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Exeter Falcons v Reading Racers
Premier League, 29 August 2005
County Ground, Exeter

Exeter 54
1Mark Lemon33213 ..120
2Lee Smethills0312*1* ..72
4(g)Kevin Doolan1311*3 2*.112
5Sebastien Tresarrieu21233 ..110
6(g)Mark Thompson1*1*1.. ..32
7Pavel Ondrasik21*302 2*.102
Reading 39
1Danny Bird22Fx.. ..40
2Zdenek Simota1*R0.. ..11
3Andrew Appleton23331 ..120
4Richard Wolff001.. ..10
5Matej Zagar326^2R ..130
6(g)Lee Smart0000. ..00
7Mathieu Tresarrieu3012*2 0081

* = BP. ^ = TR . ! = TS (15m Handicap). # = TR (Points Not Doubled). & = TS (Points Not Doubled, 15m Handicap).

Exeter were on the same lines as this morning for this match with R/R at number 3, Kevin Doolan as a guest at number 4 and Mark Thompson at number 6. Reading too tracked the same team with Lee Smart at number 6.

The opening four heats were tight. Mark Lemon won the first heat for a 3-3 then Mathieu Tressarieu did the same in heat 2. Exeter took a 4-2 in heat 3 with Lee Smethills beating Andrew Appleton and Kevin Doolan third then Matej Zagar won heat 4 which was shared which meant that after four heats the score was 13-11.

In heat 5 Reading had their problems as Zdenek Simota had an engine failure and Danny Bird’s bike began to misfire resulting in Kevin Doolan passing him on the last bend. Sebastian Tressarieu also had machine problems but took third place as Exeter doubled their lead to four points with a 4-2. In heat 6 Mark Lemon beat Matej Zagar and Exeter took another 4-2 to stretch their lead to six points. Andrew Appleton won heat 7 to keep it that way but, in heat 8, Ondrasik and Smethills struck with a 5-1 to stretch Exeter’s lead to 10 points. The score after heat 8 was 29-19.

Reading gave Matej Zagar a TR in heat 9 and this resulted in a big 1-8 to Reading when he won the heat and was followed home by his partner, Mathieu Tressarieu from Kevin Doolan to cut the home side’s lead to three points at 30-27. Andrew Appleton won again in heat 10 beating Mark Lemon to share the heat but in heat 11 Danny Bird fell while leading and was struck by Sebastian Tressarieu. Bird was excluded from the rerun which was immaterial since he was on his way to hospital with a damaged elbow. Mathieu Tressarieu followed his brother Sebastian home with Mark Thompson picking up the gift third place for a 4-2 to the home side which put them five points ahead. Andrew Appleton won for the third time in a row in heat 12 but with Mathieu Tressarieu finishing last the heat was shared and the score after 12 heats was 40-35.

Without Danny Bird, Reading were clearly going to struggle trying to pull back the five point deficit. The gap became 7 points in heat 13 when Sebastian Tressarieu beat Matej Zagar with Mark Lemon third for a Falcons’ 4-2 leaving the Racers needing two 5-1s to win. However it was Exeter who took the 5-1 in heat 14 from Doolan and Ondrasik to wrap up the match although the bonus point was long gone. A final heat 5-1 for Exeter from Mark Lemon and Kevin Doolan put a bit more gloss on the score for the Falcons as they won by 15 points.

Match Report by Merlin