MATCH REPORT: Newport record fourth consecutive title success

Newport (Dig It Landscapes) Cycle Speedway team have made it four regional South and South Wales division 1 titles on the trot, after winning the league play off at neutral track Southampton.

The top 3 teams that finished in the league were Newport, Poole and Swindon and a closely fought encounter was anticipated.

Newport started slowly, suffering four last places in their first 4 heats, but gradually got to grips with the dry powdered surface to start winning races.

Fine maximum heat advantages from the Clark/Bock, Jones/Harrold and Sidwick/Carmichael pairings gave the three times league champions a lead of 9 points over Poole and 7 over Swindon at the interval.

Newport started the second half as they did the first, slowly, suffering falls and bike failures. However, they regrouped and fine wins from the Clark/Harrold pair and Chris Davies kept them ahead and the team held their nerve under the watchful eye of the management team of Stuart Raven, Colin Simmons and Nicky Evans to run out winners by 7 points and record an incredible four consecutive league titles.

The scores finished: Newport 97, Swindon 90, Poole 80.

Newport scores

Jack Harrold 18+1, Corey Burnell Jones 11+1, Mark Carmichael 17+3, Dale Clark 11, Chris Davies 12, Callum Goward 5, Dan Bock 12+3, Oli Sidwick 11.