REDCAR 53 STOKE 42

 STOKE Easy Rider Potters suffered their second defeat in the space of twenty four hours this time in the Premier League as they went down to a 53-42 against the Redcar Bears at the South Tees Motor Sport Park on Thursday night.

 The Easy Rider Potters fell behind as early as heat number one as former World Champion Gary Havelock and former Potter Robbie Kessler stormed from the gate to take an easy 5-1 heat win from Tom P Madsen and Stoke skipper Lee Complin to put the Bears four up.

 The tapes failed at the first time of asking and in the rerun Potters reserve Jesper Kristiansen fell on the first turn, referee Graham Flint calling all four riders back for a second rerun.  Klaus Jakobsen took victory at the third time of asking with his partner Kristiansen taking third just behind Bears rider Benji Compton who took second but it was a Potters 4-2 and the heat advantage reduced the deficit to two points.

 After a series of drawn heats the Bears extended their lead with a 5-1 heat advantage from Havelock and Kessler over Potters reserves Kristiansen and Jakobsen, Havelock coming from last to first to take the chequered flag to give the Bears a 21-15 lead.

 The Potters replied immediately with a 4-2 advantage of their own as Jason Bunyan passed Ty Proctor on the second lap to take victory with Glen Phillips grabbing third ahead of Compton reducing the deficit to four points with the Potters trailing 23-19 at the halfway stage.

 The Bears then hit the Potters with two heat advantages in heat eight and nine first of all Kessler and Bugeja take maximum points from  Jakobsen and Madsen then Carl Stonehewer dives under Kristiansen to take victory in heat nine with Ben Wilson holding out Jakobsen for third place to give the Bears a 32-22 lead.

Redcar extended their lead to twelve points in heat ten as Havelock took his third victory on the bounce, Bunyan though managed to split the Bears pairing as he managed to get passed Kessler on the third lap to stop the Redcar pairing gaining a maximum heat advantage in a damage limitation job as the Bears only gained a 4-2 heat win as the Bears extend their lead to twelve points. 

Team manager John Woolridge nominates Lee Complin as a tactical ride in heat eleven and Complin makes the start but Ty Proctor goes around the Potters skipper on lap two to take victory Tom P Madsen holding Compton at bay for third place for a Potters 5-3 heat advantage reducing the deficit to ten points with the Bears leading 39-29.

 The Bears hit back straight away with a 4-2 from Stonehewer and Bugeja over Phillips and Kristiansen as they again pile of the pressure to lead 43-31 after twelve races.

Havelock and Proctor sealed the points for the Bears with two heats remaining as they score a 5-1 maximum heat advantage to put Redcar sixteen points up.

 Bunyan is nominated as a tactical ride in heat fourteen and he duly delivered passing Wilson on the line to take victory but unfortunately his partner Jakobsen finished last as the Bears filled the minor placings giving Stoke a 6-3 heat advantage. 

Stoke gained some consolation in the final heat as Complin took victory ahead of Stonehewer with Bunyan holding Havelock at bay as the Potters gain a 4-2, Complin falling as he went over the finish line with Bunyan catching his partner while he was on the ground, Complin thankfully getting up and walking away after some treatment on the track. The Bears take a comfortable victory though as they take a 53-42 win.

Team manager John Woolridge said “We kept in close early on but they hit us hard with a mid meeting rally with two 4-2’s and a 5-1 and that made the difference. “We now have to regroup and get things together for Saturday’s cup match against Berwick, we can’t let our heads drop and simply have to get on with the job.”

 Scorers: Redcar: 53: Carl Stonehewer 12+1, Gary Havelock 12, Ty Proctor 10+1, Robbie Kessler 8+2, Ben Wilson 5, Arlo Bugeja 3+1, Benji Compton 3+1 

Stoke 42: Jason Bunyan 14, Lee Complin 10, Jesper Kristiansen 6, Klaus Jakobsen 5+1, Glen Phillips 4+1, Tom P Madsen 3+1, Phil Morris (Rider Replacement)