After saturdays superb last heat decider victory at Eastbourne for the Bees hopes were high but the meeting started off even with the scores level after the first 3 heats, although there was some controversy with Robins rider Batchelor excluded as he fell at the first corner and most in the stadium expected an all 4 rider re-start. The referee decided however that Batchelor fell of his own accord and was therefore excluded.
A heat 4 advantage for the Robins took them into the lead but back came the Bees in heat 6 with a 5-1 to take the meeting lead. This was after Robins rider Kornelliussen had been excluded for a tapes offence as he anticipated the start well but his visor caught the tapes as they rose.
Heat 7 was to fuel the Robins management angst further where opinions differed as to why Chris Harris fell at the 1st corner - the Robins felt that this was a carbon copy of heat 3 and therefore Harris should have been excluded, others felt that there had been some contact - but the referee announced that all 4 riders were to restart. Cue some entertaining biting of bottom lips on Sky by the Robins management to save any disrepute charges, and congratulations to them too for inconsistent refereeing seems to not only exist in football. The re-run gained the Bees another 4-2 advantage.
Heat 8 also had to be restarted after a very nasty crash involving both Robins riders, with Alden clipping Bees Olly Allen on turn 2 and falling, with his partner Wright collecting his bike as he could not take sufficient avoiding action. Alden was excluded but also withdrew from the meetign with a suspected broken collarbone. The Bees seized upon this to secure a 5-1 heat advantage.
Heats 9 & 10 also produced 5-1's to move the Bees into a 38-22 lead before Robins used their number 1 rider Leigh Adams as a tactical ride to reduce the deficit by 7 points as they scored an 8-1 heat win.
With nothing to lose the Robins then put Batchelor onto a tactical ride where he started 15 metres behind the tapes and would only score double points if he finished ahead of a Coventry rider. Bees Ben Barker sadly suffered bike problems which dropped him back to the Robins pairing and handing them a 3-5 to bring the score on the night to 42-35.
However this wasd the last roll of the dice available to the Robins and the Bees saw out the match to record a 52 points to 43 victory.
With Peterborough also defeating Ipswich tonight the win greatly helps the Bees and moves them above Belle Vue in the table with Belle Vue's final match of the season against - The Coventry Bees!
Scorers tonght were:
1. Hans Andersen: 3. 2'. 3. 3. 1'
2. Oliver Allen: 0. 2. 3. 3. 2'
3. Chris Harris: 2. 3. 3. 3. 3. 2
4. Shane Parker: 1'. 0. 2'. 1. 2
5. R/R Simon Stead:
6. Filip Sitera: 3. 1. 0. 1. 1'
7. Ben Barker: 0. 0. 2'. ef
Next match for the Bees is away at Ipswich this thursday night, before they travel to Manchester next monday for that match against Belle Vue. With Wolverhampton already anchored at the foot of the table the league position is very much in the Bees own hands, with a draw or win on Thursday guaranteeing them Elite League speedway next season.