Leicester v Poole    Sunday 23rd September 2007

Missing 4 riders through injury the home team feared the worst but in fact put up a brave fight. An exclusion for Lukas Jozwiak in heat 5 and the resulting Sensicall/Nicky Whitehead 7-2 put the Monarchs 3 points up, this was extended in the next heat by Venson/Marchant 6-4 but the visitors hit back before the interval to go into the second half a single point up.

Heat 11 was the turning point, Daniel Pike getting an exclusion and Jarvis falling whilst challenging Adam Peck, it wasn't until heat 17 that Leicester won another heat thanks to a 6-4 from Nowacki/Jarvis over Peck/Hoppo but by then it was too late.

Pudney and Peck were the pick for the visitors whilst Nowacki was top man as normal for Leicester, Marchant was also good value and would have scored more but for a tapes offence. The Leicester youngsters held their own but a lack of experience told at times against such stiff opposition, nevertheless I feel that days like this can only benefit them and many feel this is the right way to go for the club.

Leicester 84 (L Nowacki 18, C Marchant 14, D Pike 13)
Poole 91 (D Pudney 18, A Peck 17+1, A Poprawski 14+1)

Combination: Tracking 4 from the first team Poole were always in the driving seat. Young Robbie Venson again showed good form though and is increasingly looking like being the next rider to challenge for a first team spot.
Leicester 54, Poole 76
 

Premier League - Sheffield v Leicester Sun 15th Sept 2007

Sheffield Stars 104: Dariusz Pilas 17+2, Mitchell Spear 16+1
Leicester Monarchs 73: Daniel Pike 15+1, Craig Marchant 10+3

Combination Result
Sheffield Stars 53: Jamie Brown 16 Martin Gamble 10                                     Leicester Monarchs 76 Ashley Doughty 18 Sam Jayes 13+5

British Senior Team Championship Semi-Finals & Final

Eaton Park, Norwich, 2 September 2007 Report: Glen Grange

SEMI FINAL A : Sandwell V Leicester

In the 57 years that the British Senior Team Championship has ran, this was only the third time ever that the Final had been staged in Norfolk. Another fact was that the Horspath club, in all their years of Cycle Speedway racing, had never won the competition or even appeared in the Final and would the Oxfordshire club make it first time lucky this year writes Glenn Grange.

Sandwell and Leicester opened the days racing on a track that had been openly criticised in recent weeks, but the amount of work that had gone on at Eaton Park by the members of the Norwich club over the past week turned the track into one that provided plenty of high speed track action and consistently fast race winning times. In the first half of this Midland derby, Sandwell surprisingly hung on to Leicester and would not let them get away.

There was only one 7 - 3 heat win in the first half, and that went to Leicester in Heat 4 through Carl Jarvis and Mark Newey (19 - 21). That 7 - 3 heat win also put Leicester in the lead for the first time and from that point on, The Monarchs never looked back. Leading 47 - 43 at half time, Leicester could not relax as Sandwell were still in the match, but the 7 - 3 heat win in the opening second half race to Leicester from Craig Marchant and Paul Hunt eased the pressure that Sandwell were putting on Leicester.

Like the first half, it was all close racing and as the match approached its final phase, it was Leicester who seemed to step up a gear and didn't allow Sandwell any breaks to get back into the match.
LEICESTER 94 Mark Newey 14, Daniel Pike 14, Carl Jarvis 14, Craig Marchant 13, Paul Hunt 13, Kevin Burns 11, Mark Whitehead 9, Norman Venson 6
SANDWELL 82 Lee Smith 17, Paul Heard 15, Tom Hibberd 15, Russ Evans 11, Jack Hibberd 6, David Ball 6, Ivan Darby 6, Phil Hemming 6
Referee; Mark Winwood (West Midlands)
 

SEMI FINAL B : Horspath v Poole

This South-West derby Semi-final had all the making of being a top class match, but with Poole missing the influential Suffolk pair of Adam Peck and Jason Ashford, there would be only one outcome. What didn't help Poole's cause also was the disappointing exclusion and .'Match ban' to Aaron Lowey in his first ride, Heat 2 by Referee Bob Prince.

Who can say what would have been the outcome, would it have made any difference or what to the result if Lowey had completed the match. One thing though, Horspath were in a very confident mood and it showed as they, or was it the Referee, who knocked the stuffing out of Poole.
Leading 51 - 35 at half time, Horspath steamrollered Poole into submission, not allowing Poole any second half race win, to a point where it was almost an embarrassment to the Poole management team, as they had no answer to Horspath whatsoever.

It seems to have gone wrong all of a sudden for Poole as they not only lost at home to Sheffield in the B.P.L. recently but this was, or has to be the lowest point of the season for the South-West coast club, as they lost this Semi-final by 113 - 60.
HORSPATH 113 Mark Boaler 20, Lewis Osborne 17, Steve Harris 17, Danny Harper 14, Chris Osborne 13, Shaun Rudman 11, Mike Morgans 11, Rob Hunt 10
POOLE 60 Dave Murphy 12, Rob Haywood 11, Kevin Lowman 9, Ben Donahue 8, Andre Cross 8, Matt Chappell 8, Richard Chappell 3, Aaron Lowey 0 (match ban)
Referee: Bob Prince (West Midlands)
 

BRITISH TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL 2007: Leicester v Horspath

This was a final that everybody wanted to see, as the established Leicester side were looking for yet another victory in this competition, as they were the reigning British Senior Team Champions, or would it be the new kids on the block Horspath, a side that had never reached the Final, let alone won it.

Bearing in mind that both of these clubs had already ridden at Eaton Park during the 2007 season, and defeated the home side, it wasn't a track that was new to all of the riders. Horspath started the better of the two sides with 6 - 4 heat wins in the two opening heats (6 - 12). And when Leicester scored a 6 - 4 heat win of their own in Heat 3 from Daniel Pike and Mark Whitehead, the gap between the two sides was reduced (14 - 16).

The first maximum heat win of the Final came in Heat 4 when Mark Newey was excluded by Referee Bob Prince for 'Moving at the tapes', giving Horspath the chance to take full advantage, and The Hammers did just that with a 7 - 2 heat win (16 - 23). Now always playing catch-up, Leicester it seems could just not get that rider first to the chequered flag, and when the Oxfordshire club scored a 6 - 4 heat win in Heat 8, from Mark Boaler and Danny Harper, they were set up well to go in at half time in the lead (40 - 48).

The match was not won yet though, and early in the second half, Leicester scored their first 7 - 3 of the Final through Craig Marchant and Kevin Burns to reduce the defecit to just 4 points (52 - 56). Was this to be the start of the Leicester fight-back the large crowd asked. Sadly though it wasn't to be, and as in the first half of not being able to produce a race winner, the same situation happened in the latter stages of the second half. In the returning Mike Morgans who was the 'Ace' in the pack, Horspath finished the stronger of the two sides and a 7 - 3 heat win from Mike Morgans and Chris Osborne in Heat 17, wrapped up the Final result (76 - 90).

Now with the result way beyond Leicester's reach, Horspath settle for a shared scoring heat to make a final match score of Leicester 81, Horspath 95. On a track that has had its critics this season, it couldn't have been that bad as Leicester's Daniel Pike went and won Heat13 in the fastest time of the season, a time of 43.4 seconds, which is just over half a second off the track record. Credit though has to go to Horspath as they were more determined and did not let the so called track conditions get to them. It was heard to be said after the meeting that Leicester beat themselves by not attacking the track like Horspath did.
Both the Referees, Bob Prince and Mark Winwood were first class in their Refereeing in what at times could have been difficult matches.

HORSPATH 95 Mark Boaler 19, Mike Morgans 18, Lewis Osborne 17, Steve Harris 12, Danny Harper 11, Chris Osborne 9, Shaun Rudman 6, Rob Hunt 3
LEICESTER 81 Daniel Pike 18, Craig Marchant 14, Mark Newey 11, Carl Jarvis 11, Mark Whitehead 9, Kevin Burns 7, Norman Venson 6, Paul Hunt 5
Referee: Bob Prince (West Midlands)
 

Birmingham v Leicester Monarchs : 19th August 2007

Leicester Monarchs 100 (L Nowacki 20, C Marchant 19+1)

Birmingham 79 (M Wadhams 15+2, M Winwood 13)

Credit to both teams who finished the match in a downpour, several inches of rain covering the home straight. The score doesn't do the visitors justice, a couple of exclusions costing them points at vital times. Nowacki, Venson and Marchant all raced unbeaten for the Monarchs whilst Wadhams and Winwood gave it their all for Birmingham.

Combination (adjusted)

Monarchs 66 (A Doughty 11, R McGuire 10+1)

Birmingham 92 (A James 18+2, N groves 15+1)
 

Birmingham v Leicester Lions (Midland League): 12th Aug 07

A keenly contested meeting with some excellent racing conducted in good spirit. The Lions had the edge with their strength in depth despite Sensicall and Jarvis being off colour. Marcus Wadhams and Dave Hemsley dropped a point to each other but were otherwise unbeaten.
Birmingham 72

M Wadhams 3,4,4,4,4 = 19
A James 1,3,1,1,1, = 7
C Timms 1,2,1,2,2, = 8
P Timms 2,1,2,4,1 = 11
M Winwood 3,4,1,X,2 = 10
C Winwood 2+1, 1,4,2, X = 9+1
D Sandbrook 1,2,2 = 5
N Groves 2+1,1 = 4+1

Leicester Lions 105

D Hemsley 4,3,4,4,3+1 = 18+1
M Skinner 2,4,3+1,3+1 = 12+2
P Hunt 4,2+1,4,3,2+1 = 15+2
T Sensicall 3+1,3,3,2+1,4 = 15+2
N Whitehead 1,2+1,3+1,X,4 = 10+2
M Whitehead 4,3,4,4,3 = 18
C Jarvis 2+1,3+1,3+1 = 8+3
C Whitehead 1,2+1,3,3+1 = 9+2
Both clubs fielded a seperate combination team and gained the bonus points.
Birmingham 74 (A Deery 16, P Widdas 15)

Leicester 59 (Michelle Whitehead 14, S Whitehead 12+1)

Birmingham v Leicester Monarchs: 12th August 2007
Birmingham 84 (M Winwood 15+1, M Wadhams 13)
Leicester Monarchs 95 (M Newey, L Nowacki 19+1)

Combination
Birmingham 59 Leicester 69
 

WEDNESFIELD V LEICESTER: 15 July 2007

Wednesfield fully deserved this vicory although some of the senior Leicester rider's mistakes certainly helped their cause. Chris Jewkes and Terry Norman started off with two good wins each but the real sting was, quite literally, in the tail. The Aces tracked paid maximum man Szymanski and Wadhams at reserve and their tactical use paid dividends for the Aces. Yet again Lukas Nowacki was the star for the home team who's four race wins kept the Monarchs in the match.
Leicester 84

D Pike 13+1
M Newey 10+1
L Nowacki 19
N Venson 9+1
C Marchant 12+2
P Howells 11
C Jarvis 8+1
M Skinner 2

Wednesfield 92

C Timms 4
C Jewkes 14
S Doherty 10+1
G Pearce 12+2
T Haddock 6+1
T Norman 12+1
M Szymanski 19+1
M Wadhams 15

Combination

A last heat decider, Sam Smith coming to grief and being excluded for running half a lap with with his bike, gifting the home team a draw, a fine paid max from Paul Hunt and young Robbie Venson looking good dropping just the single point for the Monarchs. Yet again both sides tracking two seperate teams, in the spirt of this competition.
Leicester 63 (P Hunt 19+1, R Venson 15)
Wednesfield 63 (M Pedley 13+1, S Smith 12+2)
 

Norwich v Leicester Premier League: 1st July 07

On a track that was underwater at 10 am on Sunday morning, lots of hard work went in to preparing the Eaton Park circuit so that it could host this exciting British Premier League match between The Money Centre / Norwich 'Stars' and the mighty Leicester Monarchs. With heavy showers forecast throughout the day, and Eaton Park expecting loads of people to celebrate the parks Open day, it was Leicester who drew first blood as they won Heat 1 with a 6 - 3 heat win after home rider Lee Grange was excluded for a fall.

The visitors, with two East Anglians in their line-up in the shape of Dan Pike and Phil Howells, held the upper hand in the first half as Norwich threw away some silly points, and against a side like Leicester, you are asking to be punished. This they did to Norwich and by half time held a healthy 38 - 49 lead. Norwich tried and tried to get back into the match as they held their own in the first quarter of the second half.

Even a 7 - 2 heat win to Norwich in Heat 14 from Leon Mower and Gary Colby was not to be enough, as the experience and class of Leicester brought the Monarchs through to go on and win the match by 78 - 95.
Norwich 78: Dave Solomon 15, Lee Grange 3, Leigh Cossey 6, Leon Mower 12, Josh Brooke 15+3, Nick Myhill 14, Gary Colby 6+1, Chris Cullum 7.
Leicester 95:Mark Whitehead 11+1, Dan Pike 17+3, Norman Venson 9+1, Phil Howells 16, Mark Newey 16, Craig Marchant 10, Kevin Burns 10+2, Tom Sensical 6.
Referee: Terry Ashford (Suffolk)

The Combination match saw Leicester to be the stronger of the two sides even though Norwich did have Ian Grange riding at Reserve. Norwich riders George Solomon, making his Premier League debut for Norwich showed his class and Liam Parker also had one of his better meeting as Leicester went on to win the match by 52 - 78.
Norwich 52: Lewis Conner 6, James Wakefield 4+1, George Solomon 11, Joshua Colby 5+1, Kieran Parr 6, Liam Parker 10 and Ian Grange 10+1
Leicester 78: Craig Whitehead 13+3, Jake Morgan 15+1, Tom Sensical 12+3, Robbie Venson 16+1, Steff Whitehead 11+1 and Lucy Whitehead 11+1.