MATCH REPORT: Hawks keep up good run of form

Hethersett Hawks kept up their run of recent good form by defeating Kesgrave in the South East League in hot and dusty conditions.

Even with a couple of riders feeling unwell they soon created a lead with a 7-3 win in heat 1 from Lee Smith and Olly Buxton.

Two good passes by Josh Herring and Scott Grimes kept the lead rising in the first half. Captain Leigh Cossey went on to complete five unbeaten rides with Smith and substitute Dan Chambers also unbeaten.

Gary Brown and James Johnson battled well for Kesgrave and this pair got their reward in the last heat as they achieved the visitors’ only heat win to keep the Hawks’ score below 100.

HETHERSETT 98 
Leigh Cossy 18+2 (5) Lee Smith 15+1 (4) Olly Buxton 15+1 (6) Harley hamill 13+2 (4) Dan Butler 13+1 (5) Scott Grimes 10+1 (3) Dan Chambers 8 (2) Josh Herring 6+1 (3)

KESGRAVE 60
Gary Brown 16+2 (6) James Johnson 11+1 (6) Ray Pyke 8 (5) Tyler Brinkhoff 8 (4) Lewis Brinkhoff 8 (5) Jay Berry 6 (3) Keanu Bowers 3 (3)

Referees – Dan Chambers & Josh Herring

The Division1 match was tame compared to the Division 2 fixture that followed.

The lead changed hands during the first half before Kesgrave gained the initiative with a couple of seven-point scores and they were leading by nine points after nine heats.

With comeback riders starting to wilt in the heat, team manager Katie Adams called up her experienced substitutes and this transformed the match with Hethersett winning all of the remaining races, including a bizarre heat 14 which typified the action-packed match.

Two trailing riders collided and fell on the third lap and as they were about to be lapped referee Gary Brown stopped the race just as one of the riders remounted the wrong bike! After some discussion both riders were excluded and the other two called back for a rerun.

HETHERSETT B 84
Dan Butler 18+1 (5) Owen Wells 16+1 (5) Scott Grimes 16 (5) Lee Smith 10+2 (3) Harley hamill 9+1 (3) Carly Cameron 5 (3) Glyn Morgan 5 (4) Lee Hulcoop 5 (4)

KESGRAVE B 72
Tyler Brinkhoff 16 (6) James Johnson 15 (5) Lewis Brinkhoff 14+2 (6) Jay Berry 10+1 (5) James Porter 9 (4) Keanu Bowers 7+1 (5) Luke Gifkins 1 (1)

Referee – Gary Brown

The previous day two Hethersett riders represented Ireland in the Home Internationals at Hull. Katie Adams scored 5 in the Junior and Dan Butler 5 in the Senior as the Irish finished fourth in each but competed well.

The Hawks’ next League action is not until August 14th away at league leaders Ipswich Eagles but in two weeks time Dan Chambers will be in action in the European Championships in Poole.