MATCH REPORT: Leicester hold Coventry in Hearsall classic

Coventry 89-90 Leicester, Challenge Fixture, Sunday 6th April

Hearsall Common was the venue for yet another ‘Hearsall Classic’ as Leicester travelled down the M69 to take on a weakened Coventry side.

Regular first team members Myke Grimes and Daniel Drewett were absent from the squad – though this meant Shaun Reynolds could take his place in the side after a month out due to work commitments.

On the superbly prepared track, racing got underway. Both grids 1 & 2 proved tricky as Craig Marchant and Shaun Reynolds slipped on the grids – costing them valuable points. Leicester took the early advantage courtesy of a 7-3 from Kev Burns and Mark Whitehead.

Coventry soon responded with a 7-3 of their own as Dominik Rycherski won the first of his five races on the afternoon. Four 5-5’s followed with wins for Pietak and Roberts as Coventry held a narrow four point advantage at the half way stage.

Coventry then extended their lead to six points as they claimed a 6-4 in heat 10. Two race advantages, against the Devlins Newsagents, deadlocked the sides once more though Coventry, with wins for Mason Phillips and Rycherski, once again opened up a four point lead.

The turning point in the match then arose. Joe McLaughlin, on his seasonal debut, was then excluded for taking his hands off the handlebars in heat 15 – meaning the Monarchs picked up a handy 6-3. This proved to be crucial later on in the meeting as Leicester held a 1 point advantage going into the final heat.

Unfortunately for Coventry, Kev Burns went on to win the final race meaning Coventry lost out by a single point – final score Coventry 89-90 Leicester.

Coventry 89: Dominik Rycherski 20, Kyle Roberts 14, Konrad Pietak 13, Mason Phillips 13, Kelvin Williams 10, Steve Hodgkinson 8, Shaun Reynolds 6, Joe McLaughlin 5

Leicester 90: Mark Whitehead 18, Kev Burns 15, Craig Marchant 14, Norman Venson 14, Michelle Whitehead 10, Nicky Whitehead 9, Ashley Doughty 7, Steve Hayward 3