SGB Premiership
Belle Vue Aces 49 (3), ‘Cases’ Somerset Rebels 41 (0)

THE ‘Cases’ Somerset Rebels hopes of a fourth successive win over high-flying Belle Vue eventually fell by the wayside on Monday evening, writes Ian Belcher.

They also failed to gain a consolation away point which would have been a timely boost to their outside hopes of a place in the title-deciding play-offs.

The opening three heats saw Belle Vue open up a six-point lead, but Somerset steadied the ship and, in far from ideal conditions with heavy drizzle falling throughout the first two-thirds of the match, the next four heats were all shared to leave Belle Vue still holding their advantage at half-way.

After two point-less rides, Somerset’s Cameron Heeps turned things around to take the win in heat 8 and, with Lewis Kerr collecting the point for third, Somerset closed the gap on the Aces to four points.

However, Belle Vue responded with a maximum 5-1 in heat nine to double their lead, and a further 4-2 a heat later.

Heeps took his second win of the night in heat 11 to cut their lead back to eight.

Heat 13, however, saw Belle Vue hit home their second maximum heat win but Patrick Hougaard and Lewis Kerr raced away to a 5-1 heat win, leaving Somerset requiring a heat advantage in the final heat if they were to leave Manchester with a league point to their name.

Although Charles Wright raced away to take the heat win for the Rebels, the Belle Vue duo of Steve Worrall and Craig Cook team-rode to keep Cameron Heeps pegged back in fourth place to leave Somerset to head home with nothing to show by way of league points.

Scores: Belle Vue 49: Craig Cook 14+2, Steve Worrall 14, Kenneth Bjerre 9, Rohan Tungate 6+2, Dan Bewley 5+1, Jack Smith 1, Max Fricke R/R.

Somerset 41: Charles Wright 11, Josh Grajczonek 7, Cameron Heeps 6, Richard Lawson 5+1, Lewis Kerr 5+1, Patrick Hougaard 4+1, Nike Lunna 3+1