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Somerset Rebels v Workington Comets
Premier League, 06 May 2005
Oak Tree Arena, Somerset

Somerset 39
1Magnus Zetterstrom3311. ..80
2Jamie Smith0Fx30. ..30
3Ritchie Hawkins3Fx... ..30
4Paul Fry2*323. ..101
5Glenn Cunningham3330. ..90
6Lee Smart3R0R0 R.30
7Jason King2*0R1. ..31
Workington 45
1Carl Stonehewer21*1*3. ..72
3Scott Robson11*2*3. ..72
4Kauko Nieminen021*32 ..81
5Shaun Tacey2232*. ..91
6Kevin LittleFx2212 2*1*102
7Jonathan Bethell1*11*1*. ..43

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

Somerset opened their Premier League campaign with a defeat at the hands of Workington . The Rebels welcomed back Jamie Smith after his absence with rib injuries and were at full strength. Workington were without Aidan Collins and used Rider Replacement at number two. They also had Jonathan Bethall at number 6 for Scott Courtney who has been released from the team to concentrate on riding for Buxton in the Conference League. Somerset suffered a bad blow when Ritchie Hawkins fell in heat 5, hurt his back and took no further part in the meeting. Eventually the meeting was abandoned after heat 14 due to heavy rain with Workington having already won the match.

Magnus Zetterstrom won the opening heat from Carl Stonehewer for a 3-3 before the Rebels stormed into an eight point lead with 5-1s in heats 2 and 3 with Kevin Little falling in heat 2 and Ritchie Hawkins and Paul Fry beating Scott Robson and Kauko Nieminen in heat 3. There then followed a succession of five shared heats to take the score to 28-20 after heat 8. Somerset’s cause was not helped by a fall by Jason King in heat 4, a fall for Ritchie Hawkins causing him to withdraw from the meeting in heat 5, an exclusion for Jamie Smith in heat 6 and a fall by Lee Smart in heat 7. This meant that in four of the first seven heats the Rebels had had only one finisher!

A retiral by Lee Smart in heat 9 led to a 2-4 to the Comets as Shaun Tacey beat Paul Fry and worse was to come for Somerset in heat 10 when Nieminen and Robson scored a 1-5 at the expense of Magnus Zetterstrom. Another retiral for Lee Smart in heat 11 meant that Glenn Cunningham’s win was for a share of the points. At this stage the Rebels still led by 34-32 although they could now claim only one finisher in six of the eleven heats.

With Ritchie Hawkins having withdrawn Somerset had to go with their two reserves in heat 12 and, after another retiral by Lee Smart, Workington wiped out Somerset’s lead with a 1-5 from Scott Robson and Kevin Little to put the Comets two in front at 35-37. The match finally slipped away from Somerset when Carl Stonehewer and Shaun Tacey scored a 1-5 ahead of Magnus Zetterstrom and Glenn Cunningham in heat 13 as Workington went six ahead at 36-42. Although Paul Fry won heat 14, yet another retiral by Lee Smart ended the Rebels hopes as the race was shared and the Comets retained their six point lead with just one heat to go. At this point the referee, having consulted both captains, called a halt to proceedings as the rain had made track conditions too dangerous.

Match Report by Merlin