Bees win local Derby

Last updated : 04 September 2007 By Covsupport/SB
The Bees visited Monmore Green last night looking for yet another win to maintain the pressure on leaders Swindon, whilst holding an 11 point advantage from the home Elite League B match meant that a defeat of less than 10 points would bring them the bonus point.

The Wolves started well with their number 1 rider Peter Karlsson winning the 1st heat ahead of Scott Nicholls and they gained an early 4-2 lead. With the reserves race drawn the Bees then established what would be their winning margin over the next 3 heats, scoring 2 5-1 and one 4-2 heat victories.

By the end of heat 9 the Bees held a 10 point lead by 32 points to 22, but in heat 10 the Wolves team manager put Peter Karlsson in for the dreaded tactical ride, where double points are scored if the nominated rider heads home an opposition rider in a points scoring position. Karlsson duly did this by winning the heat, with his team mate getting third, so the lead suddenly came down to 5 points.

This gap remained until the penultimate heat 14, where the Bees managed to gain a 5-1 advantage with Steve Johnston and Martin Smolinski heading across the line, thus ensuring that the match vistory along with the bonus point headed back to Brandon.

Heat 15 was a drawn 3-3 heat which left the final match score at 51 points to the Bees and 42 to the Wolves.
Scott Nicholls top scored for the Bees with 14 points from 5 rides but start of the night was reserve Steve Johnston who amassed 11+1 from his 5 rides.

With Swindon winning away at Belle Vue, and Peterborough defeating Poole (who had their number 1 rider Jason Crump withdraw from the meeting with pain from his broken kneecap) in front of the Sky TV cameras, the league table now looks like this.

MWDLWDLFAPtsAPTot
1Swindon3518008181818.51396.5531467
2Coventry311411100515701254491160
3Poole331610501116321371431255
4Peterborough3014006191446127141849

Next up for the Bees is a trip tomorrow night (weds) to Poole with the Bees holding a 7 point advantage, followed by a trip to Ipswich on thursday night (holding a 35 point advantage).

Then next monday night (10th) at Brandon the Sky TV cameras will be in attendance as the visitors are the current league leaders Swindon in what promises to be a very close and hard fought match.