BEES: KNIGHTS:
G.Hancock 2 3 2 3 0 10 M.Dugard 3 3 1 1' 8(1)
S.Tacey 1'0 E 0 1(1) R.Kessler T 0 1'0 1(1)
G.Havelock 2 1'3 1 7(1) B.Brhel 1 0 3 3 2 9
C.Gjedde 0 2 1 2' 5(1) T.Topinka 3 1 1 1 6
A.Jonsson 2 2'3 0 3 10(1) S.Andersson 3 2 2 2'2 1' 12(2)
S.Robson 3 3 2'3 11(1) M.Dixon 0 1 1'0 2(1)
R.Madsen 2'E 3 0 5(1) P.Lee 0 1 2 0 3
HEAT DETAILS:
Ht 1:Dugard, Hancock, Tacey, Dixon, Kessler(tapes), 63.1 3-3 3-3
Ht 2:Robson, Madsen, Dixon, Lee, 62.7 5-1 8-4
Ht 3:Topinka, Havelock, Brhel, Gjedde, 62.9 2-4 10-8
Ht 4:Andersson, Jonsson, Lee, Madsen(ef), 62.7 2-4 12-12
Ht 5:Dugard, Gjedde, Havelock, Kessler, 62.0 3-3 15-15
Ht 6:Hancock, Andersson, Dixon, Tacey, 62.1 3-3 18-18
Ht 7:Robson, Jonsson, Topinka, Brhel, 62.6 5-1 23-19
Ht 8:Madsen, Lee, Kessler, Tacey(ef), 64.5 3-3 26-22
Ht 9:Havelock, Andersson, Gjedde, Dixon, 62.3 4-2 30-24
Ht10:Bhrel, Hancock, Topinka, Tacey, 62.0 2-4 32-28
Ht11:Jonsson, Robson, Dugard, Kessler, 61.6 5-1 37-29
Ht12:Brhel, Andersson, Havelock, Madsen, 62.7 1-5 38-34
Ht13:Hancock, Andersson, Dugard, Jonsson, 62.1 3-3 41-37
Ht14:Robson, Gjedde, Topinka, Lee, 63.6 5-1 46-38
Ht15:Jonsson, Brhel, Andersson, Hancock, 92.8 3-3 49-41
BEES FINALLY WON A match at Brandon on Monday, and although it must be recorded that the quality of opposition was not as high as most in this league, hopefully some confidence can be gained from what was generally a commendable team effort.
The two main factors behind the win were a high-quality performance from reserve Stuart Robson, showing once again that mounted on decent equipment, he can be an excellent rider. The only mystery was that he only had four rides. Also, it was good to see Andreas Jonsson produce his best form of the season so far, looking much more aggressive on his way to a double-figure score.
Having criticized the week before, it is only right to give praise where due, and especially considering that there had been an incident-packed stock-car meeting on Saturday, the track was in excellent condition and well-prepared, leading to the best action of the season. Gary Havelock guested for Brian Andersen, whilst World Champion Tony Rickardsson was officially withholding his services for Knights, as he raced in a Polish League match, and they brought in Brandon specialist Martin Dugard.
And it was Dugard who provided the first action of the night in Heat 1. At the first attempt, Kessler was excluded for tape-touching (with the race strangely allowed to reach the first corner before the red lights came on) but Bees were well away in the re-run as well, with Hancock looking for Tacey. Unfortunately, there seemed to be some confusion on the fourth bend and Dugard burst inside Tacey and outside Hancock, with the American giving furious, but fruitless, chase.
Robson made a jet-propelled start to win Heat 2 in a time quicker than Dugard, with Madsen tucking in for second place, but for a moment it looked like Knights would immediately pull that 5-1 back as Brhel and Topinka gated in Heat 3. Havelock, however, went round the outside on the third and fourth bends to overtake Brhel and split the partnership. But Knights did draw level in Heat 4, with Madsen pulling out on the first bend to give Lee a point, and Stefan Andersson showing Andreas Jonsson a clean pair of heels at the front.
Heat 5 was shared, Dugard winning comfortably but Gjedde and Havelock comfortably beating Kessler, but Bees should have gone back in front in Heat 6. Hancock was never threatened by Andersson, but Tacey lost third place with a broken throttle cable that allowed Dixon past on the last bend.
Heat 7 looked highly unpredictable, with Jonsson and Robson facing the Czech partnership, but it turned out well for Bees with another great start by Robson taking him clear, and Jonsson battling his way past Topinka to secure the 5-1. Madsen, not surprisingly, took control of Heat 8 against Kessler and Lee, but Bees again threw points away as the second-placed Tacey lost his position with a spark plug failure.
Bees went six points clear in Heat 9 with a piece of pre-injury Gary Havelock riding, storming round the outside of Stefan Andersson, with Gjedde comfortably seeing off Dixon. Tacey was surprisingly left in Heat 10 despite Robson's excellent form, but it was typical Bo Brhel at the front - completely off the pace in his first couple of rides, he found the speed to outpace Greg Hancock at the front. Tacey seemed to progressively lose power throughout the race, and he was passed on the third lap by Topinka, which left the interval score at 32-28.
An excellent Heat 11 followed, with Jonsson showing his class to move Dugard over on the first bend before racing away to the fastest time of the season - and what made the race even better for Coventry fans was that Robson exploited the gap that had been created to muscle inside Dugard for a 5-1. That gave Knights the chance to use a tactical substitute, and they brought Andersson in to partner Bhrel to a Heat 12 5-1 over Havelock, so the gap was back to four points.
Andersson, who was gating well all night, made the best start in Heat 13, and with Jonsson squeezed out at the start, it was as well for Bees that Hancock charged inside Andersson going into turn three to maintain Coventry's four point lead. The killer blow came in Heat 14 as Robson completed a popular maximum with another flying start, and Gjedde got the better of Topinka on the first lap for a match-winning 5-1.
The 6-lap finale produced a competitive encounter, but Greg Hancock's point about the tracks generally being too slick at the end seemed to be borne out as, having made another poor start, he was unable to find a way past either Brhel or Andersson, despite trying virtually every line. Jonsson won the race by some distance, which should be a confidence-booster for him.
So, by some distance the best night of the season so far for Coventry. The management will be relived that things went without a hitch, the track was excellent, the team battled hard despite giving away some silly points, and so the overall mood can at last be lifted off rock-bottom.