Rebels win action-packed Sky clash (From Burnham & Highbridge Weekly News)

Rebels win action-packed Sky clash

9:32am Tuesday 5th May 2009

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Premier League.

Somerset Rebels 46, King’s Lynn Stars 44.

A MEETING played out in front of Sky cameras and one of the biggest crowds ever seen at the Oak Tree Arena contained just about everything.

After the first four heats that saw the scores remain deadlocked, it was King’s Lynn who made the first move, going two points up in heat five, Somerset’s Sedgmen being excluded in the initial running after coming to grief on the run into the first turn.

It wasn’t long before Somerset drew level again, it being their turn to take advantage of an exclusion.

Schramm was the guilty party, coming to grief on the pits bend to end what had been a good tussle between him and Gathercole, the pair racing wheel to wheel before Schramm lost control.

Many had predicted prior to the match this was going to be an easy win for the visitors, and although the first half had been a close affair, it looked as if the Stars were beginning to exert their authority when they hit in a maximum 5-1 in heat eight.

But their lead was shortlived, Johnston and Gathercole hitting back to level the scores two heats later in one of the races of the night.

Initially it was King’s Lynn pair Henry and Schramm who made the best start, and after the completion of the opening lap they looked set for a shock 5-1 that would have put the Stars in the driving seat.

That all changed, however, as Johnston and Gathercole passed either side of Schramm, just as the King’s Lynn man began to slow with bike problems on the second lap. ‘Johno’ cut back up the inside of Henry as they came off the pits bend.

Not wanting to be outdone, Gathercole set about chasing Henry down and with a majestic swoop around the outside, he snatched a vital second place behind Johnston to bring the scores level again.

Gathercole repeated the feat to head home Topinka, the resultant 4-2 giving Somerset the lead for the first time in an enthralling encounter.

Going into heat 13 the scores were still level, and this time it was Johnston’s turn to make a telling pass on Topinka.

The Somerset number one picked up tremendous speed after it had appeared Topinka had gained too much of an advantage over his opposite number for Johnston to mount any sort of challenge.

Two heats to go and Somerset were now two points to the good, but not for long as a King’s Lynn went two points in front courtesy of a Ward-Schramm 5-1.

Ward rounded off an impressive meeting, the young Aussie scoring over a third of King’s Lynn’s final total.

It left Somerset two points in arrears with just heat 15 left – and a dramatic final heat it proved to be.

After two attempts to run it, Topinka coming to grief on the first bend both times trying the outside swoop on Johnston, the referee, after long deliberations, each time, ordered all four back.

Somerset duo Johnston and Gathercole secured the vital 5-1 to wrap up the match for the Rebels.

Topinka again got no further than the first turn, this time bike problems forcing him from the race.

Although both teams will probably be happy with the points gained, the real winners were the fans, both those at the Oak Tree Arena and watching on TV, and speedway as a whole with a match that will live long in the memory and was a credit to both teams.

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