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Kings Lynn Stars v Newport Wasps
Premier Trophy (Group), 22 March 2006
Norfolk Arena, Kings Lynn

Kings Lynn 52
1Daniel Nermark121*1*. ..52
2Trevor Harding31*R2. ..61
3Troy Bachelor2*R2*2. ..62
4Kevin Doolan33331* ..131
5Tomas Topinka33322 ..130
6Chris Mills2*002*. ..42
7Simon Lambert3110. ..50
Newport 44
1Neil Collins21*1*0. ..42
2Chris Schramm0232. ..70
3Carl Wilkinson1236^0 ..120
4Tony Atkin01*00. ..11
5Craig Watson26^133 ..150
6Joel Parsons102*11 ..51
7Sam Hurst00R.. ..00

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

One of the pre-season favourites to win honours this season King’s Lynn paraded a full strength side. Newport were also at full strength, tracking the same side which beat the Isle of Wight.

It didn’t take long for the home side to build up what looked like a match winning lead. However Newport refused to lie down and launched an excellent fight back with the aid of TRs which left them only four points adrift after 12 heats. Eventually the Stars prevailed but it took them to heat 14 to wrap up the points.

The Stars dropped only two points in the opening four heats. In heat one it looked as though they would start with a 5-1 but Neil Collins slipped past Daniel Nermark to follow Trevor Harding home for an opening 4-2. In heat 2 Chris Mills touched the tapes and had to go from 15 metres back. He made short work of that handicap passing Sam Hurst on the first lap and Joel Parsons on the second to follow Simon Lambert home for a 5-1. Another 5-1, this time from Kevin Doolan and Troy Batchelor, suggested it was going to be a long night for the Wasps. However things looked brighter for them as Craig Watson hit the front in heat 4. Tomas Topinka had other ideas though passing him on the second lap and, with Sam Hurst falling, King’s Lynn added another 4-2 to their total bringing the score after the opening four heats to 18-6.

An engine failure for Troy Batchelor resulted in a share of the points in heat 5 won by Kevin Doolan then the Wasps gave a TR to Craig Watson in the next race. He duly obliged by winning the race from Daniel Nermark and Trevor Harding for a 3-6 cutting the Stars’ lead to 9 points. Newport’s resistance continued when they shared heat 7. Tomas Topinka recorded his second win of the match but Carl Wilkinson and Tony Atkin finished in the minor places so the gap remained at 9 points. Joel Parsons replaced Sam Hurst for Newport in heat 8. When Trevor Harding suffered an engine failure at the tapes the Wasps took full advantage by scoring a comfortable 1-5 through Chris Schramm and Joel Parsons and suddenly there were only 5 points between the teams with the score after heat 8 reading 28-23.

In heat 9 King’s Lynn stretched their lead to 9 points again. Craig Watson made the start but he was passed by both Kevin Doolan then Troy Batchelor for a 5-1 to the home side. Carl Wilkinson then became Newport’s third race winner when he won heat 10 from Trevor Harding and Daniel Nermark who passed Tony Atkin for the third place point for a 3-3. In heat 11 Tomas Topinka won again but Chris Schramm and Neil Collins shared the heat to keep the gap at 9 points. In heat 12 Carl Wilkinson took a TR for Newport and like Craig Watson in heat 6 he duly obliged by winning the race from Troy Batchelor. With Joel Parsons taking the third place point from Simon Lambert Newport took a 2-7 which brought them back within touching distance as the score after 12 heats was 41-37 leaving the home side with little room for errors.

Craig Watson piled on the pressure by winning heat 13, ending Tomas Topinka’s winning streak, with Daniel Nermark taking third place from Neil Collins and there were still only four points between the teams. However it was all over after a home 5-1 in heat 14 from the unbeaten Kevin Doolan and Chris Mills. Heat 15 was rerun with all four riders after Carl Wilkinson had fallen in the first bend scrimmage. In the rerun Craig Watson ended Kevin Doolan’s maximum hopes by winning the race. However Tomas Topinka and Kevin Doolan finished ahead of Carl Wilkinson for a shared race and an 8 point win.

Match Report by Merlin