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Somerset Rebels v Workington Comets
Premier League, 28 April 2006
Oak Tree Arena, Somerset
| 1 | Magnus Zetterstrom | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | . | . | 15 | 0 |
| 2 | Glen Phillips | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | . | . | . | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | Stephan Katt | 1* | 2 | 3 | 3 | . | . | . | 9 | 1 |
| 4 | Paul Fry | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | . | . | . | 6 | 0 |
| 5 | Glenn Cunningham | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2* | 1 | . | . | 11 | 1 |
| 6 | Simon Walker | 3 | 0 | 2* | 0 | 0 | . | . | 5 | 1 |
| 7 | Ben Barker | R | 1* | 0 | . | . | . | . | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | Paul Thorp | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | . | . | . | 6 | 0 |
| 2 | Tomasz Piszcz | 0 | 1 | 3 | X | . | . | . | 4 | 0 |
| 3 | Ritchie Hawkins | 3 | 1* | 2 | 2 | 2 | . | . | 10 | 1 |
| 4 | James Wright | 0 | 2 | 1* | 2 | . | . | . | 5 | 1 |
| 5 | Garry Stead | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | R | . | . | 8 | 0 |
| 6 | Lee Derbyshire | 1* | 0 | 0 | . | . | . | . | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Aidan Collins | 2 | 0 | 2* | 1* | 1* | . | . | 6 | 3 |
* = BP. ^ = TR . ! = TS (15m Handicap). # = TR (Points Not Doubled). & = TS (Points Not Doubled, 15m Handicap).
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Somerset and Workington were both on the usual lines for their first Premier League match of the season. It was only a late surge by the Rebels which pulled them clear for the ten point win in this Premier League match. Workington led by two points after 8 heats and the match was still all square after heat 10. It was an eventful opening race – not for Magnus Zetterstrom who won it but for Glen Phillips who fought his way from the back into second place before suffering an engine failure on the run in to the line. This allowed Paul Thorp through for second place although Phillips had enough momentum to finish third ahead of Tomasz Piszcz. This got the Rebels off to a 4-2 winning start and they looked like adding a 5-1 in heat 2 as Simon Walker and Ben Barker led the race. Barker suffered an engine failure though so the points were shared. Ritchie Hawkins, returning to his former track, showed that he hadn’t forgotten how to ride it by winning heat 3 from Paul Fry and Stephan Katt for another shared heat and it was three shared races in a row when Garry Stead produced a fast start to take heat 4 from Glenn Cunningham. This took the heat 4 score to 13-11. Workington squared the match in heat 5. Paul Thorp won the race but behind him an excellent scrap developed for second place with Stephan Katt eventually triumphing over Tomas Piszcz. The 2-4 levelled things up but Somerset were ahead again in heat 6. Magnus Zetterstrom won the race while Garry Stead had to fend off Glen Phillips for second place which resulted in a 4-2 and two point lead for the home side. Glenn Cunningham won heat 7 from James Wright and Ritchie Hawkins for a shared race but Somerset found themselves behind after heat 8. Tomasz Piszcz led the race and Aidan Collins passed Glen Phillips to follow him home for a 1-5 which brought the score after eight races to 23-25. Heat 9 saw a battle for first place between Stephan Katt and Garry Stead with the Rebel winning. Paul Fry took third place so the 4-2 brought Somerset back on level terms again. Although Hawkins and Wright made the better starts in heat 10 Magnus Zetterstrom was soon passed both of them for a race win and shared heat to keep the score tied but in heat 11 Somerset struck for home with a 5-1. Tomasz Piszcz moved out on the first bend sending Glenn Cunningham and Simon Walker sprawling to find himself excluded for unfair riding. In the three man rerun Cunningham and Walker saw off Paul Thorp for maximum points and a four point lead at a crucial time. In an excellent heat 12 Stephan Katt won from Ritchie Hawkins up front while Aidan Collins won the battle at the back from Simon Walker and a shared heat. Workington’s chances virtually ended when the Rebels scored another 5-1 in heat 13. Magnus Zetterstrom was soon away while behind him Glenn Cunningham passed Paul Thorp and Garry Stead to follow his partner home for an eight point lead with two to go. Workington declined the chance to use a Tactical Substitute in heat 14 for double points and an outside chance of a win. The race was won by Paul Fry who fended off James Wright’s challenge. With Aidan Collins third the race was shared and Somerset were home and dry. In the last race Magnus Zetterstrom completed his maximum. Ritchie Hawkins finished second ahead of Glenn Cunningham so the Rebels stretched their win to 10 points which may have quite an impact on the bonus point situation when the return match is raced. Match Report by Merlin |