The Lakeside Vortex Hammers continued their spell of home victories with three points, after an emphatic 57-35 win against Elite League strugglers Leicester Lions at Arena Essex.
‘The Hammers’ bounced back from their heavy defeat on Thursday night away at King’s Lynn by claiming the home win with three races to go.
Lakeside’s number one rider confirmed on the night to promoter Jon Cook during the meeting that he will be back at the raceway next season for ‘The Hammers’.
Former Hammers’ riders Davey Watt and Ben Morely returned, as guests for the home side as Kim Nilsson was away preparing for a GP Qualifier, as Morely stepped in for the injured Ashley Birks.
Lakeside were on the offensive from the opening race, despite Leicester No.1 Jason Doyle gating in the lead. Andreas Jonsson passed Doyle on lap 2 and Mikkel Bech fought till the last bend as he also sneaked passed Doyle for the maximum.
Adam Ellis continued the success as he led the first bend and won – guest Morely battled with Leicester guest Adam Roynon but finished third for a 4-2.
Edward Kennett extended the lead to 10 points as he gated first and won followed by Poole asset Watt in second – for a 14-4 lead and second maximum of the night.
‘The Hammers’ claimed a fourth heat victory through Richard Lawson by gating first and Morely held off Szymon Wozniak this time for a 4-2 race victory.
Leicester rekindled a fightback after Ellis fell on lap 2 and was excluded. Richie Worrall hit the front on the re-run and Simon Lambert followed to leave Bech at the back for a 5-1 reverse maximum.
‘The Lions’ got back to within six points as Doyle got his first win of the night with Lawson in second and former Hammer Piotr Swiderski held off Kennett for a 4-2, with the score at 21-15.
Lakeside gained their third maximum of the night through superb racing by Jonsson as he overtook Wozniak on bend 3 of the opening lap as Watt also surpassed him on lap 2 to maintain the 10 point lead.
Lawson got his second race win but Morely lost out in the battle for second with Worrall – extending the lead none the less, with the Hammers leading 30-12.
Bech grabbed his first victory of the night and Ellis came through in second for a fourth maximum, to open up a convincing lead.
On the start of heat 10, Watt was edged out by Doyle and collided into Worrall. All four riders restarted and Watt was out for revenge and targeted the nominated tactical rider Doyle and passed him at the end of lap 3 to take victory – Kennett took third to split the race 4-4.
Jonsson made it a hat-trick of wins for him as he lead from the front and Bech followed in third for another 4-2, with the overall score at 43-25.
In the second reserve race Morely has a superb individual race as he gated second but took the lead on lap 3 and Ellis also grinded out third with a lap to go and claim the overall three points.
‘The Hammers’ completed their sixth 4-2 of the evening and Jonsson made his fourth victory of the night as Watt held third.
The home side really rubbed salt in the wounds as Lawson grabbed his hat-trick of race wins and was supported by Kennett.
In the nominated final heat Leicester gained back some pride with their second maximum of the night through Doyle and Swiderski, as Jonsson missed out on a full maximum – to end the night with a convincing 57-35 win for ‘The Hammers’ as they move up to sixth.
