MATCH REPORT: Young Whirlwinds beat East London

Ipswich Whirlwinds welcomed East London for today’s fixtur, which featured the home sides’ youngest line up this season.

Five riders were only fifteen or under, which included first starts for Ben Clarke and Brandon Gilbert-Rolfe, who were both drafted into the team at the very last minute by manager Tony Stant. East London themselves were a rider short, but in Austin and Gunkel had firepower to cause this young Whirlwinds line up trouble. The team talk was about containment for the opening heats and to take advantage of heats where the London side only could put out one rider. This worked to the letter, with the opening six heats containing four being drawn and the other two the Ipswich team took full use of the extra man to record two 7-2’s and open up a ten point lead.

To their credit the away side managed to secure a 7-3 in heat seven when Woodruff and Austin saw off Clarke and Bacon, another drawn heat and once again in heat nine, a 7-2 saw the home team go into the interval eleven points up.

The second period continued in the same vein, with Ipswich racking up another four heat wins to run out comfortable winners by twenty points. A big thank you to Ben and Brandon for stepping in, as both were only down to watch this afternoon and didn’t expect to feature in today’s proceeding. Both riders can be proud of their performances. All in all another great all round display and goes to show the undoubted talent that is in this well run club and the willingness to learn.

Ipswich Whirlwinds 97
Pierce Bacon 22+1(6), Ben Harvey 19+3 (6), Harrison Bacon 17 (6),
Phil Clarke 13+3 (6), Ben Clarke 13+2 (6), Brandon Gilbert-Rolfe 13 (6).

East London 77
Richard Austin 21+1 (6), Nicky Gunkel 20 (6), Steve Woodruff 18+1 (6),
Dave Hughes 9+2 (6), Kevin Burt 9 (6).

Referee – Jordan Stant