MATCH REPORT: Hawks take final away win

Hethersett Hawks/Swinton & Co went to Great Blakenham with a scratch squad for their final away fixture of the season.

Despite the disappointment of having no riders to fulfil the South East Youth fixture to start proceedings, the Hawks fielded a bare six in the Division One match, including Grand Vet Roger Carter and Josh Herring, having his first outing since May. The team also had to concede 15 penalty points under the restricted rider ruling but some superb tactical racing, spurred on by a rousing win by Olly Riley over Lewis Osborne in heat 4, saw the Hawks wipe away the penlaty points by heat 7. After that it was caution and tactics to see the team home to victory by 12 points overall.

GT BLAKENHAM (76+15) 91 HETHERSETT 103
(O.Riley 19 L.Grange 19 D.Adams 17 R.Carter 16 J.Herring 16 L.Cossey 16)

With Carter sustaining a leg injury that stiffened up in the first-team match, he was unable to compete in the Combination match leaving David Adams as the Hawks’ sole rider. With five loaned riders from Blakenham an entertaining match transpired and ended in a 93-93 draw after penalty points. Of course after the loan riders’ scores were adjusted it did not read so good –

GT BLAKENHAM (83+17) 100 HETHERSETT (16+19) 35
(D.Adams 16)

In the East Anglian Championships also held over the weekend at Greta Blakenham six Hawks competed. Alfie Nixon rode well in the Under-10s including a race win in his 10 points. Giles Awbery scored 6 and Leo Mallett, in his first match outside Norfolk, scored 5. Nixon and Awbery were again in action in the Under-13s scoring 12 and 11 respectively.

Katie Adams raced in a reduced field for the Under-16s scoring 6 points while in the combined Senior / Under-19 event Olly Buxton scored 12 and Olly Riley 10 after three falls, two of which resulted in race exclusions.

This Saturday Hawks will be in action in the South East Ladies & Girls Championships at Harford Park in Norwich. The event will also include the South East Senior and Junior Knock-Out Cup Fours and it is hoped the Hawks will contest these too.

On Sunday the League programme draws to a close with a tasty local derby at The Memorial Playing Field where the Hawks take on Norwich in all three Divisions starting at 1 p.m.