MATCH REPORT: Smith maximum as Aces end Eagles run
Wednesfield Aces 98 – 80 Ipswich Eagles, Elite League, Sunday 15th June 2014
High flying Elite League leaders Ipswich Eagles flew into the Aces Ashmore Park raceway today for some top Cycle Speedway action. They ruffled their feathers a few times but were no match for the Aces strong squad of riders, with the visitors opting to name their heat leaders Peck & Brooke at the reserve berths.
Heat 1 was split 5-5 when the two team captains came together with Eagles’ Adam Peck snatching the win from the inside grid ahead of Aces Chris Jewkes followed by Ben Mould. The next three heats went the Aces’ way. 6-4’s with wins from Matt Smith, a blistering last lap pass by Lee Aris on Josh Brooke and a cracking gate from Marcus Wadhams in heat 4. Race 5 saw the points split again with a race win for Brooke against Winwood & Mould.
The Aces received a wake up call in heat 6 when Griffiths & Aris had made the perfect start and were in front looking like a 7-3, but Charlie Rumbold made a sudden dart on the inside of Aris going in on the third turn and referee excluded Lee Aris for a leg. In the re-run Griff makes a great gate and is leading but again Rumbold stoves in and pushes him wide bringing Mower through for a 7-2 to Ipswich progressive score 30-29.
That was the signal that sparked the Aces into three successive 7-3s running up to the interval. The first from Jewkes & Mould and then Smith & Marchant. The Aces team manager Roger Ellis gave no 10 junior rider Harrie Everiss a ride in place of Griffiths and he responded with a brillant gate with partner Wadhams, they tangled a little going around the first turn with Peck & Rumbold but came out into the back straight in the lead. Wadhams protected Everiss, who got faster each lap to take the win. Half time score 51-38.
The second half saw the Eagles claim the inside grids. Heat 10 race is re-run after Aris & Mower both hit the deck on the first turn, in the re-run Winwood took the win but Mower & Brooke held off Aris to split the points. Matt Smith storms from gate 4 in the next to take his third win of the day with back up from Craig Marchant in third for a 6-4, that was followed with another 6-4 from Jewkes & Mould and the home side were now coasting to a win.
Another couple of spilt heats 5-5 but then Smith gates again and cruises to another race win with Peck holding off Winwood who settles for third and another 6-4 to the Aces, the home side then turn the screw using Wadhams, riding in the reserve berth, in place of Griffiths along with Mould to chuck in another 7-3 against Mower & Harvey.
Heat 17 and the Aces give another of their youngsters a ride Haydn Rowley but he had to do it all alone after partner Chris Jewkes was back in the pits after exclusion for movement at the tapes. In the re-run and Haydn is trying for 4 laps but can’t find way past Hill & Rumbold, 2-7.
The final heat is spilt but another win and maximum points for Matt Smith. Final score 98-80, sending the Eagles back to Ipswich with their wings clipped.
WEDNESFIELD ACES 98 IPSWICH EAGLES 80
MATT SMITH 20, BEN MOULD 13+3, MARCUS WADHAMS 13+2, CHRIS JEWKES 13, LEE ARIS 10, MARK WINWOOD 10,
CRAIG MARCHANT 9+2, MARK GRIFFITHS 4, HARRIE EVERISS 4, HAYDN ROWLEY 2.
ADAM PECK 14+1, JOSH BROOKE 14+1, LEON MOWER 13, CHARLIE RUMBOLD 11+2, MATT HILL 10, PEARCE BACON 9, RICHARD FELGETT 6+1, BEN HARVEY 3.
Elite Combination League
The visitors had to use the same riders from the first team with the exception of Alex Harvey giving away a total of 39 penalty points. The home side gave them a very close match 58-68 with the Aces taking the league point with penalty points added to their score.
WEDNESFIELD ACES 58+39 (97) IPSWICH EAGLES 68
HAYDN ROWLEY 11+1, LEE KEMP 9+2, ROGER COX 9+1, CONNOR DYKE 8, HARRIE EVERISS 7+2, DAVE MEANLEY 6, JORDON HOLDCROFT 5, CARL PARFITT 3.
RICHARD FELGETT 16+1, PIERCE BACON 13+1, MATT HILL 11+3, CHARLIE RUMBOLD 11+1, BEN HARVEY 10, ALEX HARVEY 7.
Report by Wednesfield Aces