Narrow defeat for MSDL Seagulls at Monmore Green

The MSDL Eastbourne Seagulls, Powered by Save Thurrock Hammers Speedway, went agonisingly close to a securing a memorable win at Wolverhampton Heathens on Monday but after six speedily concluded six heats, they fell to a narrow 2-point defeat (19-17).

With skipper Nick Laurence unavailable due to impending fatherhood, the Seagulls were delighted to include 15-year-old Ben Trigger who had starred for the Leicester Lion Cubs at Arlington the previous day and he was as good as billed, racing to a flawless paid maximum.

Josh, Ben, Cesca & Eli

He was backed up by Josh Warren (5) and Eli Meadows (4) and even though Cesca Wright didn’t score, she kept a couple of Heathens very honest for all four laps of her races.

Heat one looked like producing an early heat advantage but Josh took an innocent looking tumble when third and although he remounted, the race was shared. The next two heats saw heat advantages for the Heathens and the score was 12-6 after 3 races.

The comeback started with a dominant 5- 1 from Josh and Ben in heat 4 and the scores were tied at 15 all following a 4-2 from Ben and Eli in the fifth race. Hopes were high that Josh would have the beating of Sam Woolley in the last heat but the Heathen heat leader rode a solid race and Tim Colley just beat Cesca to secure the win for his team.

Commenting after the meeting, Team Manager Mark Sexton suggested that “a draw might have been a fairer reflection of the match but regardless of the result there were plenty of positives to take away. Ben (Trigger) was simply outstanding and was unlucky to finish on the losing side”.

The Seagulls next take to the track on Wednesday 28th July at Perry Barr to take on the Birmingham Bulls who will be looking to exact revenge for their recent 21-15 defeat at Arlington.

Scorers

Heathens: S Woolley 8, B Phillips 3+2, T Colley 2, B Fellows 6

Seagulls: J Warren 5, B Trigger 8+1, C Wright 0, E Meadows 4

Heat Details

Heat 1; Trigger, Woolley, Phillips, Warren (fell r/m) 3-3 (3- 3)

Heat 2: B Fellows, Meadows, Colley, Wright 4-2 (7 -5)

Heat 3: Woolley, Phillips, Meadows, Wright 5 -1 (12 – 6)

Heat 4: Warren, Trigger, Fellows, Colley 1 -5 (13 – 11)

Heat 5: Trigger, Fellows, Meadows, Phillips 2 – 4 (15 – 15)

Heat 6: Woolley, Warren, Colley, Wright 4 – 2 (19 -17)

Image credit: Mike Hinves