Coventry Cycle Speedway team continued their best ever start to a Midland League season by soaring to a stunning last grasp victory by 89-88 at Wednesfield Dragons at Wolverhampton last Sunday afternoon.
The Hearsall Common men have now won their last three matches, after narrowly losing 90-88 in their first match of the season in a friendly at Bury. They are unbeaten in the Midland League and currently lie in second place.
Coventry made the worst possible start with top Polish rider Dominik Rycharski misfiring in his first match of the season. The 37 year old was relegated to the back in heat one as Wednesfield immediately took a maximum 7-3 heat success.
A couple of heat advantages later and Coventry were ahead – but only by a single point.
Wednesfield nudged to the front in heat 6. By the half way stage – heat nine - Coventry trailed the Dragons by two points.
The Devlins Newsagents sponsored side fell further behind when star man Myke Grimes was excluded in heat 11 resulting in Wednesfield surging ahead as Coventry now trailed by 7 points with heats quickly running out.
A well-timed 7-3 by top pairing Mason Phillips and Bobby McMillan in heat twelve ensured Coventry closed the deficit. Further heat wins for Rycharski, Grimes and fast improving youngster Dan Drewett left Coventry just one point behind with three heats to go.
However, the Coventry comeback was stalled as the Dragons took maximum points in heat 16, leaving the visitors with it all to do with just two heats to go. Drewett took his second win of the afternoon in heat seventeen, and with Australian ace Bobby McMillan claiming third, the stage was set for a dramatic last heat decider.
The experienced Coventry pairing of Grimes & Rycharski needed nothing short of first and second to secure an unlikely last heat victory, and with tension at fever pitch, the duo pulled away on the last lap for a sensational win by the narrowest of margins.
Following on from the dramatic victory, Coventry team boss Lee Marsh said “That was a fantastic match and although we snatched victory in the final race, Cycle Speedway was the winner.
“Everyone worked hard for their points and we never gave in, the boys displayed great team spirit this afternoon and were rewarded with the two Midland League points.”
Coventry points scorers:
Dominik Rycharski 15, Bobby McMillan 15, Myke Grimes 14, Dan Drewett 13, Mason Phillips 13, Charlie Barnett 7, Tom Sensicall and Joe McLaughlin both 6.
Coventry went down by 71-54 in the supporting Junior Challenge match, with new signing Matt Hambidge topping the scorechart with an eye-catching performance.
Coventry point scorers:
Matt Hambidge 18, Jack Bayliss 13, Sammi Marsh 12, Jack Reynolds 5, Bailie Phillips 5 and Sam Slatter 4.
This weekend, Hearsall Common hosts the first round of the Coventry League. Action gets underway at 2pm with Coventry, Brandon, Earlsdon & Warwick all in track combat in the first home match of the season.
For more information on Coventry Cycle Speedway, including how to get involved, you can visit www.coventrycyclespeedway.co.uk or follow the club on Twitter using @CoventryCSC.