Terrific Tigers take the spoils!
The Middlesbrough “Heat Floors” Tigers took victory on their WSRA National Development League home debut with a battling 48-41 victory over the Belle Vue Colts. Ben Trigger top scored for the Tigers with 13+1 whilst the Colts guest, Dayle Wood hit 14 for the visitors.
The meeting started in bizarre, but superb fashion for the Tigers with a rarely seen 5-0 heat advantage! Jake Mulford led from the tapes with the Colts Sam McGurk falling on the first bend but clearing the track. With only 3 riders remaining, Middlesbrough looked set for a great start with a 5-1 until Chad Wirtzfield suffered mechanical problems with the Belle Vue man excluded for being lapped which resulted in a 5-0 heat win for the Tigers.
Heat 2 saw more drama with several fallers! Sam McGurk led comfortably from the tapes and was untroubled with all the action happening behind the former Workington man. With both Tigers falling (and remounting) in the early stages, the visitors looked set to hit back until Jack Shimelt fell, causing the race to be stopped, resulting in a shared heat at the ECCO Arena.
Dayle Wood started his evening with a win despite strong early pressure from Danny Phillips with the Middlesbrough skipper unfortunately shedding a chain which forced his retirement from the race. However, with Jamie Halder splitting the Colts duo to avoid a 5-1, Belle Vue could only secure a 4-2 to reduce the gap to 3 points on Teesside.
Heat 4 saw Ben Trigger take his first chequered flag of the evening with a comfortable heat win, and with Kai Ward (in 3rd) benefitting from Harry McGurk’s machinery problems, the Tigers extended their lead to 5 points in the early stages. However, the Tigers lead was reduced to a single point in heat 5 as Wirtzfield bolted from the gate for the win, and with Matt Marson in 2nd after battling past Jamie Halder and subsequently benefitting from a Danny Phillips fall, the visitors were right back in the meeting.
Mulford then took his 2nd successive win with an untroubled heat 6 success, and with Ben Rathbone in 3rd, Middlesbrough took their 3rd heat advantage to take their lead to three points.
After a pair of shared heats won by Trigger and Harry McGurk respectively, Middlesbrough re-established their 5 point advantage as the Tigers skipper, Danny Phillips recovered from his earlier fall to pass Sam McGurk for the heat win, and with Halder in 3rd for Middlesbrough, they had breathing space over the Colts.
Nevertheless, the Colts kept fighting with the impressive Dayle Wood defeating Mulford (who had to work hard to pass Marson, who finished in 3rd) in heat 10, Belle Vue were once again within 3 of their hosts. Wirtzfield then lowered Ben Trigger’s colours for the first time as he gated superbly and held off the hard charging Tigers number 5 for the win, and with Wood in 3rd for Belle Vue, Middlesbrough had the most slender of leads at 33-32.
Heat 12 saw Phillips once again battle his way to a win as he passed Marson for the win, but with Kai Ward at the back for the Tigers, Middlesbrough’s lead remained at a single point. However, heat 13 saw the Tigers heatleaders do the business as Mulford and Trigger left the Colts standing to secure a 5-1 to send the Tigers 5 ahead and on the brink of victory. The win was secured in heat 14 as Middlesbrough packed the minor placings ahead of the heat winner Wood to secure the first win of the new era for the “Heat Floors” Tigers.
The final race of an entertaining evening in front of a healthy crowd saw Trigger take another superb win, and with Mulford in 3rd, Middlesbrough secured a 48-41 win at the ECCO Arena.
Middlesbrough Tigers = 48
1. Jake Mulford = 12
2. Ben Rathbone = 4+1
3. Danny Phillips = 6
4. Jaime Halder = 6
5. Ben Trigger = 13+1
6. William Hocaniuk = 1+1
7. Kai Ward = 6+1
Belle Vue Colts = 41
1. Sam Hagon R/R
2. Chad Wirtzfeld = 6
3. Matt Marson = 7+2
4. Dayle Wood (G) = 14
5. Sam McGurk (G) = 7
6. Jack Shimelt = 0
7. Harry McGurk = 7+1