Lakeside Hammers 53, Belle Vue Aces 40

HAMMERS brushed aside the challenge of Belle Vue in Wednesday's Elite League B fixture when a win was never in doubt as they held off the challenge from the Aces and, in a scintillating final heat maximum, set up with a 13 point lead going into the second leg at the end of this month.

Although the Hammers' had to do without the services of Andreas Jonsson, the other six riders dug deep to see the Hammers home.

Belle Vue on the other hand would have expected more from their supposed number 1 Antonio Lindback, but the Brazilian-born Swede replicated his Grand Prix form and looked well off the pace, only managing to get two plus paid one points.

Veteran Joe Screen and former Hammer Adam Skornicki used their experience of the Raceway to their advantage in both finishing up on 11+1 points backed up by Simon Stead with seven.

But, from the Hammers' perspective it was good to see Joonas Kylmakorpi back to the form the home fans know he can produce ending with 11+4 points.

Krzysztof Kasprzak again showed his class and ability top scoring with 16+1 and was backed up by skipper Shields with 12.

Two other recent additions in Swede Ricky Kling and Lubos Tomicek showed promise and once they get used to the Raceway track higher scoring performances will be seen and neither lacked effort.

The meeting started with promise for the home side as they took an early second heat lead when the young reserves Tomicek and Kling took a heat maximum at a canter in front of Skornicki and Lee Complin.

But give credit where it is due, the Manchester side pulled themselves back into contention with a heat maximum of their own in heat four.

Stead and Skornicki out gated Shields and Tomicek and neither were able to the Aces' duo.

Hammers bounced back in style when the following heat saw teamwork of the highest quality from Kasprzak and Lanham, holding off the out of sorts Lindback and Brit James Wright.

The lead was further extended in heat eight with a 4-2 heat advantage from the pairing of Kylmakorpi and Tomicek saw the Hammers into a six point lead at 27-21.

A home maximum followed in the next heat from the same duo as before but now the visitors could use a tactical rider to go for double points.

Skipper Joe Screen stepped up to the plate and duly delivered with a heat win with the Hammers' duo of Kasprzak and Kylmakorpi taking the minor places.

The lead was now down to seven at 35-28 and Hammers waited until heat 13 to extend the margin with a 5-1 heat maximum from Kylmakorpi and Shields.

Hammers were brought back down to earth in the next heat and although Lanham separated Kevin Doolan and Skornicki Aces had pulled the margin back down to nine at 48-39, aiming to keep the deficit as low as possible for the return leg.

But they didn't count on the amazing last heat that was to follow. Kylmakorpi and Kasprzak made the gate but Kylmakorpi was overtaken by Screen and he slipped to last. That was until the final corner as the flying Finn built up enough speed to pass both Screen and Skornicki on the line to send the crowd wild and the Aces back to Manchester with a big deficit to claw back in the return.

Lakeside Hammers 53: Rider Replacement for Andreas Jonsson, Joonas Kylmakorpi 11+4, Krzysztof Kasprzak 16+1, Lanham 8+2, Adam Shields 12, Ricky Kling 2+1, Lubos Tomicek 4.

Belle Vue Aces 40: Antonio Lindback 2+1, James Wright 6, Joe Screen 11+1, Kevin Doolan 3+2, Simon Stead 7, Lee Complin 0, Adam Skornicki 11+1.

Heat-by-heat:

1: Wright, Shields, Kylmakorpi, Lindback (3-3) (3-3) 58.7

2: Tomicek, Kling, Skornicki, Complin (fell rem) (5-1) (8-4) 59.5

3: Kasprzak, Screen, Doolan, Lanham (3-3) (11-7) 58.9

4: Stead, Skornicki, Shields, Tomicek (1-5) (12-12) 59. 6

5: Kasprzak, Lanham, Wright, Lindback (5-1) (17-13) 59.2

6: Stead, Lanham, Kylmakorpi, Complin (3-3) (20-16) 58.9

7: Shields, Screen, Doolan, Kling (3-3) (23-19) 59.5

8: Kylmakorpi, Skornicki, Tomicek, Wright (4-2) (27-21) 59.2

9: Kasprzak, Lanham, Stead, Complin (5-1) (32-22) 59.0

10: Screen (tactical ride), Kylmakorpi, Kasprzak, Doolan (3-6) (35-28) 59.6

11: Shields, Wright, Lindback, Kling (3-3) (38-31) 58.6

12: Kasprzak, Skornicki, Screen, Tomicek (3-3) (41-34) 59.2

13: Shields, Kylmakorpi, Lindback, Stead (5-1) (46-35) 58.9

14: Skornicki, Lanham, Doolan, Kling (2-4) (48-39) 59.8

15: Kasprzak, Kylmakorpi, Skornicki, Screen (5-1) (53-40) 58.8

Hammers are back in action on Monday at Wolverhampton in an Elite League B fixture (first leg) and return to the Raceway against Swindon in a rearranged A fixture next Wednesday though they are 63-29 behind from the away clash in March.