SWINDON slipped to their first defeat of the 2010 campaign at the hands of a well organised Lakeside septet.
In a topsy-turvy encounter the two sides were level on 42 points apiece entering heat fifteen and it looked as if the concluding race would result in a points share.
However, an engine failure for Simon Stead during the latter stages of the heat, when the Brit was comfortably holding third position, allowed Lakeside to register a 4-2 heat advantage and therefore a two point overall victory.
SWINDON Leigh Adams (C) 2 3 3 2 2 - - 12 Morten Risager R/R Grzegorz Zengota 2 1* 1* 2* 1 - - 7 (3) Simon Stead 0 2 2 3 R - - 7 Mads Korneliussen 2 3 3 1 0 - - 9 Cory Gathercole 0 2 0 0 - - - 2 Thomas H. Jonasson 0 1* 2* 1 3 0 - 7 (2) Team manager: Ronnie Russell
LAKESIDE Krzysztof Kasprzak 3 3 3 1 1 - - 11 Stuart Robson 1 0 R 2* - - - 3 (1) Kauko Nieminen 1 1* 1 0 - - - 3 (1) Jonas Davidsson 3 2 0 2 - - - 7 Adam Shields (C) 3 1 3 3 3 - - 13 Paul Hurry 1 0 0 - - - - 1 Daniel Davidsson 3 0 2 2 1* - - 8 (1) Team manager: Jon Cook Referee: Dan Holt
NOTE: Under the league scoring system, Swindon gained 0 points and Lakeside received 3.
On a perfect spring evening and in-front of a good Abbey Stadium crowd, the momentum of this Elite League ‘A’ encounter changed constantly. Indeed, the pendulum swung right until the concluding race of the evening as Simon Stead’s aforementioned mechanical gremlins meant Swindon were unable to secure any Elite league points.
Prior to the action, a minute's silence was impeccably observed in memory of former Robin Kelly Moran, who regrettably passed away last weekend.
Swindon’s Danish youngster Morten Risager was unable to compete in the meeting after picking up a nasty bout of flu. His position was covered by the rider replacement facility.
Robins’ skipper Leigh Adams topped the Swindon scoring by notching a twelve point haul from his five ride schedule. Grzegorz Zengota’s impressive form continued with a well deserved paid ten, whilst Thomas H.Jonasson notched an excitingly acquired paid nine point score.
Lakeside were well served by their Australian Captain Adam Shields and also Polish thrill merchant Krzysztof Kasprzak.
Indeed, a master class from Kasprzak opened proceedings, the lightening quick Pole conjured a super-fast start from the gate one position and showed fantastic race pace thereafter. Further back, Leigh Adams fended off an opening lap challenge from Stuart Robson to secure second, whilst Cory Gathercole struggled to recover from a tough first corner.
Daniel Davidsson collected Lakeside’s second heat victory in the ensuing race. The Swede rode an intelligent first corner and secured the lead with the Swindon pairing of Thomas H. Jonasson and Cory Gathercole in close attendance. Jonasson showed impressive speed and begun to narrow Davidsson lead, before a third lap second bed mistake saw the Robins’ reserve drift wide and allow Lakeside’s Paul Hurry into third position. The Hammers’ second successive 4-2 saw them establish an early four-point advantage.
Lakeside’s bolstered their lead in the third with a further 4-2 from Jonas Davidsson and Kauko Nieminen. Davidsson romped away from the outset, whilst Zengota and Stead battled tenaciously battled with Nieminen. The Finnish international repelled a strong late charge from Stead to cling onto third position.
A points share followed in race five with Lakeside skipper Adam Shields notching victory. The Australian made a strong start to secure the lead but came under late pressure from Mads Korneliussen who began to utilise Blunsdon’s wider outposts.
A tapes-to-flag victory for Krzysztof Kasprzak, his second of the night, followed in heat five as the Robins pairing of Stead and Zengota filled the minor placings to ensure a points share.
Swindon hit back with a terrific 5-1 in heat six to slash Lakeside’s lead to two points. The Robins’ paring gated well and team rode perfectly to secure the first ‘fiver’ of the evening.
Mads Korneliussen collected his first win of the night in heat seven. The Dane roared underneath Lakeside’s Jonas Davidsson on the back straight of the opening lap to take the lead. Meanwhile, Cory Gathercole indulged in a tough scrap with Lakeside’s Kauko Nieminen and it was the Hammers’ number three who prevailed.
An eventful heat eight saw Swindon draw level with a 4-2 heat advantage. Mads Korneliussen, taking his rider replacement outing, recovered from a slow start to swoop around the Lakeside pairing. The race looked destined for a 3-3 outcome, until a penultimate lap break-down from Stuart Robson elevated Thomas H. Jonasson into third position.
A spectacular ride from Adam Shields in heat nine saw the Aussie notch a well deserved victory. Further back, Grzegorz Zengota passed Paul Hurry in the mid stages to secure third spot.
Adams and Zengota combined well to notch a comfortable heat ten 5-1 as Swindon moved into a four point advantage. An unlikely 5-1 from the Lakeside duo of Krzysztof Kasprzak and Stuart Robson in race eleven once again levelled the tie, before Swindon’s youthful combination of Zengota and Jonasson notched a 4-2 to once again shuffle the Robins into a two point lead.
A crackerjack heat thirteen ensued with saw all four riders in contention for victory throughout the race. Despite a spirited effort from Leigh Adams, it was Lakeside’s Adam Shields who prevailed and Krzysztof Kasprzak’s third placed finish once again saw the visitors level the scores.
A tapes-to-flag victory for Simon Stead in the penultimate encounter secured a points share which meant set-up a tense final heat decider.
A hectic heat fifteen first corner followed with Lakeside’s Adam Shields once again demonstrating superior gating skills to head the chasing pack down the back straight. With Leigh Adams and Simon Stead holding second and third position respectively, it appeared as if the meeting was heading for a draw.
However, Stead’s third lap engine failure elevated Krzysztof Kasprzak into third spot which handed Lakeside the 4-2 they needed for victory.
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