GeneralMelchett

Yes and at that point he was the first rider to lower Frickes colours as well - let’s hope that form continues next week!

Yes I know the ride you mean he switched lines going down the back straight and into bend 3 clever!!

You should have - was a decent meeting some decent passing and racing and the crowd the most animated for a long time apart from the super heat last meeting

Agree - he was not gating at all - for someone not trying he managed to pass a couple of witches riders. Batch was superb tonight best I have seen him ride ever possibly!

Yes I am at owlerton a fair bit now and have never in my 20+ years of going had a meeting curtailed by the curfew - something to add to the contigencies planning folder! I don't think I have disagreed on the nature of what happened and how its never happened before but then referee clearly isn't in charge of the meeting like they are supposed to be, my general understanding was that from the moment they arrive control of the meeting is their shout - clearly it isn't when the TV companies are in town - I suppose beggars can not be choosers! - Eurosport also have a bit to learn from this also. yes could have been interesting.

Sadly there is no doubt about that - On occasions I look up speedway promotions finances - if the average fan knew just how bad a shape their clubs finances are in they would probably be pretty worried about the club folding!!!

I think you may have either missed or overlooked part of the point I was making which was had it happened at Ipswich the complaining would in all probability been coming from Tigers fans! Anyone abusing track staff (particularly unpaid volunteers) or other fans is out of line no need to even debate that! actually perhaps the referee has more of a part of play here - they should be firmer in running the meeting particular in terms of time scales - Frank Ebdon many years back was always able to get a meeting done v quick - air fence issues not withstanding I reckon he’d have got that meeting to heat 15!!!

actually a draw was possible until Starke crashed - 2x 5-1 would have seen a 45-45. I suppose it a bit like a football being stopped in the 80th minute with a team leading 2-1 - if the result is awarded then the losers will always say 'what if' - At least speedway does have a precedent in that anything called after after heat whatever the result stands!! If the losing party feel the match was curtailed due to timewasting / delay / incompetence etc its only reasonable they might complain a bit! As the rules stand its been dealt with correctly even if that is a tad unfair on Ipswich.

for sure yes - lets hope so!

I dont really have a problem with what you said to be honest just felt it was said in a provocative way The matter is much more nuanced and complex than a simple its your fault or their fault - however for good of the sport lets hope everyone learns from it - as one of my old bosses used to say - 'What's the learning been here'

The problem with the lead presenter is very often they are gone after a season or two when better and bigger things comes long!! Agree Tatum with Louis / Nicholls a decent line up.

Interesting comments perhaps wind yer neck in a bit there fella - I suspect had the boot been on t'other foot then it would be a different story - as someone once said if ever you want a thorough and frank examinantion of your shortcomings then a Yorkshireman is your fellow for the job - trouble is they don't like it being said back to them!! That said - the explanations were helpful from the promotion - perhaps a statement that included something like 'We will learn from this and try to ensure this doesn't happen again' would be in order. As someone who goes to both Owlerton and Foxhall (I have a foot in both camps here) and I can fully understand why the delays would seem a frustration to Witches. To end on a positive there were one or two cracking races - Doyle worth the admission alone!

Having been twice this season Musielak is a very slow starter he has twice run a 0 out of gate 4 in his first ride!

His gating let him down last night - he gated once and won

I am happy with a draw too - but they have changed it in their wisdom so I am running with it for now, modern sport seems to dislike draws - as a football purist there was nothing like a 1-1 away from home having spent 80 minutes camped in your own box defending like mad!!

Good meeting, the added drama of the super heat will not please many, I am a traditionalist usually myself but I have to admit i found it all quote exciting and the crowd were certainly up for it - Witches appeared to have thrown it away conceding two 1-5's in heats 11 and 12 and when Basso managed to squeeze past Hume in heat 14 I did think with the way Harris is riding a 5-1 in heat 15 might not happen. The Doyle exclusion - from where I was sat on the 2nd bend it appeared that Doyle tried a cutback and thats why Starke ran into him - having looked at the video from Chivsy that doesnt seem to come across from that angle. Someone had to go as it was past the first bend! The track did look good early on - it dried out a little later on but somehow King managed to find a lot of drive to pass Sedgmen on the inside - a proper elbows battle going down the back straight on lap 2 that was! Sedgmen had done well as he was last going into the first bend and a proper kerb job had seen him emerge 2nd behind Harris so the Witches pair earned that win for sure! Decent crowd some decent racing also a last heat (heat 15) 5-1 and the super heatwin will keep the home fans happy, well most of them anyway!! rubbish (not what I said initially!!) happens in sport as they say, feel a bit for the Panthers but they kind of got away with it against Sheffield so what goes around comes around as we all know!!

Not sure I am entirely convinced by the decision - if you are going to replace then replace with someone who you are certain is better - I am not sure this is, unless of course Nielsen volunteered to go? In the two home meetings I have attended he has scored 3+1 and 3 from his 7 rides against BV the home reserves were outscored by 8 pts to 6 but that inclued Tom Brennan taking 7 rides to cover R/R Last night they outscored their Wolves counterparts 7 to 6 - I'd be looking higher up in the 1-5 for reasons why the win wasn't by more last night!

Becker and Douglas were both very good, however Worrall had reeled off 3 wins (beating Holder and Musielak) so I can understand his inclusion, Morris had had a 'flier" in heat 13 (against Holder and Ellis) but won it maybe they felt he could go again and do the same.

Seeing as I was there an you were not - I will confirm that he pulled up in his opening 2 - not what you want from your no 1 but he was dicing for 2nd / 3rd in heat 1. Masters went from 3rd to 2nd to 1st then back to 2nd in heat 11 against Adam Ellis who was unbeaten at that time. Once he sorted his bike out he was competitive - however you don't want R and R from your no 1 in his first two rides away from home.

To be fair any kind of contribution form Masters and they could have won! he pulled up on the back straight in heat 1 when dicing for 2nd/third, and pulled up in his second ride. There is something about Owlerton and visiting no 1 riders right now as Fricke struggled in his first two last time also. Good meeting close scoreline and some decent racing and passing - the track was graded early after heat 7 and it was noticeable that after that the passing was more frequent. Last heat decider and a home win will keep the Sheffield fans happy just! - whilst Wolves will rue to 'one that got away' maybe.

Pretty fair summary that - my first meeting at Owlerton for a few years now - Fricke was the same at Ipswich the other week ran two lasts in his first two rides then improved. Tigers looked good no real weak links - they also from what I could see where prepared to take a risk or two at the first bend and either ride it wide or go for a blocking move, it seemed to me on more than one occasion Fricke had the chance to go outside at the first bend someone part blocked him and he seeemd to not follow it through. I hoped for a bit more passing too, by my reckoning only about 3-4 genuine after the first bend passes - still it was good to be back and the crowd seemed well up on my last visit which was Tigers V Newcastle in 2015 (I think)!

Ditto for Compton in some respects. When I used to go to Sheffield more regularly he was the master of Owlerton and unbeatable, last night he got four but in two of his races was way off the pace. Lanham rode quite well and got 8 or 9 I think, I think he will be ok at home, certainly in the old days for Arena he always rode quite well at Owlerton, in fact one classic inside pass of Sean Wilson springs to mind from about 2001 or 2. I haven't been to Sheffield for about 2 seasons, even then I only went once in that season. I genuinely surprised how small the crowd was, I presume maybe 2nd leg symdrome and it being KO cup might have affected the crowd?

No One! Steads bottom lip came out after being beaten by Bellego in what was a great race. Little bit of words and some shoving after the race but all sorted out. Steady then managed to be the only rider to beat bellego in heat 15 and they seeme dcordial afterwards. This was my first visit to speedway for two years and I really enjoyed the meeting, however the crowd and atmosphere was lacking last night. Berwick have a couple of cracking riders in Bellego and Jorgensen, his blast round the boards was awesome and deserved more reward than a puncture on the next lap ending his race! With racing like that I think I might start going again a bit more often.

Hackney for sure and also Cradley. two venues that I loved going to.

Missed the first GP, enjoyed the one at the weekend, the racing was awesome and pleased its on Eurosport, too many adverts on the sky version sometimes but overall I can't say I noticed too much difference, same commentators, Steve Brandon interviews at trackside still and the graphics all the same so as previously said it's just a feed being broadcast.