CLUB NEWS: Wharrier return boosts Hawks in Northumbria Indoor League

Holystone Hawks skipper Jason Keith had high hopes of victory over the rampant Robins this time as second heat leader Daniel Wharrier arrived for his first Northumbria Winter League indoor session.

There were a couple of sad faces in the Robin’s nest who fully expected to be turned over  today by the only team with three riders. Outstanding debutant from last week, new man Mark Boxall was there again to partner Norman Carson in the Kenton Bar Kings, who should probably be renamed now as the residents of that area have made few appearances in their team’s colours so far.

Mark took everyone all by surprise when disclosing he’d been cruising eBay and the Web looking for a cheap bike, and this after just four races! Let’s hope he maintains this level of enthusiasm, shame we didn’t have another six like him.

Anyway, to the action, and the first race produced a brilliant win for Norman over Terry after their epic dead heat the week before, the Robin unable to find a way past after trying absolutely everything over all four laps on this extended track, now eased out to almost 60 metres.

That pushed expectations down even further in the red camp, Ashie Patterson and Terry convinced they were facing their first defeat in four matches, the Robins now looking like sitting ducks. However, heats 5 and 6 were the pivotal moments in the meeting with first Jason then Dan being excluded for cone infringements, and it was the Kings who held a slender lead at heat 7 even though Hawk’s Richie Smith took the win!

With Mark being a bit more careful after his slip-offs last week, and Norman copping an exclusion in heat 10, the Kings just failed to match the Hawks at the finish. However, those two disasters for the Hawks were followed by a fall for Dan when trying to catch a flying Ashie in heat 9 and that’s where East End began to take control.

With the Robin’s duo taking the last three heat wins, it was once again another great win for the two Old Stagers, now with a healthy lead in the league table and looking unassailable.

With the expected return of Josh Herring and Keith Oldham next week’s Sixth Round could be very close.