering an engine failure whilst on a 5-1 in the first heat.

The Hammers finally got in on the action with former Panther Richard Lawson and Hammers skipper Davey Watt delivering their own 5-1 in heat four, but the Panthers again took control in the next two heats, opening up a 10 point lead.

Lewis Bridger donned the Black and White helmet colour in heat 7, with the Hammers gaining a heat advantage when Dakota North fell, but the home team again showed their confidence and track knowledge delivering heat advantages in the following three heats. Trailing by 16 points after heat 10,  the Hammers were able to use Number one rider Peter Karlsson as their second tactical nomination, however with Lawson failing to score, and former Hammer Joonas Kylmakorpi delivering a perfect tapes to flag victory, any Hammer heat advantage was cancelled out.

Swiderski and Doolan briefly stemmed the tide returning a maximum heat advantage in the following race, after Panthers Polish rider Norbert Kosciuch took an alarming second bend tumble, but from then in the home team continued to dominate, despite last heat efforts from Skipper Watt.

On a night when they failed to make any major impression at the pacey Showground circuit, the Hammers remain in the fourth qualification spot, but the need for a home victory at The Raceway against Poole this coming Friday is all the more crucial.

Image: Davey Watt of Lakeside Hammers – Lakeside Hammers vs Birmingham Brummies – Sky Sports Elite League Speedway at Arena Essex Raceway, Purfleet – 02/08/13 –  CREDIT: Ray Lawrence/TGSPHOTO

Scores and heat results

Peterborough Panthers = 58

1. Kenneth Bjerre – R, 3, 3, 3, 2′ = 11+1
2. Ryan Fisher – 3, 2′, 1, 1 = 7+1
3. Norbert Kosciuch – 2′, 1, 3, FX = 6+1
4. Krzysztof Buczkowski – 3, 3, 2′, 3, 3 = 14+1
5. Joonas Kylmakorpi – 0, 3, 3, 2′ = 8+1
6. Dakota North – 3, F, 1, 1 = 5
7. Patrick Hougaard – 2′, 1, 3, 1 = 7+1

Lakeside Hammers = 36

1. Peter Karlsson – 1′, 2, 4^, 1, 0 = 8+1
2. Sebastian Ulamek R/R (LB 2, PS 0, DW 2, RL 0)
3. Piotr Swiderski – R, 0, 2, 3 = 5
4. Lewis Bridger – 2, 1, 4^, 0, 2 = 9
5. Davey Watt – 3, 1, 2, 1, 0, 1 = 8
6. Kevin Doolan – R, 0, 0, 2′ = 2+1
7. Richard Lawson – 1, 2′, 1′, 0, 0, 0 = 4+2

Heat Results

Heat 01: Fisher, Bridger, Karlsson, Bjerre (EF). 3-3
Heat 02: North, Hougaard, Lawson, Doolan (EF). (5-1)…8-4
Heat 03: Buczkowski, Kosciuch, Bridger, Swiderski (EF). 5-1…13-5
Heat 04: Lawson, Watt, Hougaard, Kylmakorpi. (1-5)…14-10
Heat 05: Buczkowski, Karlsson, Kosciuch, Swiderski. (4-2)…18-12
Heat 06: Bjerre, Fisher, Watt, Doolan. (5-1)…23-13
Heat 07: Kylmakorpi, BRIDGER, Lawson, North (Fell). (3-5)…26-18
Heat 08: Hougaard, Watt, Fisher, Lawson. (4-2)…30-20
Heat 09: Kosciuch, Buczkowski, Watt, Doolan. (5-1)…35-21
Heat 10: Bjerre, Swiderski, Fisher, Bridger. (4-2)…39-23
Heat 11: Kylmakorpi, KARLSSON, North, Lawson. (4-4)…43-27
Heat 12: Swiderski, Doolan, Hougaard, Kosciuch (Fell, Excluded). (1-5)…44-32
Heat 13: Bjerre, Kylmakorpi, Karlsson, Watt. (5-1)…49-33
Heat 14: Buczkowski, Bridger, North, Lawson. (4-2)…53-35
Heat 15: Buczkowski, Bjerre, Watt, Karlsson. (5-1)…58-36