MATCH REPORT: Coventry slayed by the Dragons

A beautiful evening at the Ashmore Park Raceway greeted the visitors Coventry for the Midland League fixture against the Wednesfield Dragons. 

Heat 1 was a little tentative on both sides, with the spoils being evenly split, but what followed in heat 2 was far different. Dragons pairing Connor Dyke and Jordan Holdcroft pull out a massive 7-3 with a intelligent riding. Heat 3, and the unknown to the home side Matt Lawrence, gated well with super pole Rycharski pulling off a 4-6. Some fantastic racing followed and at the interval the home side had the advantage 46-44.

Heat 10 to 14 evenly split swapping 5 and 6-4 but the visiting side must have hit a self destruct button with exclusion after exclusion on the tapes or was it the pressure that saw 3 Coventry riders back in the pits in 3 consecutive heats?

Going into heat 17 it looks to be set and match for the Dragons and their 2nd victory with a 9 point lead, but veteran Dave Frith showed the youngsters the long way round getting Lawrence out for the heat win. The fitness of the home pairing shone through, Haydn Rowley chased hard, Frith defended and Holdcroft made the pass 4-6.

The final heat and a 7 point lead the strongest paring of the visitors step up with Rycharski and Grimes taking a 3-7.

Final scores 90-87
Wednesfield Dragons
H Rowley 15 (5)  M Griffiths 15 (5)  J Holdcroft 12+2 (5)  C Dyke 14 (5)  H Everiss 12+2 (5)  M Aris 10+2 (5) S Mullinder 7+2 (3) G Rowley 4+1 (3)

Coventry
D Rycharski 20 (5)  M Grimes 19+1 (5) D Frith 13 (5)  K Roberts 12 (5)  D Drewett 8 (5)  M Lawrence 8 (5)  J Slatter 4 (3)  J McLaughlin 3 (4)