Wednesday August 09, 2023 |
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BIRMINGHAM were edged out 46-44 at home to Redcar on an entertaining night of Speedway at Perry Barr.
It was a close contest throughout with no more six points ever separating the two sides and there was plenty of passing on show also.
It was the visitors who got off to a dream start when they gated their way to a 5-1 in the opener.
But the Curtis Sport Brummies were soon back level with 4-2s in Heats Two and Four with Sam Hagon and Justin Sedgmen taking the chequered flag and Troy Batchelor leading a shared race in between.
Redcar nipped back in front with a 4-2 in Heat Five before two of the individual rides of the season followed in the upcoming races.
An all-action Heat Six saw the Bears sitting on a 5-1 on two different occasions, including the first two bends of the final lap.
But Brummies’ guest No.1 Josh Pickering pulled off a spectacular move down the back straight and around the boards on bends three and four to go from third to first as the Brummies’ faithful erupted.
Heat Seven saw the hosts take the lead for the first time on the night as skipper Sedgmen recorded a second straight win.
But all eyes were on young reserve Hagon who went from last to second with a breathtaking outside blast to earn the first home 5-1 of the night.
Redcar responded with a maximum of their own in Heat Eight before former Brummie Danny King claimed Heat Nine.
Birmingham gated on a 5-1 in the tenth and whilst Pickering cleared off out in front, Stefan Nielsen rode strongly but was denied second by British Under-21 Champion Connor Bailey mid-race as the scores levelled up once again.
Bears skipper Wright maintained his unbeaten night as he led a 4-2 in Heat 11 before a damaging blow was dealt in the twelfth when Batchelor couldn’t make his experience count as Redcar’s young pairing of Bailey and Jason Edwards struck a 5-1 to create a six point gap.
There was an immediate response from Sedgmen and Pickering in Heat 13 before the visitors sealed victory with another 5-1 of their own in the penultimate heat.
Sedgmen and Pickering then combined one final time in Heat 15 to leave a two point gap between the teams with the aggregate point in mind when the sides meet on Teesside on Friday, August 18.
Curtis Sport Brummies team boss Stewart Dickson said: “I think the only word I can use to sum that one up is frustrating.
“We kept getting ourselves back in the match and then kept losing it again.
“Don’t get me wrong, gates one and three were very advantageous all night and we knew we had the pick in Heat 15.
“So we wanted to still be in it going into that last race but a couple of heats towards the end were a huge disappointment.
“It was a much better performance - but ultimately we lost the meeting again.
“Redcar will feel they were worthy winners but for me that’s one that slipped away from us.”
The Curtis Sport Brummies now prepare for a crunch clash at fellow play-off chasing Berwick on Saturday (August 12).
The next action at Perry Barr sees Birmingham host a Coventry Bees Select next Wednesday (August 16, 7.30).
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP
BIRMINGHAM 44: Justin Sedgmen 14, Josh Pickering 11+2, Sam Hagon 6+1, Troy Batchelor 6, Alfie Bowtell 4+1, Paul Starke 2, Stefan Nielsen 1
REDCAR 46: Jason Edwards 11+2, Charles Wright 9+1, Danyon Hume 8, Danny King 7+1, Connor Bailey 6+1, Erik Riss 5+1, Luke Harrison 0
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