Post by Genghis on Sept 10, 2007 16:25:33 GMT
Sunday, September 9, 2007
BUXTON HITMEN 59 OXFORD LCD PUBLISHING CHEETAHS 36
Oxford win aggregate point by 103-82
(Conference League)
The Cheetahs maintained third place in the Conference League, after comfortably picking up the aggregate bonus point from this encounter.
Oxford would have been favourites to win this match at full strength, but with Jordan Frampton and Sam Martin ruled out due to Premier League commitments and a further four riders on the injury list, the Cheetahs were again heavily depleted.
Darren Andrews, recently plucked out of retirement, and Jason Newitt, riding in his first competitive meeting for two years, made the journey up to a somewhat windswept and bitterly cold Derbyshire Dales to represent the Cheetahs, to enable the visitors to track six riders plus rider replacement.
Lee Smethills won a shared Heat 1 from Jon Armstrong and Danny Hodgson (3-3). Brendan Johnson gated in Heat 2, but went wide on the second bend, and the Buxton pair of Lewis Dallaway and Paul Strake came through. A lap later Johnson came crashing down whilst trying to take second place, leaving the Hitmen to head home Scott Campos (8-4).
Campos was in second place early on in Heat 3, but went wide on the fourth bend and Scott James came through to join Ben Taylor for a second successive 5-1 to the homesters. Andrews came fourth, not looking at ease with the grippy conditions (13-5).
Armstrong led all the way in Heat 4, while Strake moved through into second on the second bend, as Johnson headed wide towards the fence and nearly fell, losing a lot of ground in the process. Hughes tracked down Strake, and moved inside him on the second bend of the final lap. Strake attempted to hit back on the final bend, but came a cropper. Strake jumped straight back onto the bike and was able to finish ahead of Johnson (17-7).
Smethills gated in Heat 5, but then went wide on the second bend (which was causing a few problems) and James & Taylor came through for a 5-1 (22-8).
Armstrong won a shared Heat 6 from Hughes, with Campos showing composure to keep third place ahead of Hodgson (25-11).
Oxford team manager Allen Trump nominated Smethills as a tactical ride in Heat 7, and also introduced Johnson as a reserve. Dallaway touched the tapes, and was replaced by fellow reserve Strake. James gated, but Smethills went around him on the back straight. However, fourth-placed Johnson fell on the fourth bend, and the race had to be halted. In the re-run, James was again first away, but Smethills repeated the same move to go around James on the back straight and the Cheetahs took a 6-3 (28-17).
Hughes came into Heat 8 as a tactical substitute off the 15m marker. Dalloway and Hodgson got out in front, Campos briefly challenged for second place, but Hughes passed his team-mate for third place. He shot inside Hodgson on the back straight of lap 2, and was up with Dalloway on the final lap. With Hughes’s two points doubled to four, the resultant 4-4 clinched the bonus point for the Cheetahs, following the 67-23 trouncing of the Hitmen at Cowley in July (32-21).
In Heat 9, "referee" Graham Flint, otherwise known as the golem Flint, held the tapes for about half an hour (well it seemed like it!), and the result was that Hughes crept forward and nudged the tapes. Hughes was penalised, and reinstated off 15m in the re-run (Should have been all 4 back with no penalty, and the golem booted out of the stadium for being a complete arse). James and Taylor took a 5-1, while Hughes came through to take third after Johnson fell. It was 15-year-old Johnson’s third fall and his final ride of the afternoon – he had just been trying a little too hard, but it’s all part of his learning curve (37-22).
Armstrong & Hodgson took a 5-1 over Campos in Heat 10, with Andrews pulling up from fourth place (42-23).
Taylor was having a fine afternoon and maintained his unbeaten status with a win over Smethills in Heat 11, with Dallaway third ahead of Newitt (46-25).
Buxton took another 4-2 from Heat 12, with James heading Hughes, Strake and Campos (50-27).
Smethills gated in Heat 13, while Hughes raced around Armstrong on the back straight, before cutting under Dallaway on the fourth turn, to move from fourth to second. Armstrong pulled up on the third circuit, as Smethills and Hughes took Oxford’s only 5-1 of the afternoon – providing some cheer for the travelling Cheetahs support (51-32).
Taylor & Dallaway took a 5-1 from Campos and Andrews in Heat 14 (56-33), while the final race was shared, with Smethills leading home James, with Hughes pressured Taylor for third, but Taylor held on (59-36).
Smethills finished with half of Oxford’s total, with 18 points. He was backed by Hughes who contributed 13 paid 14 – his best-ever Conference League tally and a further sign that Kyle is running into form at just the right time. Campos rode well for his 5 paid 6, while the remaining three Cheetahs struggled. But all credit for Andrews and Newitt for dusting off their leathers to don the Cheetahs colours once more, while young Brendan Johnson put in 100% as always, but just had one of those afternoons.
BUXTON HITMEN 59
Jon Armstrong 2 3 3 3 R (11)
Danny Hodgson 1* 0 1 2* (4+2)
Scott James 2* 3 2 3 3 2 (15+1)
Ben Taylor 3 2* 2* 3 3 1* (14+3)
Rider replacement - Jack Roberts
Lewis Dallaway 3 TX 3 1 1 2* (10+1)
Paul Starke 2* 1 1* 1 (5+2)
Team manager: Jack Lee
OXFORD LCD PUBLISHING CHEETAHS 36
Lee Smethills 3 1 6! 2 3 3 (18)
Jason Newitt 0 0 0 (0)
Rider replacement - Andrew Bargh
Darren Andrews 0 R 0 (0)
Kyle Hughes 2 2 4# 1 2 2* 0 (13+1)
Scott Campos 1 1 1* 0 1 0 1 (5+1)
Brendan Johnson F 0 FX F (0)
Team manager: Allen Trump
Referee: Graham Flint
! = tactical ride
# = tactical substitute from 15m
HEAT DETAILS:
1: Smethills (O), Armstrong (B), Hodgson (B), Newitt (O) (3-3).
2: Dallaway (B), Starke (B), Campos (O), Johnson (O) (fell) (8-4).
3: Taylor (B), James (B), Campos (O), Andrews (O) (13-5).
4: Armstrong (B), Hughes (O), Starke (B) (fell, remounted), Johnson (O) (17-7).
5: James (B), Taylor (B), Smethills (O), Newitt (O) (22-8).
6: Armstrong (B), Hughes (O), Campos (O), Hodgson (B) (25-11).
7: (Re-run twice) Smethills (O) (tactical ride), James (B), Starke (B), Johnson (O) (fell, excluded), Dallaway (B) (excluded, tape touching) (28-17).
8: Dallaway (B), Hughes (O) (t/s - off 15m), Hodgson (B), Campos (O) (32-21).
9: (Re-run) James (B), Taylor (B), Hughes (O) (penalised 15m for tape touching), Johnson (O) (fell) (37-22).
10: Armstrong (B), Hodgson (B), Campos (O), Andrews (O) (ret) (42-23).
11: Taylor (B), Smethills (O), Dallaway (B), Newitt (O) (46-25).
12: James (B), Hughes (O), Starke (B), Campos (O) (50-27).
13: Smethills (O), Hughes (O), Dallaway (B), Armstrong (B) (ret) (51-32).
14: Taylor (B), Dallaway (B), Campos (O), Andrews (O) (56-33).
15: Smethills (O), James (B), Taylor (B), Hughes (O) (59-36).
BUXTON HITMEN 59 OXFORD LCD PUBLISHING CHEETAHS 36
Oxford win aggregate point by 103-82
(Conference League)
The Cheetahs maintained third place in the Conference League, after comfortably picking up the aggregate bonus point from this encounter.
Oxford would have been favourites to win this match at full strength, but with Jordan Frampton and Sam Martin ruled out due to Premier League commitments and a further four riders on the injury list, the Cheetahs were again heavily depleted.
Darren Andrews, recently plucked out of retirement, and Jason Newitt, riding in his first competitive meeting for two years, made the journey up to a somewhat windswept and bitterly cold Derbyshire Dales to represent the Cheetahs, to enable the visitors to track six riders plus rider replacement.
Lee Smethills won a shared Heat 1 from Jon Armstrong and Danny Hodgson (3-3). Brendan Johnson gated in Heat 2, but went wide on the second bend, and the Buxton pair of Lewis Dallaway and Paul Strake came through. A lap later Johnson came crashing down whilst trying to take second place, leaving the Hitmen to head home Scott Campos (8-4).
Campos was in second place early on in Heat 3, but went wide on the fourth bend and Scott James came through to join Ben Taylor for a second successive 5-1 to the homesters. Andrews came fourth, not looking at ease with the grippy conditions (13-5).
Armstrong led all the way in Heat 4, while Strake moved through into second on the second bend, as Johnson headed wide towards the fence and nearly fell, losing a lot of ground in the process. Hughes tracked down Strake, and moved inside him on the second bend of the final lap. Strake attempted to hit back on the final bend, but came a cropper. Strake jumped straight back onto the bike and was able to finish ahead of Johnson (17-7).
Smethills gated in Heat 5, but then went wide on the second bend (which was causing a few problems) and James & Taylor came through for a 5-1 (22-8).
Armstrong won a shared Heat 6 from Hughes, with Campos showing composure to keep third place ahead of Hodgson (25-11).
Oxford team manager Allen Trump nominated Smethills as a tactical ride in Heat 7, and also introduced Johnson as a reserve. Dallaway touched the tapes, and was replaced by fellow reserve Strake. James gated, but Smethills went around him on the back straight. However, fourth-placed Johnson fell on the fourth bend, and the race had to be halted. In the re-run, James was again first away, but Smethills repeated the same move to go around James on the back straight and the Cheetahs took a 6-3 (28-17).
Hughes came into Heat 8 as a tactical substitute off the 15m marker. Dalloway and Hodgson got out in front, Campos briefly challenged for second place, but Hughes passed his team-mate for third place. He shot inside Hodgson on the back straight of lap 2, and was up with Dalloway on the final lap. With Hughes’s two points doubled to four, the resultant 4-4 clinched the bonus point for the Cheetahs, following the 67-23 trouncing of the Hitmen at Cowley in July (32-21).
In Heat 9, "referee" Graham Flint, otherwise known as the golem Flint, held the tapes for about half an hour (well it seemed like it!), and the result was that Hughes crept forward and nudged the tapes. Hughes was penalised, and reinstated off 15m in the re-run (Should have been all 4 back with no penalty, and the golem booted out of the stadium for being a complete arse). James and Taylor took a 5-1, while Hughes came through to take third after Johnson fell. It was 15-year-old Johnson’s third fall and his final ride of the afternoon – he had just been trying a little too hard, but it’s all part of his learning curve (37-22).
Armstrong & Hodgson took a 5-1 over Campos in Heat 10, with Andrews pulling up from fourth place (42-23).
Taylor was having a fine afternoon and maintained his unbeaten status with a win over Smethills in Heat 11, with Dallaway third ahead of Newitt (46-25).
Buxton took another 4-2 from Heat 12, with James heading Hughes, Strake and Campos (50-27).
Smethills gated in Heat 13, while Hughes raced around Armstrong on the back straight, before cutting under Dallaway on the fourth turn, to move from fourth to second. Armstrong pulled up on the third circuit, as Smethills and Hughes took Oxford’s only 5-1 of the afternoon – providing some cheer for the travelling Cheetahs support (51-32).
Taylor & Dallaway took a 5-1 from Campos and Andrews in Heat 14 (56-33), while the final race was shared, with Smethills leading home James, with Hughes pressured Taylor for third, but Taylor held on (59-36).
Smethills finished with half of Oxford’s total, with 18 points. He was backed by Hughes who contributed 13 paid 14 – his best-ever Conference League tally and a further sign that Kyle is running into form at just the right time. Campos rode well for his 5 paid 6, while the remaining three Cheetahs struggled. But all credit for Andrews and Newitt for dusting off their leathers to don the Cheetahs colours once more, while young Brendan Johnson put in 100% as always, but just had one of those afternoons.
BUXTON HITMEN 59
Jon Armstrong 2 3 3 3 R (11)
Danny Hodgson 1* 0 1 2* (4+2)
Scott James 2* 3 2 3 3 2 (15+1)
Ben Taylor 3 2* 2* 3 3 1* (14+3)
Rider replacement - Jack Roberts
Lewis Dallaway 3 TX 3 1 1 2* (10+1)
Paul Starke 2* 1 1* 1 (5+2)
Team manager: Jack Lee
OXFORD LCD PUBLISHING CHEETAHS 36
Lee Smethills 3 1 6! 2 3 3 (18)
Jason Newitt 0 0 0 (0)
Rider replacement - Andrew Bargh
Darren Andrews 0 R 0 (0)
Kyle Hughes 2 2 4# 1 2 2* 0 (13+1)
Scott Campos 1 1 1* 0 1 0 1 (5+1)
Brendan Johnson F 0 FX F (0)
Team manager: Allen Trump
Referee: Graham Flint
! = tactical ride
# = tactical substitute from 15m
HEAT DETAILS:
1: Smethills (O), Armstrong (B), Hodgson (B), Newitt (O) (3-3).
2: Dallaway (B), Starke (B), Campos (O), Johnson (O) (fell) (8-4).
3: Taylor (B), James (B), Campos (O), Andrews (O) (13-5).
4: Armstrong (B), Hughes (O), Starke (B) (fell, remounted), Johnson (O) (17-7).
5: James (B), Taylor (B), Smethills (O), Newitt (O) (22-8).
6: Armstrong (B), Hughes (O), Campos (O), Hodgson (B) (25-11).
7: (Re-run twice) Smethills (O) (tactical ride), James (B), Starke (B), Johnson (O) (fell, excluded), Dallaway (B) (excluded, tape touching) (28-17).
8: Dallaway (B), Hughes (O) (t/s - off 15m), Hodgson (B), Campos (O) (32-21).
9: (Re-run) James (B), Taylor (B), Hughes (O) (penalised 15m for tape touching), Johnson (O) (fell) (37-22).
10: Armstrong (B), Hodgson (B), Campos (O), Andrews (O) (ret) (42-23).
11: Taylor (B), Smethills (O), Dallaway (B), Newitt (O) (46-25).
12: James (B), Hughes (O), Starke (B), Campos (O) (50-27).
13: Smethills (O), Hughes (O), Dallaway (B), Armstrong (B) (ret) (51-32).
14: Taylor (B), Dallaway (B), Campos (O), Andrews (O) (56-33).
15: Smethills (O), James (B), Taylor (B), Hughes (O) (59-36).