Somerset 55 Stoke 38

 STOKE Easy Rider Potters went down to a 55-38 defeat against the Somerset Rebels in the Premier League at the Oak Tree Arena last night.

 The Potters fell behind in heat two as former Potter James Holder defeated Ricky Wells into second place with Mark Baseby holding off the challenge of Lee Smart for a Rebels 4-2. Somerset extended their lead with a second 4-2 heat advantage in heat three as Shane Parker took victory from Tomas Suchanek who managed to split the Rebels pairing as he passed Sam Masters to take second place.

The same partnership then added a maximum 5-1 heat advantage in heat five with Masters taking victory this time with partner Parker second after he managed to overhaul Stoke new boy Claus Vissing at the end of the second lap to give the Rebels a 19-11 lead.

 The Potters fall further behind in heat seven as Cory Gathercole and Holder gain a 4-2 over Wells in heat seven with the Rebels then gaining maximum points in heats nine and ten as the Masters and Parker combination strike again this time over Kozza Smith and Lee Smart and then Ritchie Hawkins and Lubos Tomicek over Suchanek and Smith with Tomicek and Suchanek racing wheel to wheel for the whole race, the result leaving the Potters trailing 39-21 after ten races.

 Easy Rider Potters boss Malcolm Vasey introduces Claus Vissing as a tactical ride in heat eleven and he promptly delivers the goods taking a comfortable victory but the Potters are unable to capitalise more as Graversen finishes last, the Potters do gain a 6-3 heat advantage though.

 Somerset gain maximum points and seal victory on the night as Gathercole and Tomicek gain a 5-1 over Smith and Vissing as the Potters trail 50-31 after thirteen heats.

 Ricky Wells was introduced as a tactical ride in heat fourteen and the Potters pair make the gate but Parker and Holder manage to overhaul Wells for a drawn heat.

 The Potters have a consolation 4-2 in the final heat of the night as Vissing rides a hard first turn Tomicek going down but referee Chris Durno sees’ no reason to stop the race as Vissing takes victory from the hard chasing Hawkins with Suchanek taking third place as Somerset take a 55-38 victory.

 Potters team manager Malcolm Vasey said “I’m disappointed obviously not to get anything out of tonight’s meeting but do feel there is a lot more to come from us, they are a good side around their home track and we all know what the likes of Gathercole and Parker go like around here. Claus Vissing was superb tonight and will be a great asset, I feel that Jan suffered after a hard first ride fall and he felt a little second hand but I must again praise Ricky Wells who again gave an improved performance for us tonight, we now have to dust ourselves down and look forward to our home meeting against Birmingham.” 

Somerset 55: Ritchie Hawkins 13, Cory Gathercole 11, Sam Masters 10, Shane Parker 9+2, James Holder 6+2, Lubos Tomicek 5+3, Mark Baseby 1

 Stoke 38: Claus Vissing 13, Ricky Wells 9+1, Tomas Suchanek 9, Kozza Smith 5+1, Jan Graversen 1+1, Lee Smart 1+1, Klaus Jakobsen (Rider Replacement)