Wednesfield Aces 92-81 Coventry Devlins (MLD1): 22nd June
Coventry Devlins ran Elite League side Wednesfield close on Sunday afternoon at Ashmore Park in a meeting littered with officiating controversy.
Once again, Wednesfield referee, Roger Dainty, was centre of focus for much of the meeting making several controversial decisions, against both sides, ultimately making the meeting a less enjoyable affair.
Coventry made a steady start with a 5-5 in the opening heat followed by a 6-4. A 7-2 in heat 3 however, following Dave Frith's tapes exclusion - one of many debatable decisions - allowed Wednesfield to establish an early lead. Coventry fought back in heat 4 as Mason Phillips beat Dave Meanley to earn the visitors a 6-4.
A 5-5 followed as Ricki Johnson got the better of Coventry number 1 Myke Grimes. A couple of heat advantages, in favour of Coventry, before the interval meant Coventry trailed by just 1 point at the half way stage.
Both sides traded maximum race advantages in the two heats after the interval meaning Coventry drew level by heat 11 - following an exclusion to Wednesfield's hot young property Haydn Rowley. Konrad Pietak earned his third heat win of the night in the following heat as Coventry edged into the lead.
Hopes of extending the lead were immediately dashed in heat 13 as Myke Grimes was excluded for moving at the tapes - despite no movement looking back at video evidence. a 7-2 resulted as a 5-5 followed meaning Coventry trailed by three points with four heats remaining.
Roger Dainty then excluded Joe McLaughlin for exceeding the 1 minute warning in heat 15, despite arriving at the tapes at the same time as Kelvin Williams - who was then excluded in the re run for use of the leg. Williams picked up a red card and a one match ban, though the ban was lifted by the referee following discussion post meeting.
The concluding three heats saw Wednesfield extend their 10 point lead by a further point to confirm they won by 92 points to Coventry's 81. No doubt today's meeting was the poorest officiating any one of Coventry's meetings have been all season. At one point, the referee was sighted not even watching the racing - incredible!