Bears do the double!
REDCAR took a big step towards the Cab Direct Championship play-offs with a 44-46 away win at Plymouth. The in-form Bears picked up their 4th away win of their league season as Jake Mulford hit his best performance at second tier level with paid 12 whilst Scott Nicholls struck paid 19 for Plymouth.
The luckless hosts were forced to race the last six heats with a four man team after two of their guests, Declan Kennedy and Tobias Thomsen crashed out, leaving Plymouth with an uphill struggle.
Plymouth opened proceedings with a heat win as Tobias Thomsen made an electric gate to win, but with Zaine Kennedy unable to pass Charles Wright, it was a shared race to start the evening.
The reserves race saw the hosts take the lead on the night as Alfie Bowtell won, and with Kai Ward getting the better of a tangle with Ace Pijper (Pijper fell and remounted to finish), the play-off chasing Gladiators had the early advantage.
However, Redcar levelled up in heat three as guest number four, Lewi Kerr romped to a comfortable win, and with Jason Edwards 3rd, the “Agilia” Bears had parity.
Parity did not last long for the visitors though as Nicholls gated to win, but with Danny King passing Bowtell for 2nd, Plymouth had to settle for a 4-2. Heat five saw Plymouth extend their lead as the impressive Thomsen won, and with Declan Kennedy 3rd despite Jody Scott looking to have edged it on the line, the Gladiators fans were dreaming of another home win.
The battling Bears hit back in heat six as King took his first chequered flag of the match with a comfortable win, and with Jake Mulford second, Redcar were back level. Kerr continued his faultless start to proceedings as he lowered the colours of Nicholls for the win, and with Edwards 3rd, Redcar took the lead for the first time.
Heat eight saw Nicholls in as a rider replacement but he was no match for Mulford who took a scintillating win, and with Scott riding well to hold off Bowtell, the Bears doubled their advantage to four points at the Coliseum.
Disaster struck in heat nine for the Gladiators as Declan Kennedy hit King’s back wheel, sending the Australian and his teammate for the evening, Thomsen careering into the air fence. After a delay, both walked back to the pits with Kennedy looking to have suffered a leg injury.
The re-run saw Thomsen return but Kennedy was withdrawn from the meeting and replaced in heat nine by Bowtell. King, who was on a warning for moving at the start during the original staging, made the gate but his back wheel was clipped by Thomsen, sending the Dane into the fence. After receiving medical attention, Thomsen rose but had to withdraw with an ankle injury.
The 3rd and final staging saw Bowtell gate, but with King going high and wide to pass the Plymouth reserve and take the win, and with Pijper 3rd, Redcar stormed into a six point lead.
However, the hosts kept fighting and took a 5-1 as Kerr broke down at the tapes, leaving Edwards with the job of trying to pass Zaine Kennedy and tactical substitute Scott Nicholls, but with Edwards unable to reel either in, Plymouth reduced the arrears to two points.
After Nicholls won a shared heat 12, Redcar re-established their six point buffer as Edwards took his maiden win of the evening, and with the equally impressive Mulford 2nd, Redcar were back in full control on away shale.
Nevertheless, the luckless Gladiators remained in touch with a 4-2 in heat 13 as Nicholls won, and with Zaine Kennedy surprisingly holding off King, an unlikely home win was still a possibility.
However, Plymouth’s hopes were ended in the penultimate race as Kerr won, and with Mulford 3rd ahead of Ward, Redcar wrapped up a precious away win. The Gladiators ended the match on a positive note however as Zaine Kennedy won, and with the evergreen Nicholls in 2nd, the Gladiators ensured they were only defeated by two points.
Plymouth Gladiators = 44 (80)
1. Zaine Kennedy (G) = 8
2. Joe Thompson R/R
3. Tobias Thomsen (G) = 8
4. Declan Kennedy (G) = 1
5. Scott Nicholls = 17+2
6. Alfie Bowtell = 9
7. Kai Ward (G) = 1
Redcar Bears = 46 (100)
1. Charles Wright = 7+1
2. Jody Scott = 4+1
3. Jason Edwards = 6
4. Lewis Kerr (G) = 10
5. Danny King = 8
6. Jake Mulford = 10+2
7. Ace Pijper = 1