TWO moments of bad luck cost Elite League leaders Belle Vue dearly last night as second-placed Poole raced right back into the race for top spot, writes RICHARD FROST.
Ian Thomas, boss of the Fonestyle UK Aces, admitted the Poole deserved their victory but felt that his side were desperately unlucky not to take the all-important aggregate bonus, which the home side pinched by one point.
Belle Vue's hopes of the bonus points vanished when captain Jason Crump, returning after illness, suffered a motor failure. Then Kenneth Bjerre dropped two priceless points, his motor blowing up when he was lying second 50 yards from the flag.
Disappointed
Thomas said: "I'm very disappointed not to have got the bonus. Poole were worth their victory because we made only three good starts all night.
"That was our own fault, but we still did enough to have taken a point which can prove so important in the final reckoning. We would have got it if Bjerre's bike had kept going for another second or two."
Poole are now six points behind the Aces with three matches in hand and Thomas is looking for a better haul at Oxford tonight.
He added: "The one bonus we did take from the match was that Crump is fine again after his illness and we need everybody firing on all cylinders tonight."
BELLE VUE: J Crump 11, J Screen 7+1 bonus, R Harrison 7, S Stead 5+1, K Bjerre 5, J Lyons 3, A Smith 3.
Comments
Login or Register to comment
What has happened to Bjerre. I know he has lost his 'mechanic' but he has also lost that 'get up and go' that we know he has. Two blown engines in a few weeks - he must be wondering what is happening.
At least the result was cancelled out tonight by the Aces brilliant victory away at Oxford.
Meanwhile Poole were getting beaten at Ipswich.
Aces well clear at the top of the table and one foot in the cup final too.
Come on Manchester Evening News...time to up the coverage and let the lads know Manchester is behind them.
It was Ian's own fault - no one elses. IF he'd have used a tactical ride off 15 metres in heat 14 (As Poole's Manager did in the home leg) we would have got at least 2 points and forced a run off for the bonus.
aces fan,youre wrong,lyons and/or smith wouldnt have made 15metres on lindback or kennett.we lost the match and the bonus because we only had 2 race winners