Depleted Chargers go down fighting
A MAKESHIFT Oxford Chargers side gave its all, but could not prevent Belle Vue Colts from taking a 57-33 victory at the National Speedway Stadium on Bank Holiday Friday.
Chargers went into the meeting having won their previous three outings, but only tracked three of their regular line-up.
A battered and bruised Nathan Stoneman was missing, after a heavy fall in Heat 11 with Alfie Bowtell at Oxford Stadium on Wednesday night. The brave Welshman had completed that meeting and suffered a further three falls in Heat 15, but he was not fit to take his place at Belle Vue.
In addition, Jordan Jenkins was riding for his Championship club Redcar at Scunthorpe, while Chargers also needed replacements for the injured Jody Scott and the retired Ben Hopwood.
Chargers brought in guests Ben Morley and Henry Atkins as guests for Jenkins and Hopwood respectively, while unattached Jacob Edwards replaced Scott for the second successive meeting and Oxford used rider replacement for Stoneman.
Belle Vue swept into a 18-6 lead after four successive heat advantages, but Chargers then got into the meeting. Morley, Sam Hagon and Atkins provided the visitors with three successive heat winners between Heat 6 and Heat 8. Chargers took a 4-2 in the latter two races of those to reduce the gap to eight points.
There were still only 12 points between the sides with four races to go, but the depleted nature of the Oxford line-up told, as they conceded a hat-trick of 5-1s, as Colts pulled away.
The most impressive riders for Chargers were 17-year-old Hagon, who scored double figures for a second successive meeting and guest Atkins, who in his first meeting for over a month, matched Hagon’s 10+1 tally.
A word for Arran Butcher, who battled away for no reward from six outings. He thrust himself around Archie Freeman on the final lap of Heat 11, but just missed out in the charge for the chequered flag and then thudded into the air fence after the finishing line.
Butcher was last out of the start in Heat 14, but he moved around the field and was all set to finish his afternoon on a high when he tumbled on the third bend. After that latter fall, he was given a round of applause by the generous home support for his 100% efforts.
Chargers’ team manager Peter Schroeck said: “Belle Vue is a tough place to come to. Some of their riders have been practising here quite a lot and they are totally dialled into the track. When you talk about home track advantage, this is the place, because their home performances this season are so strong, but they’ve struggled away from home.
“We did come back into the meeting, but some of our riders had a bit of bad luck, and I feel the final score doesn’t reflect our efforts. For example, Arran Butcher put so much into the meeting. The unlucky lad scored nothing, but he gave it everything. I can’t fault the effort that the lads put in.
“Our line-up was a bit mix and match today; we were missing a lot of riders.
“Sam Hagon showed for the second successive meeting what a good young rider he is. And I wanted to give Henry Atkins an opportunity to ride, because he’s a young British rider who hasn’t been riding recently. He grabbed the opportunity with both hands and fully deserved his place in Heat 15 – he was very impressive.
“We lost to the better team, but we left the meeting all in one piece, so we go forwards to the next one.”
Belle Vue Colts 57: Jake Mulford 11, Sam McGurk 4+1, Harry McGurk 9+1, Nathan Ablitt 9, Jack Smith 13+1, Archie Freeman 6+1, Freddy Hodder 5+2.
Oxford Chargers 33: Ben Morley 8, Henry Atkins 10+1, Sam Hagon 10+1, Jacob Clouting 3+1, Nathan Stoneman R/R, Arran Butcher 0, Jacob Fellows 2.
Report: by Rob Peasley