Mdl --sat May 12th --- Milton Keynes 23 Mercia Vikings 13

[Main Man]

MILTON KEYNES 23

 

Nick Laurence - 9 max (3 rides)

Conor Dwyer - 5+1 (2)

Tom Braddock - 6 (3)

Alex McLoed - 3+1 (4)

 

NCA Mercia Vikings 13

 

Martin Knuckey - 2+2 (3)

Freddie Owen - 4 (3)

Paul Quarterman - 4 (3)

Lee Springthorpe - 3+1 (3)

 

HT 1: Laurence, Dwyer, Owen, Knuckey (fexc) re-run

HT 2: Braddock, Quarterman, Springthorpe, McLeod.

HT 3: Laurence, McLeod, Owen, Quarterman (fexc) awarded

HT 4: Dwyer, Springthorpe, Knuckey, Braddock (fexc) awarded

HT 5: Laurence, Owen, McLeod, Springthorpe (f)

HT 6: Braddock, Quarterman, Knuckey, McLeod.

 

Last night at the Rye House raceway the National Cash Advance Vikings went down to a 23 - 13 defeat to a very strong Milton Keynes line up but meeting was a lot closer than the score line suggests. Heat 1 saw the home side cruise to an easy 5-1 with Vikings Martin Knuckley taking a tumble on his very first ride at the tricky Rye House circuit. Heat 2 looked to be going the same way for the Knights but Paul Quarterman chased down Alex Mcleod for three laps forcing the Knights No 4 into a mistake on the last lap allowing him and fellow Viking Lee Springthorpe through for a share of the points. Heat 3 saw some drama as Quarterman feel whilst in second resulting in an awarded 5-1 for the home side. Heat 4 looked set to be another home 5-1 until the very last bend, with Conor Dwyer in the lead his teammate Tom Braddock hit a rut and went straight into Dwyer. Conor received medical attention on the track for about 5 minutes but soon got to his feet although he was ruled out of the rest of the meeting with a suspected dislocated thumb. The race was awarded as a shared 3-3. Heat 5 saw a Knights 4-2 but the best race of the night was heat 6, Braddock got a good start but it was behind where all the action was with Paul Quarterman and Martin Knuckey riding out of their skin to get past Mcleod on the last lap.

Commented Kelvin Lapworth, team manager of the Vikings , "Although we lost tonight I was delighted with the teams performance. All the lads gave it 100% and we had a very good buzz in the pits. The season still has a very long way to go and the way we rode tonight I believe we can make it all the way to the play off final"