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Newport Wasps v Somerset Rebels
Premier League, 27 August 2006
Queensway Meadows, Newport

Newport 43
1(g)Chris Neath22*200 ..61
2Tony Atkin0331*. ..71
3Chris SchrammR1*10. ..21
4Neil Collins3231*. ..91
5Carl Wilkinson23212 ..100
6Joel Parsons31*2*12 ..92
7Billy Legg000.. ..00
Somerset 47
1Magnus Zetterstrom3332*3 ..141
2Glen Phillips1011. ..30
3Stephan Katt1*1*03. ..52
4Emil Kramer22331 ..110
5Glenn Cunningham0123. ..60
6Simon Walker1*00.. ..11
7Ben Barker2302*0 ..71

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

Newport had Chris Neath once again guesting for Craig Watson at number 1 while Somerset were at full strength.

Somerset arrived with a 23 point lead in search of the bonus point but would be looking for better than that against the second bottom team in the league. The Wasps soon built up an eight point lead but Somerset produced a blistering finish to take all three points.

Magnus Zetterstrom got the Rebels off to a good start by beating Chris Neath in the opening heat. Glen Phillips picked up the third place point to put the visitors two points in front. Joel Parsons won the reserves race for a shared heat before, unbelievably after only two heats, there was a delay for track grading and watering. When racing resumed Neil Collins won heat 3 for another shared heat after which there followed an upside down heat! Ben Barker won from Joel Parsons while Carl Wilkinson passed Glenn Cunningham on the third lap for third place. The outcome was another shared race taking the score after four races to 11-13.

Magnus Zetterstrom won heat 5 but again the race was shared. Newport then wiped out the visitors’ lead and took a two point advantage with a 5-1 in heat 6. Tony Atkin and Chris Neath did the damage as Cunningham finished third on a track now so slick there was barely any grip. It was back to a shared heat with Carl Wilkinson winning heat 7 from Kramer and Katt to preserve the Wasps’ lead. Another Newport 5-1 in heat 8 had Somerset trailing by six points as Atkin and Parsons finished ahead of Glen Phillips to take the score after eight races to 27-21.

The Wasps pulled further ahead in heat 9 when Neil Collins passed Glenn Cunningham on the third lap for the win while Chris Schramm took third for a 4-2 to increase the lead to 8 points. It stayed that way after heat 10. Emil Kramer won the race from Chris Neath but Tony Atkin took third for a shared heat. Somerset pulled two points back in heat 11 with another Zetterstrom win this time from Carl Wilkinson. Glen Phillips took third place from Billy Legg for a 2-4 cutting the gap to six points. In heat 12 Ben Barker replaced Simon Walker and Somerset took a 1-5 as Katt and Barker team rode to victory ahead of Chris Schramm. This reduced the gap to two points with the heat 12 score at 37-35.

What a turn round after heat 13 as Somerset scored another 1-5 with another piece of fine team riding. This time it was Cunningham and Zetterstrom who led home Wilkinson and Neath to put the Rebels two points in front at 38-40. Emil Kramer kept the Rebels in front by winning heat 14 from Parsons and Collins for a 3-3 so it all depended on the heat 15 showdown. Finally Magnus Zetterstrom completed a paid five ride maximum by beating Carl Wilkinson while Emil Kramer took third from Chris Neath. The 2-4 gave the Rebels a four point win but it was quite a collapse by Newport who lost the last five races by 9-21 after holding an 8 point lead.

Match Report by Merlin