MATCH REPORT: Aces come strong in second half as exclusions cost Poole

Wednesfield Aces produced a classic team performance in front of John Turner, the managing director of LINAK-UK, the team’s new race top sponsors.

After early morning downpours of rain, the Ashmore park race circuit held up well and the supporters witnessed some top class racing between some of the worlds top performers.

In the first four heats, both teams were weighing each other up with the points level on 20 each, but then the Aces struck with great team riding from Hewitson and Jewkes, with a 7-3 heat win to put the Aces in front.

The next race was squared off at 5-5, but in the next heat the Aces’ Brandon Whetton was excluded for moving whilst under starters orders, leaving the visitor’s Poland pairing of Matiej Ganczarek and Dawid Bas to record a 2-7 win that resulted in Poole taking the lead by 1 point.

However, Poole’s lead did not last long, as the Aces struck back with a 6-4 the next race.

In heat 9, just before the interval, Poole’s Australian star, Ty Geertsen recieved a race exclusion for use of excessive force and Wednesfield went in at the halfway stage with a 7-2 heat advantage, putting them infront 47-41.

In the second half of the meeting the visitors had no reply and were only able to produce six drawn heats, making no progress whilst the Aces kept building their lead with four more race win advantages, including a 7-0 win in race 17 after Poole’s Dawid Bas was excluded for excess force and then his team partner Ty Geertsen in the rerun for moving at start tapes.

Poole did get a consolation 3-7 heat win in heat 19, but by then the match and league points were already in the bag for the reigning Elite league champions.

WEDNESFIELD 105
Brandon Whetton 13, Chris Jewkes 11+4, Mark Griffiths 15, Lee Aris 11, Lee Kemp 12+1, Paul Heard 18, Matt Smith 11+1, Mikey Hewitson 10+1, Carl Parfitt 4, Tyler Bould DNR.

POOLE 90
Greg Gluchowski 18+1, Hayden Chant 5+1, Ty Geertsen 11+2, Dean Hook 8, Matiej Ganczarek 18, Dawid Bas 12+2, Will Bristowe 9, Steve Harris 9+1.