Mitchell Young updates us on yesterday’s local speedway action:-
The Lakeside Vortex Hammers got a draw at home to Poole Pirates after they overturned a four point deficit in the final heat at The Arena Essex.
‘The Hammers’ needed three points to strengthen their play-off hopes but ‘The Pirates’ spoiled the party in the home sides last home match of the season.
The host got proceedings underway with a race win for Captain Davey Watt but guests Cameron Woodward and Peter Kildemand were hot on his heels to split the heat three apiece.
‘The Southend Sensation’ Ben Morely and Adam Ellis gave Lakeside an early lead, Benji Compton was excluded after he fell and injured his finger as Morely edged Ellis to the line in their own race at the front.
Vaclav Milik jumped the gate and flipped the bike on race three. The re-run made it back to back maximums as Daniel King sped to victory as Richard ‘Awesome’ Lawson held off Janowski.
Poole bounced straight back with a 5-1 reverse with Woodward and reserve rider Kyle Newman as they caught out Lewis Bridger and Morely.
Watt got his second of the night and King almost made it a third maximum but fell on the final bend which allowed both Pirates to pick up second third and share the heat.
Bridger was first to bend one of race six but again had to share the points as Lawson pulled up with a chain problem.
Newman replaced Compton as he withdrew from the meeting. Guest Aaron Summers was beaten by the replacement and Josh Grajczonek took third to edge the race 4-2.
Bridger gained another heat win which restored ‘The Hammers’ four point lead after Lawson sneaked past Milik.
In the second reserve race Poole had no second rider with Compton out and Newman in the race. He got the best result the visitors could get as Newman beat both Morely and Ellis.
Watt made his hat-trick in heat ten but Summers struggled and Janowski and Milik snatched their opportunity and kept it tight with another split race.
Kildemand won race 11 but the hosts contained Poole with King and Lawson to pick up second and third for a trio of inseparable heats.
King’s Lyn guest Woodward brought the overall tie all level aided by in form Newman for a 5-1 reverse, to make three home points a mammoth task.
‘The Pirates’ went in front after a shock 5-1 reverse after Watt retired during lap one and Janowski won the race assisted by Kildemand as he shielded off the attack from King.
Heat 14 was the seventh split race of the night with Bridger’s third of the night after superb start line reactions from Bridger but Ellis fell on the first bend which kept Poole in the driving seat.
Despite ‘The Hammers’ unable to get three home points they did not disappoint in the final heat. The determination to not lose in front of the home crowd was huge, the first attempt was feisty with Bridger and King as they attacked the first bend. Janowski fell which stopped the race and Kildemand seemed to pull up shortly afterwards. Janowski excluded, Kildemand was allowed in the
re-run by the referee followed by a frustrated crowd reaction.
At the second attempt both Bridger and King went out even harder. Bridger edged in front of Kildemand both at locker heads, on the final bend both riders touched which caused both to halt. Bridger reacted first as he had all night and King grasped the opportunity to slip into second and Kildemand parked metres from the finish line in uproar. He finally pushed his bike over the line after he confronted the track referee to level the meeting in a dramatic end to Lakeside’s home meets for the season.