COVENTRY: POOLE:
G.Hancock 2 2 3 2'2' 11(2) M.Loram 3 3 3 1 1 11
A.Jonsson Rider Replacement M.Zetterstrom 0 0 1 2' 3(1)
B.Andersen 0 2 3 0 2 7 G.Havelock 2'1 2 3 8(1)
St.Robson 1'1 1'1 1 5(2) L.Richardson 3 0 3 1'2'0 9(2)
B.Hamill 3 2'1 3 3 12(1) S.Nicholls 2 3 2'0 7(1)
S.Tacey 3 3 2'F 0 R 8(1) D.Bird 0 1 0 1
Sc.Robson 2'0 0 1' 3(2) M.Ferjan 1 1'0 3 5(1)
THEY SAY MAGICIANS SHOULD never repeat their tricks - well, Billy Hamill and Greg Hancock produced an amazing encore to last week's action to virtually single-handedly propel Bees to an unlikely victory against one of the teams who they could well be fighting against for League honours.
In a closely fought match, Bees suffered numerous problems, and with some of the Poole riders producing key rides at just the right times, the American dream team had to ride out of their skins to keep Mark Loram behind them in Heat 13 - and they then had to remove him from second place in one of the most epic last-heat deciders ever seen at Brandon.
Bees were still without the unwell Andreas Jonsson, but there was a much-improved crowd for this fixture, reflecting the fact not only that Bees are doing well, but also that people will turn out for meaningful matches - and here were attractive opponents standing in the way of Bees' qualification passage towards the latter stages of the Craven Shield, which has been a ridiculously long season-opening contest. All of these matches should have been League matches, although in saying that Bees have come out of things extremely well.
After a hot day there were storm clouds overhead and a shorp, sharp shower duly arrived almost bang-on 7.30pm, which made the track slightly greasy for the first few races, especially going into the turns. Loram almost lost it on more than one occasion on the way to outpacing Hancock in Heat 1, with Stuart Robson easily seeing off Magnus Zetterstrom, but Bees immediately surged into the lead in Heat 2 with Tacey again demonstrating his throttle control on his way to the win, and Scott Robson picking up a useful second place, staying on the inside as the Pirates reserves drifted out, and hanging on fot a paid win.
Poole hit back immediately, with Lee Richardson edging Brian Andersen out on the first bend of Heat 3, leaving a gap for Gary Havelock to come through. Thereafter it was Stuart Robson doing the chasing with Andersen looking very unhappy at the back, but the Pirates hung on to level the scores. Heat 4 was shared, Hamill fighting off a stern challenge from Scott Nicholls, but Ferjan doing enough to beat Scott Robson, and Heat 5 was also a drawn affair, with Loram easily getting round Andersen at the start, and Stuart Robson again good enough for Zetterstrom.
Poole went into the lead in Heat 6. Colin Pratt correctly elected to use Scott Robson for the race, in the assumption that he would beat Bird, but unfortunately he failed to do so, never really getting close after the first lap, and at the front Hancock was unable to handle the flying Nicholls.
That prompted an immediate Bees response, and Tacey produced one of the best first bends of the night by a Coventry rider to move Richardson out in Heat 7, very much in the same way that Richardson had done to Andersen earlier. Havelock had been sluggish away, and Tacey's manoevre left a big gap for Hamill, who'd been slightly slow off the second bend. Bees then raced away for a 5-1 to turn things in their favour - a result they repeated in Heat 8 with Tacey again involved. This time he linked up with Andersen for a 5-1 over Zetterstrom and Ferjan, Tacey away from the start on the inside and Andersen sweeping round the field on the first lap to race away to the win.
That put Poole into tactical substitute territory, and Neil Middleditch elected to save Loram potentially for later, and used Richardson instead alongside Nicholls. The move paid off as Andersen, having appeared to make a good start, went from first to last before the first bend, and from then on it was Stuart Robson doing the chasing, trying desperately to get round Nicholls but never quite getting close enough. The gap was slashed back to two points, which it remained in Heat 10, a race which appeared crucial to the outcome. Hancock moved Havelock over at the start and Tacey initially looked to be joining him in a 5-1 situation. However, he steadily dropped back and at the start of lap 3 he took an awkward fall into turn 1, rapidly clearing the track to allow Hancock a clear path, but quite obviously limping and in some pain.
And of course with no interval due to the uncertain weather, he was straight out again in Heat 11, which produced a massive result for the Pirates. Loram gated and charged away, but Zetterstrom somehow managed to get the better of Hamill at the start and managed to hold on to second place, much to his and the Poole fans' delight. With Poole two points up and only four heats to go, it was looking rather ominous for Coventry, especially as Tacey wouldn't be able to take an extra ride in Heat 12.
This turned out to be the classic two races in one scenario, as Andersen unsuccessfully chased Havelock, and Scott Robson pegged back the ground on Bird. In a vital move, he got inside him on the last lap and claimed third place, and whilst Bees were disappointed not to take a heat advantage, it was clear that Hamill and Hancock could now win the match on their own - two 5-1s in Heats 13 and 15, however unlikely, would do it - and, conversely, if they were to concede a 5-1 in Heat 13, they would be able to come straight back out as tacticals in Heat 14.
Standing in the way in Heat 13 were Nicholls and the unbeaten Loram, but the Bees riders made the start and then produced some classic team-riding to see off Loram's strong challenge. The pressure never let up, but Hancock in particular rode a brilliant defensive race, riding the inside generally, but knowing just when to move out to foil the British Champion. This 5-1 set the stadium alight, and with Bees two points up now, things were looking brighter.
Heat 14 turned out to be a complete disaster, as Ferjan, who hadn't made a start all evening, somehow got his front wheel down under control to link up with Richardson and immediately cancel out the previous 5-1. Stuart Robson pushed them all the way but couldn't get through, and a struggling Tacey retired on the last lap. Pirates were two-up again, and the message was clear - do it again, Billy and Greg, this time over six laps!
Poole would surely have wanted to nominate Nicholls to partner Loram for the last race, but his last place in Heat 13 left him behind Havelock and Richardson in the points. Surely a team manager should be able to pick anyone for the last race? In the end, Neil Middleditch elected for youth over experience, with Richardson getting the nod, but to be honest, coming from the outside, it always looked unlikely that the promising Poole rider, very much a star of the future, would be a key player in the race. Having said that, he had been gating more consistently than Havelock, so the decision was probably right. The main action was expected to take place inside him, with Hancock, Loram and Hamill in identical gates to those which they had occupied in Heat 13.
It turned out to be a dramatic showdown, and in a tight first bend, Hamill just emerged in the lead, with Loram closing Hancock down and moving into second place. Then, of course, he had the dilemma of settling for second place and the draw, or chasing after Hancock. In fact, he didn't really have much choice, because Hancock was pushing him so hard that he couldn't risk sitting where he was! And at the front Hamill had no need to slow the race down to attempt to bring Hancock through, because the other two were thrusting directly behind him!
At the end of lap 3, it all happened. Hancock spotted the tiniest of gaps inside Loram, and thrust his wheels into it going down the straight. The two riders entered the pits bend at colossal speed, Loram ferociously battling his bike to get back on line, but the corner, gloriously, was Hancock's, and the Bees riders were in front. Almost un-noticed, Hamill made an error on the same bend and only just avoided clattering into the fence on the exit, but Bees went up the back straight first and second, Loram fighting to recover having been taken really wide.
Lap five was completed with no real drama, but at the start of six Hancock went a little wide in turn one, and Loram was right back alongside him again. It was then a mad race up the straight to the last bend, and Hancock just got there in time to close Loram down and leave him with nowhere to pass. Team H & H finished the race first and second amidst absolute jubilation on the terraces and in the pits - and it would be only right at this point to record the brilliant contribution made to Heats 13 and 15 by Loram, the most dynamic rider in the world at present. He can seemingly control the bike in any situation, and there's no doubt that to see action like that, you need the riders in opposition to have the ability to complete. Loram can do more than that, and Heat 15 in particular was just an epic speedway race.
Barring a mathematical catastrophe, which will involve Eastbourne winning their three away fixtures by big margins (they haven't won away at all yet) and Bees losing both at Kings Lynn and at home to Peterborough, Coventry are now into the Craven Shield semi finals to add to the KO Cup semi finals and their 100% current Elite League record. There is absolutely no doubt that the buzz is back at Brandon - there's nothing like a winning team, and surely more and more supporters should come out of the woodwork and back the team all the way, because this season we could be on to something big.