greyhoundp Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 most enjoyable meeting so far this season. Eagles deserved a point. I'd say crowd tonight was on a par with Brummies last week. c. 1,000..total guess.. The guy on the door was counting us all in and van Stratten twice asked him for running total. CVS seemed happy enough.. didn't hear the answer though from over the fence... also, can't remember the last time heat 2 of a league meeting produced the fastest time of the night! Funny you should mention counting, i said to CVS jokingly as i walked past, are you counting us in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinthehat Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 I have to say i agree with you. After a steady 4 hour drive for my Home meeting here is my humble opinion on the meeting.of the current League Champions Cradley Heath against the Challengers from the South Eastbourne Eagles. The Heathens gained an early 6 point lead after just 2 Heats which could have been 8 points but for a fall for Michael Neale, this quickly laid to rest any nerves (including mine) about the outcome of the meeting, but then in Heat 3 ex Cradley Heathen Daryll Ritchings gave a hint it was NOT to be all one sided with the eagles first heat win over Matt Williamson, game ON, Then in heat 4 we had the highly anticipated and acclaimed youngster from the isles of New Zealand Bradley Wilson Dean up against another bright prospect from the Southern Hemispere in Ellis Perks, he was riding with the 17 year old highly regarded British Heathens Heat Leader Nathan Greaves, Nathan gated followed by BWD who was even more closely followed by Ellis who misjudged the entry into turn 2 lap 2 and fell but quickly remounted, BWD was charging hard around the outside of Nathan who under pressure from the Kiwi, made a mistake and fell, its not often in the NL that Nathan comes under such pressure when in front 5-1 to the Eagles, Then in Ht 5 most Heathens fans were expecting at least a 3-3, but David Mason and Richard Andrews had not read the script, put simply they gated and were gone, for a pretty easy 5-1 to the Eagles who had not only won the Heat 5-1 but edged in front overall 16-14. Heat 6 we had BWD up against OUR very OWN young Captain, the highly regarded British prospect rated by some 2nd only to Robert Lambert in his age group Max Clegg, could Max lower the colours of the young Kiwi, and would Cleggy go for it ? YES he did but destroyed the Tapes and was excluded, Team manager Pottinger IMO correctly decided it was just to much to ask Max to catch BWD off -15 so brought in Ellis Perks to again try to defeat the flying Kiwi, BWD gated and won pretty comfortably followed by the steady Arron Mogridge who could not make any impression on the leader, with Ellis a dissapointing third, that was 4 consecutive Heat winners from the Eagles and a 19-17 lead, Could Nathan stop the rot in Heat 7 ? Nathan gated, and despite heavy pressure from Darryl he held on to take the win from Dazza in 2nd and Mike Neale taking the valuable 3rd place to level the scores, we then had three consecutive Heat wins from two of Cradleys unsung heroes in Matt Williamson and Arron Mogridge who probably had his best ever NL score of 11 from four rides and only beaten by that man/boy BWD, Matt Williamson had the plaudits of being the first Cradley rider to beat Wilson Dean in Heat 9 by gating and holding off BWD despite strong pressure he never made a mistake and proved to the Cradley riders the Kiwi hotshot was beatable. During all of this Clegg and Harris had picked up a couple of 3rd places to edge into a 4 point lead at the interval. Much of the Terrace talk during the interval was could Cradley hold on due to the fact Bradley Wilson Dean would be in 3 of the 5 remaining races and Dazza probably in two of them, also what would Team manager Pottinger do in Heat 14. Onto the 2nd half of the meeting Heat 11 Young Nathan Greaves against BWD we saw the best of Wilson Dean he completely missed the gate and was at the back exiting bend 2, he quickly passed Neale and Mason, and set off after Nathan, for two laps he stalked Nathan until coming down the home straight out of bend 4 he went past Nathan going into the last lap, Mason held off a determined challenge from Mike Neale for third place 4-2 the Eagles. Then we had an eventful Heat 12 Cradleys duo of Williamson & Perks gated on a 5-1 until the 3rd bend when Georgie Wood in 3rd place took a nasty fall into bend 3, Dazza quickly laid his bike down Wood excluded. In the rerun as often happens this time Dazza gated and led from the tapes then Perks fell and was excluded, then there were two, Ritchings gated again and took a routine win from Matt who though never far behind couldnt get a telling challenge in 3-2 the Eagles 36-35 to Cradley, three races to go all to play for. Heat 13 saw three of the NLs brightest young prospects up against each other, we had BWD only beaten once up to that point, Cradleys Captain Clegg without a win until then, and Nathan beaten twice by BWD previously, the race was made up by the NLs highest ever points scores the veteran and Captain David Mason. The race didnt dissapoint the many Heathens fans present; 2 races in one, Cleggy gated BWD second, Mason 3rd, and Nathan out of bend two in last place, up front there was never much in it,but captain Clegg held enough speed and rode the right lines to keep a determined Wilson Dean behind him who try as he might could not find a way past, meanwhile behind this the action continued with David Mason trying to hold off a hard trying Nathan, the wily old campaigner did his best to out smart the youngster but on lap two Nathan had just to much speed for the veteran and squeezed past Mason to hold on for a valuable 3rd place point 4-2 the Heathens 43-40 overall. Onto heat 14 2 weeks ago team manager Pottinger made what many though was the wrong call by leaving in Young Luke Harris and taking out Mike Neale for Ellis Perks, this time around he made NO mistake and took young Luke out of the firing line and it was Perks and Neale against Andrews and Wood, Perks gated followed Neale looking like a 5-1 then Perks bike momentarily cut out and evreyone went past, but Mike rode a fine line to keep the eagles at bay, another shared heat 3-3 and its 43-40 going into the last, any result was still possible. Ht 15, Cometh the hour cometh the men Cleggster and Greaves against The flying BWD and Determined Dazza, From the gate Cleggy was like a rocket, tight in behind but Nathan came down the back straight in 2nd place and looking good, BWD burst past Darryl, and again had Nathan in his sites entering the home straight and into turn one lap 3 something had to give and it was BWD who fell, game OVER 5-1 to the Heathens and 48-41 overall meaning the Eagles failed to take the point there showing deserved. All in all it was a good nights racing hard but fair worth every penny of the £11 admission, The Heathens showed they will not be giving up the Title without a fight, a good all round showing of strength in depth, the Eagles also proved they will be flying high come the end of season, as for Bradley Wilson Dean, he is a fine young prospect and bodes well for the future of New Zealand Speedway, it wont be long before someone comes along with a cheque book, enjoy him while you have him. I have to agree with you thats a fair sum of the meeting and thats what a lot of people have said, A great meeting and looking on the plus side Eastbourne have been there now and no how to set up for Birmingham lol. Well ridden to all the Cradley team, Hope to see a good match at Eastbourne when you come down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hackett Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Sounded like a decent meeting and IMO these two clubs will be chasing Silverware in the NL. Good to hear that BDW was tearing it up at Perry Barr he looks a decent prospect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villain Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) For the Eagles, was looking forward to watching Wilson-Dean and he didnt disapoint. It was like watching Ben Barker again as the lad likes to keep it wound on in the bends and is very entertaining to watch. I'm just glad we have the eagles in the cup and Wilson Dean back at Perry Barr on the 20th, him v Adam Ellis should be interesting. I was very impressed with BWD, just a pity he isnt British. He has everything - style, speed, guts and he looks to be in total control. The two tussles he had with Greaves were fantastic - just a pity that each of them took a spill which ended the contest. Edited April 23, 2015 by crazy jack 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex2000 Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Connor said he changed Dugard for Wood as Wood was racing the bike harder than Dugard and he could hold off Perks or make a pass. which was the correct decision because once he got going he was nearly in the back of Richard Andrews. Do we know who managed the team yesterday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Do we know who managed the team yesterday? I think maybe Connor with assitance from what he said on Fb from Laurence Rogers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeyenz Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) also, can't remember the last time heat 2 of a league meeting produced the fastest time of the night! I remember when Martin Yeates had the 1974 season with Eastbourne and broke the Arlington track record in Heat 2. Happy days. Edited April 23, 2015 by hawkeyenz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex2000 Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 I think maybe Connor with assitance from what he said on Fb from Laurence Rogers. Oh ok what happened to Glenn Martin? I thought Connor was going to be team manager anyway as he built the team up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinthehat Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 (edited) Hi Alex, my friend talked to Trevor last weekend and he said Glen would be back after the cradley meeting as he had already had commitments on those race days, maybe he has been locked away for a while and his realise date is up soon lol (Only Joking) he is due for the next home meeting but if he comes back with a Tan then we know he has been on holiday. I think it was mentioned in the Speedway Star or at the supporters meeting that he would not be available for the start of the season due to work. Trevor was not at Cradley as he must have also had work commitments. Edited April 24, 2015 by catinthehat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex2000 Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Hi Alex, my friend talked to Trevor last weekend and he said Glen would be back after the cradley meeting as he had already had commitments on those race days, maybe he has been locked away for a while and his realise date is up soon lol (Only Joking) he is due for the next home meeting but if he comes back with a Tan then we know he has been on holiday. I think it was mentioned in the Speedway Star or at the supporters meeting that he would not be available for the start of the season due to work. Trevor was not at Cradley as he must have also had work commitments. Thanks for that catinthehat, Glad to see Trevor is still involved with the club I bet Glenn wished he was here for the good start to the season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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