Wightlink Islanders | Isle of Wight Speedway

MILDENHALL FEN TIGERS 63 ISLE OF WIGHT ISLANDERS 30 (National League)

By IOW Islanders.co.uk, Speedway Live Updates and Isle of Wight Speedway | Sunday 15th July 2012

It certainly wasn’t a weekend to remember for the Wightlink Islanders - more like a weekend to forget and in a hurry! The first blow to hit them came with the

shock announcement on Saturday from reserve Danny Stoneman that he had decided to retire from the sport. Despite efforts to persuade him to the contrary,

he would not be swayed and that left our promotional duo of Chris Hunt and Kevin Shepherd desperately trying to find a replacement and a replacement who

could ride in the National League match at Mildenhall yesterday (Sunday) afternoon! Thankfully Dan Berwick, who started the season at Stoke, agreed to

deputise but to have to do so at such short notice was hardly ideal for either club or rider.

Undeterred though, the island side took to the Suffolk circuit and it all went wrong from heat four onwards. The home side led 14-10 going into the fifth race but

at the first attempt to run it, home rider Josh Bates and Wightlink Islander Gary Cottham (who had won heat 2 impressively) fell at the first bend. Both got to

their feet but, alas, the latter suffered a shoulder injury - suspected broken collarbone - and took no further part in the match.

Nor did Berwick after heat 8 which saw him take his fourth ride in the match by that stage and having scored just one point. With machinery problems and

falls for skipper Danny Warwick and top scorer Aaron Baseby too, the Wightlink Islanders will not wish to be reminded of what was a miserable Sunday in

Suffolk from their point of view!

MILDENHALL FEN TIGERS 63

1. Cameron Heeps 3, 3, 3, 3, = 12

2. Joe Jacobs 1, 2', 2', 2', = 7+3

3. Stefan Nielsen 3, 3, 3, 3, 1, = 13

4. Daniel Halsey 1, 2', 1, 3, = 7+1

5. Lewis Blackbird 2, 3, 2, 2', 3, = 12+1

6. Joe Graver 2, 0, 1', 2', = 5+2

7. Josh Bates 1', 1', 3, 2', = 7+3

Team manager: Robert Henry

ISLE OF WIGHT ISLANDERS 30

1. Kyle Hughes R, R, 3, 0, = 3

2. Ben Hopwood 2, 1, 1, X, = 4

3. Paul Starke R, 1', 0, 1, = 2+1

4. Aaron Baseby 2, 4^, 1, FX, 2, = 9

5. Danny Warwick 3, FX, 4^, 1, 0, = 8

6. Dan Berwick R, R, 1, 0, XM, = 1

7. Gary Cottham 3, Finj, = 3 Withdrawn with a Suspected Broken Collarbone

Team managers: Chris Hunt and Kevin Shepherd

HEAT DETAILS:

Heat 1: Heeps, Hopwood, Jacobs, Hughes (Ret), 51.7 (4-2) 4-2

Heat 2: Cottham, Graver, Bates, Berwick (Ret), 54.7 (3-3) 7-5

Heat 3: Nielsen, Baseby, Halsey, Starke (Ret), 51.8 (4-2) 11-7

Heat 4: (Re-Run): Warwick, Blackbird, Bates, Berwick (RC, Ret), Cottham (Finj), 52.7 (3-3) 14-10

Heat 5: Nielsen, Halsey, Hopwood, Hughes (Ret), 51.5 (5-1) 19-11

Heat 6: (Re-Run): Heeps, Jacobs, Berwick, Warwick (FX), 51.1 (5-1) 24-12

Heat 7: Blackbird, Baseby (TR), Starke, Graver, 52.2 (3-5) 27-17

Heat 8: Bates, Jacobs, Hopwood, Berwick (RC), 54.4 (5-1) 32-18

Heat 9: Nielsen, Warwick (TR), Halsey, Berwick (XM), 51.8 (4-4) 36-22

Heat 10: Heeps, Jacobs, Baseby, Starke, 50.8 (5-1) 41-23

Heat 11: Hughes, Blackbird, Graver, Hopwood (X), 54.3 (3-3) 44-26

Heat 12: Nielsen, Bates, Starke, Berwick (NS), 53.4 (5-1) 49-27

Heat 13: Heeps, Blackbird, Warwick, Hughes, 53.0 (5-1) 54-28

Heat 14: (Re-Run): Halsey, Graver, Baseby (FX), Cottham (NS), 53.0 (5-0) 59-28

Heat 15: Blackbird, Baseby, Nielsen, Warwick, 52.7 (4-2) 63-30

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