Team Websites for News and More Detailed Match Reports:
Reading Racers Website (Official)
Reading Racers (BBC)
Live Updates for a Current or Recent match: Live Speedway Updates
Discussion on Matches and Other Speedway Issues: Speedway Forum
Reading Racers v Newport Wasps
Premier Trophy (Group), 04 April 2005
Smallmead Stadium, Reading
| 2(g) | Steve Boxall | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1* | 0 | . | . | 5 | 1 |
| 3 | Richard Wolff | 3 | 1 | Fx | 2 | 2 | . | . | 8 | 0 |
| 4 | Andrew Appleton | 1 | 3 | 1* | 2 | 2 | 0 | . | 9 | 1 |
| 5 | Matej Zagar | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | . | 16 | 0 |
| 6 | Chris Johnson | 2* | 0 | 1 | 1* | . | . | . | 4 | 2 |
| 7 | Mathieu Tresarrieu | 3 | 1 | 1* | 1* | . | . | . | 6 | 2 |
| 1 | Michael Coles | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2* | . | . | . | 6 | 1 |
| 2 | Kristian Lund | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | . | . | . | 5 | 0 |
| 3 | Mads Korneliussen | 2 | 1* | 3 | 3 | 1* | . | . | 10 | 2 |
| 4 | Neil Collins | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | . | . | . | 5 | 0 |
| 5 | Craig Watson | 2 | 4^* | 3 | 3 | 2 | . | . | 14 | 1 |
| 6 | Tony Atkin | 1 | 3 | 0 | F | . | . | . | 4 | 0 |
| 7 | Karlis Ezergailis | 0 | Fx | F | 0 | . | . | . | 0 | 0 |
* = BP. ^ = TR . ! = TS (15m Handicap). # = TR (Points Not Doubled). & = TS (Points Not Doubled, 15m Handicap).
|
Injury-ravaged Reading faced Newport at Smallmead looking to win by at least 6 points to take the bonus point. Reading were again without Danny Bird and Chris Mills so used R/R at number 1 with Steve Boxall guesting at number 2. They did have Matej Zagar back in the lineup however. Newport were at full strength. Reading made light of their patchwork team by getting off to a cracking start in this match. Over the first five heats they rattled up a 5-1 and four 4-2s to lead 21-9 and leave Newport reeling. However, it was Reading who were reeling after heat 6 as Newport gave Craig Watson a TR. Luck was with the Wasps as Richard Wolff fell and was excluded leaving Steve Boxall to face Craig Watson and Tony Atkin. Strangely it was Atkin who took the race win with Craig Watson second to reduce a possible 1-8 to 1-7. Newport now trailed by only six points at 22-16. The next four heats all finished 3-3 before Reading stretched their lead to 8 points with a 4-2 in heat 11 from Zagar and Johnson to take the score on to 38-30. Heat 12 was shared but Newport shocked the Racers with a 1-5 in heat 13 when Craig Watson and Michael Coles took a big 1-5 ahead of Matej Zagar to cut the home side’s lead to four points at 42-38 and put themselves one point ahead on aggregate in the race for the bonus point. Neil Collins rose to the occasion by winning heat 14 from Andrew Appleton to keep it that way so Reading needed a heat advantage from heat 15 for the bonus. Although Matej Zagar won the heat, Craig Watson and Michael Coles kept Andrew Appleton at the back. So the Racers took the two match points with a four point win but the Wasps took the bonus point back to Wales. Match Report by Merlin |