Birmingham
45 Stoke 48
Stoke
win 102-86
on
aggregate
STOKE
Easy Rider
Potters came
from
fourteen
points down
not only to
win on
aggregate
102-86 but
to snatch
victory on
the night
after
Birmingham
looked to be
romping to a
comfortable
victory
after nine
races.
The Easy
Rider
Potters got
off to the
perfect
start as
they gained
maximum
points in
the opening
heat as
Jesper
Kristiansen
made a
superb start
with
Brummies
skipper
Jason Lyons
and Stoke
guest Ben
Barker
tussling for
second
place, Lyons
then closed
on
Kristiansen
and
attempted to
go around
the Dane
Barker
diving up
the inside
taking both
Kristiansen
and Lyons to
take victory
and give the
Potters 1
5-1 lead.
The
Brummies
struck
straight
back to
level the
scores up at
six points a
piece as
Chris Kerr
and former
Potter Lee
Smart took
victory over
Henning Loof
and Tom P
Madsen who
failed to
make any
impression
on the
Birmingham
pairing.
Birmingham
took their
second
maximum heat
win on the
bounce as
Ludvig
Lindgren and
Paul Clews
headed home
Potters
skipper Lee
Complin and
Klaus
Jakobsen to
take lead
11-7 after
three heats.
Stoke’s
Sam Simota
took a hard
fought
victory from
Brummies
Chris Kerr
the lead
changing
several
times with
the Potter
eventually
taking the
victory but
with Madsen
at the rear
the race
ended in a
drawn heat
as the
Brummies
keep their
four point
advantage
but the
Potters
still lead
55-64 on
aggregate
after four
races.
Birmingham
skipper
Jason Lyons
took victory
in heat six
from Sam
Simota
despite
Simota
having made
a good start
the veteran
racer used
all his
track
knowledge to
take Simota
down the
back
straight and
with Rusty
Harrison
taking third
the Brummies
gained a 4-2
advantage to
extend their
lead to six
points with
the scores
21-15.
Birmingham
extended
their lead
with maximum
points in
heat eight
as Chris
Kerr and Lee
Smart gained
the better
of
Kristiansen
to open up
at ten point
lead for the
Brummies.
Birmingham
hit their
second 5-1
win on the
bounce as
Paul Clews
and Ludvig
Lindgren
take maximum
points after
Sam Simota
came to
grief on the
final turn
while in
second place
as
Birmingham
extend their
lead to
fourteen
points to
lead on
aggregate
75-74 after
nine heats.
Ben
Barker was
introduced
as a
tactical
ride for the
Potters by
manager John
Woolridge
and he duly
delivered to
score six
big points
and with
partner
Kristiansen
following
him home the
Potters
gained a
maximum 8-1
heat
advantage to
put them
back in
front on
aggregate by
85-79 with
the score
38-31 on the
night after
eleven
races. The
Potters
continued
their fight
back as
Jakobsen
made the
start and
could not be
caught by
Lindgren and
with Chris
Kerr falling
on the first
turn it
allowed
Henning Loof
to take
third place
for a Stoke
4-2 as the
Potters
reduced the
deficit on
the night to
five points.
The
Potters went
to within a
point of the
Brummies on
the night as
Simota and
Barker
gained a 5-1
over
Birmingham
skipper
Jason Lyons
to leave the
score 41-40
on the night
but give
Stoke an
aggregate
victory with
two heats
remaining.
The
Potters
finished off
in style as
Barker and
Simota took
first and
second for
maximum
points in
the final
race ahead
of Chris
Kerr and
Lindgren to
complete a
remarkable
comeback for
the Potters
as they took
a 48-45
victory on
the night to
complete a
102-86
aggregate
win over
their West
Midland
rivals.
Stoke
promoter
Dave Tattum
said "I'm
delighted
the lads
have pulled
it off and
that we've
finally got
something
for the
supporters.
It may not
be a lot but
it's a start
and we now
have to
build on
tonight's
victory and
I intend to
do so. The
lads have
done us
proud
tonight and
it's nice to
see so many
Potters
supporters
smiling and
I'd like to
see that
next season.
We have a
long winter
ahead and we
will look at
all options.
I'm
currently
talking with
a number of
riders and I
will
announce
signings as
soon as we
have deals
completed."
Birmingham
45: Chris
Kerr 12,
Ludvig
Lindgren
8+2, Jason
Lyons 8,
Paul Clews
7+1, Richard
Sweetman
4+1, Lee
Smart 3+2,
Rusty
Harrison 3+1
