Post by Pieman on Oct 5, 2004 20:06:00 GMT
WOLVES 41 POOLE 49, ELITE LEAGUE PLAYOFF FINAL 1ST LEG, MONDAY 4TH OCTOBER
Parry’s International Wolves:
Mikael Max 3 3 2 3 2 =13
Adam Skornicki 1 1 1 1 1* =5+1
David Howe 0 2 0 3 2 =7
Daniel Nermark R/R
Sam Ermolenko 1 3 2 0 0 =6
Chris Neath 1 0 0 =1
Fredrik Lindgren 3 0 3 2 1* fx =9+1
RIAS Pirates:
Bjarne Pedersen 2 3 3 1* =9+1
Krzysztof Kasprzak 0 1 2 1 =4
Matej Ferjan 3 2 0 1* =6+1
Antonio Lindback 2* 1* 3 3 3 =12+2
Leigh Adams 3 2 3 2 1 =11
Daniel Davidsson 0 0 1 =1
Magnus Zetterstrom 2 2* 0 2 0 =6+1
This report could simply consist of two words - OH B******S! Those hoping for a decent lead to take to the second leg were disappointed as Wolves were outgated and outridden by the Pirates. The controversy began early with the inclusion of Leigh Adams as a guest for Poole, but he was tamed by Mikael in several races – the real worry on this occasion was the flying Antonio Lindback. A poor track was one factor of the defeat, but the blunt truth is that Wolves were simply not up to scratch, and big improvements must be made if we are to spring a surprise in the second leg.
Poole won the toss and took 1 and 3.
Heat 1: Max, Pedersen, Skornicki, Kasprzak, 57.86. 4-2, 4-2.
Mikael went wide on a very dusty track allowing Pedersen to lead, but Mikael swept down the outside of the Dane on the back straight. He took the win but then appeared to suffer mechanical problems on the slowing down lap.
Heat 2: Lindgren, Zetterstrom, Neath, Davidsson, 59.23. 4-2, 8-4.
Freddie carved aggressively around Zorro out of turn two to lead, while Chris tried to join him but lifted alarmingly out of turn four, thankfully keeping third place.
Heat 3: Ferjan, Lindback, Skornicki, Howe, 59.20. 1-5, 9-9.
Adam, Ferjan and Lindback all went around the first lap together, with Ferjan emerging in front. Lindback took second on lap two, while David looked well out of sorts at the back. Ferjan went on for the win – pretty impressive considering he had previously struggled to score a point at Monmore!
Heat 4: Adams, Zetterstrom, Ermolenko, Lindgren, 58.54. 1-5, 10-14.
The rot really set in here, as Poole led all the way. It did not look good, and the atmosphere certainly deflated from this point on.
Heat 5: Pedersen, Howe, Kasprzak, Neath, 60.11. 2-4, 12-18.
Brilliant race, wrong result. David shot inside both Poole riders on the back straight, and battled hard with Pedersen for the lead, the pair constantly swapping places until David ran wide on turn four of the third lap. Chris held Kasprzak at the back for most of the way, but the Pole took the place on the last lap.
Heat 6: Max, Adams, Skornicki, Davidsson, 58.34. 4-2, 16-20.
Mikael went around Adams on the second turn for something of a surprise win.
Heat 7: Ermolenko, Ferjan, Lindback, Neath, 59.10. 3-3, 19-23.
Ferjan gated – another example of how awful we were out of the gate – but Sam came through on the first turn for the win.
Heat 8: Lindgren, Zetterstrom, Skornicki, Kasprzak, 59.74. 4-2, 23-25.
Freddie locked up on turn two allowing Kasprzak in front until he went wide, with Freddie and Zorro going inside him. Adam tried the inside line but was team ridden out by Poole until the last bend, when he went inside Kasprzak for a virtual dead heat for third. From the Sky replays it looked impossible to call, but Adam was given the place and a vital point.
Heat 9: Adams, Lindgren, Davidsson, Howe, 58.96. 2-4, 25-29.
Freddie again led off but lost out to Adams on turn two. David suffered bike trouble and slowed up midway through.
Heat 10 (re-run): Lindback, Max, Skornicki, Ferjan, 58.64. 3-3, 28-32.
Adam completely missed the start on the first go, while Mikael appeared to take out Ferjan on the first turn, with the race stopped after the Slovenian fell. Luckily all four were allowed back in the rerun, which saw Lindback fly from the start for the win.
Heat 11: Pedersen, Ermolenko, Kasprzak, Lindgren, 59.50. 2-4, 30-36.
Pedersen went between the Wolves pair to join Kasprzak at the front, while Sam went around Kasprzak on the second lap.
Heat 12 (awarded): Howe, Zetterstrom, Ferjan, Lindgren (f.excl). 3-3, 33-39.
David made a rare gate and led, while Freddie went inside both visitors on the back straight, but couldn’t quite take Zorro and stayed third. He tried hard around the outside of Zorro all the way, but tried just a little too hard and spun off at turn one in an awkward-looking tumble. Fortunately he was OK, and a 3-3 was awarded.
Heat 13: Max, Adams, Pedersen, Ermolenko, 58.84. 3-3, 36-42.
Mikael led as Sam locked up behind Pedersen on turn two, falling to the back as a result. He tracked the Dane all the way, and shot down the outside on the last bend to set up an even closer finish than Heat 8. This time, however, the referee ruled in Poole’s favour.
Heat 14: Lindback, Howe, Lindgren, Zetterstrom, 59.39. 3-3, 39-45.
Lindback once again led all the way, with Zorro in third until David came through halfway round the second lap, with Freddie letting him through to second.
Heat 15: Lindback, Max, Adams, Ermolenko, 59.24. 2-4, 41-49.
Lindback blocked Sam on the first turn before taking Mikael for the lead, and from then on there was no stopping him. Sam tried a bold move on Adams for third, but stayed at the rear.
Five Star Ratings:
Weather: **** OK, but very autumnal.
Track conditions: * Prepared too late due to the greyhounds not finishing till 6:15pm. Too dry, and to no-one’s liking.
Attendance: ***** A WOLF of a crowd – even Mr Wolf made a return!
Wolves Performance: ** Not good enough – simple as that.
Entertainment value: *** Nothing will ever compare to the semi-final.
Man of the Match: Only one rider was consistently good throughout the meeting, and that was Mikael Max.
Referee (Paul Ackroyd): **** Nothing really to report, although the close finish in Heat 13 was definitely a dead heat.
Five Star Ratings:
Mikael Max: **** Only top-level performer on the night.
Adam Skornicki: *** Slipping back into the doldrums slightly.
David Howe: ** Looked very inconsistent.
Sam Ermolenko: *** A little slow-paced in what was probably his last home League meeting.
Chris Neath: * Well out of sorts, compounding his poor end to the year.
Fredrik Lindgren: *** Fought hard all the way – sometimes a little too hard!
I wonder how many coach bookings to Poole have now been cancelled as a result of this performance? Still, it is right and proper to support the team all the way, and no doubt a large contingent of Wolves fans will make the journey to Wimborne Road for the second leg – perhaps for a Sam Ermolenko farewell party! Even if we don’t pull off the unthinkable, it will still be a great night of racing.
See you on the forum
Pieman.
Parry’s International Wolves:
Mikael Max 3 3 2 3 2 =13
Adam Skornicki 1 1 1 1 1* =5+1
David Howe 0 2 0 3 2 =7
Daniel Nermark R/R
Sam Ermolenko 1 3 2 0 0 =6
Chris Neath 1 0 0 =1
Fredrik Lindgren 3 0 3 2 1* fx =9+1
RIAS Pirates:
Bjarne Pedersen 2 3 3 1* =9+1
Krzysztof Kasprzak 0 1 2 1 =4
Matej Ferjan 3 2 0 1* =6+1
Antonio Lindback 2* 1* 3 3 3 =12+2
Leigh Adams 3 2 3 2 1 =11
Daniel Davidsson 0 0 1 =1
Magnus Zetterstrom 2 2* 0 2 0 =6+1
This report could simply consist of two words - OH B******S! Those hoping for a decent lead to take to the second leg were disappointed as Wolves were outgated and outridden by the Pirates. The controversy began early with the inclusion of Leigh Adams as a guest for Poole, but he was tamed by Mikael in several races – the real worry on this occasion was the flying Antonio Lindback. A poor track was one factor of the defeat, but the blunt truth is that Wolves were simply not up to scratch, and big improvements must be made if we are to spring a surprise in the second leg.
Poole won the toss and took 1 and 3.
Heat 1: Max, Pedersen, Skornicki, Kasprzak, 57.86. 4-2, 4-2.
Mikael went wide on a very dusty track allowing Pedersen to lead, but Mikael swept down the outside of the Dane on the back straight. He took the win but then appeared to suffer mechanical problems on the slowing down lap.
Heat 2: Lindgren, Zetterstrom, Neath, Davidsson, 59.23. 4-2, 8-4.
Freddie carved aggressively around Zorro out of turn two to lead, while Chris tried to join him but lifted alarmingly out of turn four, thankfully keeping third place.
Heat 3: Ferjan, Lindback, Skornicki, Howe, 59.20. 1-5, 9-9.
Adam, Ferjan and Lindback all went around the first lap together, with Ferjan emerging in front. Lindback took second on lap two, while David looked well out of sorts at the back. Ferjan went on for the win – pretty impressive considering he had previously struggled to score a point at Monmore!
Heat 4: Adams, Zetterstrom, Ermolenko, Lindgren, 58.54. 1-5, 10-14.
The rot really set in here, as Poole led all the way. It did not look good, and the atmosphere certainly deflated from this point on.
Heat 5: Pedersen, Howe, Kasprzak, Neath, 60.11. 2-4, 12-18.
Brilliant race, wrong result. David shot inside both Poole riders on the back straight, and battled hard with Pedersen for the lead, the pair constantly swapping places until David ran wide on turn four of the third lap. Chris held Kasprzak at the back for most of the way, but the Pole took the place on the last lap.
Heat 6: Max, Adams, Skornicki, Davidsson, 58.34. 4-2, 16-20.
Mikael went around Adams on the second turn for something of a surprise win.
Heat 7: Ermolenko, Ferjan, Lindback, Neath, 59.10. 3-3, 19-23.
Ferjan gated – another example of how awful we were out of the gate – but Sam came through on the first turn for the win.
Heat 8: Lindgren, Zetterstrom, Skornicki, Kasprzak, 59.74. 4-2, 23-25.
Freddie locked up on turn two allowing Kasprzak in front until he went wide, with Freddie and Zorro going inside him. Adam tried the inside line but was team ridden out by Poole until the last bend, when he went inside Kasprzak for a virtual dead heat for third. From the Sky replays it looked impossible to call, but Adam was given the place and a vital point.
Heat 9: Adams, Lindgren, Davidsson, Howe, 58.96. 2-4, 25-29.
Freddie again led off but lost out to Adams on turn two. David suffered bike trouble and slowed up midway through.
Heat 10 (re-run): Lindback, Max, Skornicki, Ferjan, 58.64. 3-3, 28-32.
Adam completely missed the start on the first go, while Mikael appeared to take out Ferjan on the first turn, with the race stopped after the Slovenian fell. Luckily all four were allowed back in the rerun, which saw Lindback fly from the start for the win.
Heat 11: Pedersen, Ermolenko, Kasprzak, Lindgren, 59.50. 2-4, 30-36.
Pedersen went between the Wolves pair to join Kasprzak at the front, while Sam went around Kasprzak on the second lap.
Heat 12 (awarded): Howe, Zetterstrom, Ferjan, Lindgren (f.excl). 3-3, 33-39.
David made a rare gate and led, while Freddie went inside both visitors on the back straight, but couldn’t quite take Zorro and stayed third. He tried hard around the outside of Zorro all the way, but tried just a little too hard and spun off at turn one in an awkward-looking tumble. Fortunately he was OK, and a 3-3 was awarded.
Heat 13: Max, Adams, Pedersen, Ermolenko, 58.84. 3-3, 36-42.
Mikael led as Sam locked up behind Pedersen on turn two, falling to the back as a result. He tracked the Dane all the way, and shot down the outside on the last bend to set up an even closer finish than Heat 8. This time, however, the referee ruled in Poole’s favour.
Heat 14: Lindback, Howe, Lindgren, Zetterstrom, 59.39. 3-3, 39-45.
Lindback once again led all the way, with Zorro in third until David came through halfway round the second lap, with Freddie letting him through to second.
Heat 15: Lindback, Max, Adams, Ermolenko, 59.24. 2-4, 41-49.
Lindback blocked Sam on the first turn before taking Mikael for the lead, and from then on there was no stopping him. Sam tried a bold move on Adams for third, but stayed at the rear.
Five Star Ratings:
Weather: **** OK, but very autumnal.
Track conditions: * Prepared too late due to the greyhounds not finishing till 6:15pm. Too dry, and to no-one’s liking.
Attendance: ***** A WOLF of a crowd – even Mr Wolf made a return!
Wolves Performance: ** Not good enough – simple as that.
Entertainment value: *** Nothing will ever compare to the semi-final.
Man of the Match: Only one rider was consistently good throughout the meeting, and that was Mikael Max.
Referee (Paul Ackroyd): **** Nothing really to report, although the close finish in Heat 13 was definitely a dead heat.
Five Star Ratings:
Mikael Max: **** Only top-level performer on the night.
Adam Skornicki: *** Slipping back into the doldrums slightly.
David Howe: ** Looked very inconsistent.
Sam Ermolenko: *** A little slow-paced in what was probably his last home League meeting.
Chris Neath: * Well out of sorts, compounding his poor end to the year.
Fredrik Lindgren: *** Fought hard all the way – sometimes a little too hard!
I wonder how many coach bookings to Poole have now been cancelled as a result of this performance? Still, it is right and proper to support the team all the way, and no doubt a large contingent of Wolves fans will make the journey to Wimborne Road for the second leg – perhaps for a Sam Ermolenko farewell party! Even if we don’t pull off the unthinkable, it will still be a great night of racing.
See you on the forum
Pieman.
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