MATCH REPORT: Fife announce title credentials

Report by Rob Mawhood, Photos from Fife’s Facebook page

Fife announced their title contentions with a 94-83 victory away at Sheffield in Division One of the North and Scotland League. The Graves track was dry and dusty under a cloudless sky, as the Divisions two unbeaten teams met. Fife led after heat one, a tapes exclusion for Jack Brownell limited Sheffield to just Kielan Burton (who won from grid one). Elliott Davies and Jason Keith increased the lead with a 7-3 maximum in heat 2. Davies fell in heat 5 as Sheffield got their first heat win, a 6-4 from Kyle Holland/Laura Watson. A last lap pass by Jack Brownell over Lewis Alsop kept the scores close after heat 6. Davies and Keith got their second maximum 7 points in heat 7, over the previously unbeaten Holland. Wil Banyard passed Jake Slight in heat 8, the Fife rider slipping on the exit of turn two. Heat 9 was another drawn heat to leave Fife ahead by 41-48 at half time. The teams thankful for the breather in the hot conditions.

Fife increased their advantage with 6-4 wins in heats 11 and 12 from the Slight/Jake Ferguson and Kayden Davidson/Alsop pairings. An eventful heat 13 saw Davies fall, then Burton and Brownell both pass Keith before Keith repassed Burton to leave Sheffield with a 6-4, when a 7-3 was required. Fife were back to an eleven point lead with another 6-4 in heat 14.
Heat 15 gave Sheffield some hope as Burton/Holland hit a 7-3 over Slight/Davidson. Jake falling while leading, after again slipping on the exit of turn two. Davidson sped to his fourth race victory in heat 16 as Fife went back to nine ahead.
The Burton/Holland pairing were out again in the penultimate heat, a potential maximum lost when Holland was excluded for excessive force when passing Ferguson, who was left in the safety fence on turn three. Burton won the re-run but the 5-4 result secured Fife a famous victory. The match finished with another exclusion for Jack Brownell, for excessive force when passing Davies on the last lap (this after creating space on the first lap for Laura Watson to race away for the 4 points).

Scorers

Sheffield (83) – Kielan Burton 19+1, Jack Brownell 12+2, Kyle Holland 15+1, Oliver Banyard 3, Laura Watson 12, Wil Banyard 18, Patrick O’Shea 2, Joe Brownell 1, Kieran Hale 1, Eddie Owalabi-Oshea DNR

Fife (94) – Jake Slight 14, Jake Ferguson 12+2, Elliot Davies 13+1, Jason Keith 15+3, Kayden Davidson 21, Lewis Alsop 14+1, Harry Langdale 3, Dougie Morgan 2+1.

Referee – Rob Mawhood