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Post by thebaldeagle1932 on Apr 5, 2011 20:46:38 GMT
I am baffled by all the sudden excitement about a Hackney revival because it just is not that. It's really a nomadic team using the title of an old and well loved club. Hackney was an entity in its own right - this new look Hawks is far from that. Will see Stamford Bridge back in 2012 and based at Ipswich? It seems anything can happen in speedway these days.
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Post by Administrator on Apr 13, 2011 21:23:06 GMT
Saturday April 9 Challenge Hackney 66 USA Touring Team 25 HACKNEY 66 (B Evans 9, B Morley 13, D Mason 6, B Hopwood 15, M Owen 9, B Freemantle 6, S Hazelden 8) USA TOURING TEAM 25 (E Castro 6, M Sonier 1, M Buman 1, D Nichol 5, S McConnell 4, D Black 3, J Holt 4, J Terchila 1).
First Hawks’ League Fixture Nets First Match Point King’s Lynn 47 Hackney 45 (National League, Wednesday April 13th 2011) The Hackney Hawks followed up Saturday’s landslide victory over the US Touring Team by nabbing an unlikely match point in their National League opener at the Norfolk Arena. The Hawks trailed by 11 points with just three races remaining yet battled back to force a last heat decider. After the home side had taken an early lead with a 4-2 in the second heat, Ben Hopwood became the first Hawk to win a National League race when he headed home partner David Mason in a Heat 3 marred by a back injury sustained by Young Star Adam Lowe. With Lewis Kerr also failing to complete the race due to a bike stoppage, the resultant 5-0 gave Hackney a 9-8 advantage. A 5-1 from James Cockle and Jake Knight swiftly put King’s Lynn back in front before another maximum, this time from Barrie Evans and Ben Morley, popped the Hawks ahead again, at 15-14. The lead changed hands for a fourth time in the very next race, and from there the Young Stars built their advantage to 41-30 after Heat 12. Game, set and match? Not quite, as the Tactically nominated Barrie Evans delivered a No.1 ride to cinch Heat 13 and Marc Owen produced an incredible last-to-second display to follow him home for an 8-1. With Heat 14 producing a shared result, the Hawks needed a 5-1 in the finale to snatch a draw. But although Evans came from the back against Darren Mallett to take the win, Marc Owen had to settle for third place leaving Hackney just shy of that target. The Hawks were ultimately caught out by a lack of heat wins – just four in total, with three claimed by Evans – while the Young Stars were grateful for key points from established hands Darren Mallett and James Cockle, plus a decisive haul from superb reserve Jake Knight, who dropped his only points when excluded for bringing down Ben Morley in Heat 11, to edge them home. Joint Hackney Team Manager John Sampford was pleased with his team’s achievement afterwards. “We came away with something from the match when at one stage that didn’t look likely. In fact, it looked less than remote; some will no doubt have thought we didn’t have a prayer. Overall, though, it was a good team performance, and one that we’re determined to build on going forward.” Next up for Marc Owen and Shane Hazelden is the British U-21 Final at Lakeside this Friday at 7.45pm. The Hawks’ next action as a team is also at the Arena-Essex Raceway, in this case one week later (Good Friday) as they make their home League debut against Stoke in what will be the second half of a double header that also features the Lakeside-Eastbourne Elite League match (1pm start). The Hawks’ next match at Rye House is set for Saturday, April 30th, when they entertain Belle Vue (7pm start). Hackney scorers: Barrie Evans 15+1 (5 rides, inc 6 as a TR) Ben Morley 7+2 (4) David Mason 6+1 (4) Ben Hopwood 5+2 (4) Marc Owen 7+1 (5) Brandon Freemantle 0 (3) Shane Hazelden 5+1 (5) King’s Lynn scorers: Darren Mallett 11 (5 rides) Oliver Rayson 1 (4) Lewis Kerr 3+1 (4) Adam Lowe 0 (1) James Cockle 10 (5) Tom Stokes 5+2 (4) Jake Knight 17+1 (7) Match points: King’s Lynn 2 Hackney 1 ENDS
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Post by Administrator on Apr 21, 2011 15:07:57 GMT
Thursday 21st April 2011 FOR FULL RELEASE GO TO LAKESIDE HAMMERS:::: :::::::::Edited version:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Good Friday, 22nd April, sees the action from the Hackney Hawks. in their first home National League match f when they take on the Stoke Potters. Tt Hackney’s National League fixture is at around 2.45pm to 3pm. The Guest of Honour at the Arena-Essex Raceway will be Hackney legend Barry Thomas, who rode for the Hawks between 1970 and 1983. He was initially seen in trials at the home of the West Ham Hammers in 1969 and was snapped up by Canterbury where he rode for the Crusaders for two years. He also rode for the Hackney Kestrels at the famous Waterden Road Stadium between 1984 and 1986 and again between 1988 and 1989 plus he had a spell with the Rye House Rockets in 1987. Barry will lead the parade of riders for the Hawks match against Stoke and it is hoped that he will also put in a couple of laps on the Arena track. The Hackney Hawks will be led by two former Hammers riders, Barrie Evans and David Mason along with two new young Hammers assets in Marc Owen and Shane Hazelden. Their side is completed with Ben Morley, Ben Hopwood and Brandon Freemantle. The Stoke Potters are new to the National League, having moved down from the Premier League during the past winter. They will be led by the experienced Tony Atkin and will include Gareth Isherwood, Jamie Pickard, James Sarjeant and Tim Webster in their side. A bumper Bank Holiday crowd is expected at the Arena-Essex Raceway with the weather forecast to remain hot. :::::FOR FULLER RELEASE SEE LAKESIDE HAMMERS RELEASE FOR THE SAME DATE::::::::
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Post by Administrator on Apr 28, 2011 10:59:52 GMT
Date: Friday, 22 April, 2011, 23:53
Hawks Put One Over Potters Hackney 53 Stoke 41 (National League, Friday April 22nd 2011) The newly re-launched Hawks opened their home programme at Lakeside on Good Friday, collecting a maximum three match points to add to the point already gained from their first fixture at King’s Lynn . Three 5-1 advantages in the first four races put the Hawks in early control at 17-7, while a third in Heat 12 finally wrapped things up at 45-29. British U-21 Finalist Shane Hazelden featured in all three of those maximum results, and finished the day with a tremendous 12+1 tally that made him joint-top scorer alongside fellow U-21 Finalist Marc Owen and captain David Mason, who produced the pass of the match in getting past both Tony Atkin and Gareth Isherwood on the very last bend of Heat 3. There was back-up from the rest of the team too, with all the remaining Hackney riders paid for at least one race win. Joint-team manager John Sampford was delighted with the result. “This was potentially a tricky meeting in the sense that we followed on from the earlier Lakeside-Eastbourne match on a sundrenched circuit. As things materialised, we quickly grabbed a ten point lead and never let go. We could even have won by a few more had Ben Hopwood not snapped a throttle cable on the start line in Heat 14. “It was great to see Shane (Hazelden) rack up his big score, and Marc (Owen) too. We were also delighted to see David Mason back to his best around one of his former stamping grounds. All in all, this was just the result we needed to take us into another tough-looking match against Belle Vue.” That fixture against the highly rated Colts is the next Hawks’ home meeting, but will be staged at their other home circuit of Rye House on Saturday, April 30th (7pm start). Hackney scorers: Barrie Evans 5 (4 rides) Ben Morley 6+3 (4) David Mason 11+2 (5) Ben Hopwood 6 (4) Marc Owen 11+2 (5) Brandon Freemantle 2+1 (3) Shane Hazelden 12+1 (5) Stoke scorers: Luke Priest (guest) 5+1 (4 rides) Jamie Pickard 11 (5 rides, inc 4 as a TR) Gareth Isherwood 2 (4) Tony Atkin 6+1 (4) Tim Webster 14 (5 rides, inc 4 as a TR) Dan Berwick 1 (3) James Sarjeant 2 (6) Match points: Hackney 3 Stoke 0 ENDS
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Post by Administrator on Apr 28, 2011 11:02:34 GMT
Bring ‘Rm On (1): Belle Vue Colts At Rye House next Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday (April 30th), the Hackney Hawks take centre stage as they go head-to-head with Belle Vue in National League action. The Hawks claimed all three match points in their home opener against Stoke at Lakeside on Good Friday, to add from a hard fought point won at King’s Lynn . The Colts, meanwhile, have ridden just once as of time of writing, routing the combined Scunthorpe-Sheffield team 60-31 to support their pre-season billing of third place in the national Speedway Star magazine. Their side is centred around 2008 NLRC runner-up Byron Bekker, 2009 British U-18 and U-15 Silver winner Kyle Howarth, and second generation rider Adam McKinna, who won the Knock-Out Cup with Newcastle last term. There is also an added kick at reserve, courtesy of 2008 British U-15 Champion Jason Garrity, who finished 6th in the recent U-21 Final. The action starts at 7pm.
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Post by Administrator on May 6, 2011 8:14:26 GMT
May 1st 2011
Contents: Hawks Sneak Home Against Colts Caught in Conversation: Shane Hazelden
Hawks Sneak Home Against Colts
Hackney 48 Belle Vue 39 (National League, Sunday May 1st 2011)
The Hackney Hawks continued their positive start to the season by claiming all three match points against a previously unbeaten Belle Vue side in an enthralling, back-and-forth meeting.
An otherwise powerful Colts side was left to rue the absence of Jason Garrity. The fast-rising 16 year old had previously posted a 15 point maximum against Scunthorpe-Sheffield and paid 18 against the Isle of Wight, but no less than two van breakdowns en route left him stranded miles away from the action here.
Garrity’s non-arrival was balanced out by a night of misfortune for the Hawks’ Marc Owen. The British U-21 Finalist – whose form had warranted Heat 15 appearances in both of Hackney’s previous League matches - struggled all night with set-up issues and managed just 2 points.
Fortunately for the Hawks, Barrie Evans and Shane Hazelden provided plenty of fire-power from either ends of the team spectrum. No.1 Evans reeled off four straight victories after tasting defeat in his opening ride, while reserve Hazelden romped to four outright wins and was paid for a win in a fifth ride. His only disappointment came when falling in his two other rides.
An exciting, increasingly tense affair saw the lead change hands on no less than four occasions, with both sets of team managers playing a tactical game of cat and mouse with their reserve deployments. With the score level at 38-38, a change of machinery for Ben Hopwood proved critical for the Hawks. The Hackney No.4 had struggled in two earlier rides but swept to victory on-board alternative machinery in Heat 14, with Hazelden’s second place - ensured after Karl Mason had fallen - pushing the Hawks 4 points clear.
That left Hackney needing a 5-1 from the finale to clinch all three match points, with a second place finish from Belle Vue meaning the Colts would leave town with a match point, while a 5-1 in their favour would result in a drawn match. As things materialised, Kyle Howarth was excluded after bringing down Ben Morley on the third bend and Byron Bekker’s machine never left the start line in the re-run, to gift Morley and Evans the 5-0 that produced a final winning margin of 9.
The Hawks are next in action on Bank Holiday Monday at Scunthorpe, when their National League fixture follows the earlier Scorpions-Edinburgh Premier League match. They will be operating Rider-Replacement for Ben Morley, who is committed to the Silver Ski Rockets’ home and away Premier League meetings against Ipswich the same day, with the match at Hoddesdon starting at 7.45pm.
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 14 (5 rides) Ben Morley 7+3 (5) David Mason 7 (4) Ben Hopwood 4+1 (3) Marc Owen 2 (3) Brandon Freemantle 0 (3) Shane Hazelden 14+1 (7)
Belle Vue scorers:
Byron Bekker 9+1 (5 rides) Scott Richardson 3+1 (4) Kyle Howarth 11 (5) Karl Mason 4+2 (4) Adam McKinna 7 (4) Chris Widman 5 (5) Jason Garrity did not arrive
Match points: Hackney 3 Belle Vue 0
Caught in Conversation: Shane Hazelden
We caught up with the 17 year old Hackney prospect directly after the Hawks’ home squeeker against Belle Vue. Hazelden had just completed a full quota of seven rides, riding undefeated in his five completed outings.
Fair to say that neither side left anything in the jar in this one? “Yes, it was a real good old-fashioned fight to get the win. Every heat advantage was so important, and everyone had to ride out of their skins. The Colts made the early start (leading 11-6 after three races), but then we began coming together as a team. Overall, there was a great team spirit and we gave a good team performance.
“I really enjoyed my rides, although I felt I let the side down with mistakes in a couple of my heats. In my fourth ride, I was in second place behind Adam McKinna and tried to go around the outside, and the door got shut. It was either “take him out” or “fall off”, and unfortunately it had to be the second option. I was a bit unlucky with my second exclusion, though. As we hit the corner, I straightened up and lifted, which took me into the adverse camber, and I had to bale off the bike. But I got three straight wins to start off with, popped in another in my fifth and ended the meeting with a paid win with a bent bike – my handlebar was a bit lopsided and didn’t feel too good on the track, but you have to make do with what you’ve got.
“I really want to step up another level this year. We’ve focused on what I did wrong in 2010. Last year, my gating was a big problem, so I’ve invested in two brand new clutches, which have cost about a grand, so at the moment it’s ridiculous money that I owe my dad, although I’ll pay him off eventually. Any additional sponsorship would be very gratefully received. It’s so important, no matter what the value. As things stand, I’d be happy to break even this year, but to do that I’ve got to ride out of my skin.
“I’m also focusing on the larger tracks. I’m normally quite good on the smaller circuits, but I had a guest spot at the Isle of Wight this last week, which is such a big track, and scored paid 6 from four starts on what was only my second visit there. The last time I was there, I scored 5 from seven starts, but I really learned so much from this experience. If I’m quick on small tracks and can gate well, and can get good on big tracks, there’s nothing to stop me carry on pushing forward. Hopefully, I can get a Premier League spot as soon as possible. That’s what I’m really after.”
ENDS .
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Post by Administrator on May 6, 2011 8:21:29 GMT
Bank Holiday Horror For Hawks
Scunthorpe-Sheffield 66 Hackney 24 (National League, Monday May 2nd 2011)
The Hawks experienced a real night to forget as they were taken apart by a very strong combined Scunthorpe-Sheffield team in Lincolnshire on Bank Holiday Monday. The home side provided the race winner in fourteen of the fifteen heats, racking up no less than eight 5-1s in the process, and would have won by an even bigger margin had not Ashley Birks stopped and fallen in separate races – each time while leading – and Greg Blair fallen in the final race when holding second.
Barrie Evans provided the Hawks’ one moment to smile with a race win in Heat 13.
Team manager Neil Vatcher was the first to admit that “We are all extremely disappointed with this result. We were simply beaten by a much better side that knew the best way around its own track.
“There are four or five riders with Premier League experience in their side, and it showed tonight. We really missed Ben Morley (who was committed to Rye House’s matches against Ipswich), although there were pluses from Marc Owen’s 100% effort and the fact that Brandon Freemantle, although scoreless, was on the pace against very good riders.
“We’ll treat tonight as a learning experience on a bigger track, and one that will hopefully provide the re-focus for Saturday’s match against King’s Lynn.”
Hackney scorers:
Barrie Evans 7 (5 rides, inc 1 as a TR) Ben Morley R/R David Mason 4 (5) Ben Hopwood 3 (4) Marc Owen 5+1 (5 rides, inc 1 as a TR) Brandon Freemantle 0 (5) Shane Hazelden 6 (6)
Scunthorpe-Sheffield scorers:
Greg Blair 11 (5 rides) Adam Wrathall 5+2 (4) Steve Worrall 12+3 (5 rides, max) Gary Irving 11+1 (4 rides, max) Ashley Birks 5+1 (4) Stefan Nielsen 8+2 (4) Richie Worrall 12 (4 rides, max)
Match points: Scunthorpe-Sheffield 3 Hackney 0
Bring ‘Em On: King’s Lynn Young Stars
The Silver Ski Rockets head north this weekend to face Berwick (Saturday, May 7th) and Glasgow (Sunday), but there is still action at Rye House this Saturday night as the Hackney Hawks will aim to rebound from their bad day at the office against Scunthorpe-Sheffield with the National League visit of King’s Lynn. The Young Stars just edged the Hawks 47-45 when the two sides met at the Norfolk Arena on April 13th, and have since gone on to draw with Mildenhall and take a match point away from their trip to Scunthorpe after a tense 48-42 result.
Arriving with them on Saturday are the likes of newly crowned Bronze Helmet holder Darren Mallett, former Raider and current doubling-up Plymouth Devil James Cockle and Jake Knight, who blasted paid 18 in the first match between the teams, although 13 at Scunthorpe on Easter Monday wasn’t bad either!
Waiting for them will be former League Riders Champions Barrie Evans and David Mason, British U-21 Finalists Marc Owen and Shane Hazelden, 2009 Finalist Ben Hopwood and reigning British U-15 Champion Brandon Freemantle.
The action starts at 7pm.
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Post by Administrator on May 8, 2011 5:57:22 GMT
Hawks Hold Off Young Stars Hackney 49 King’s Lynn 41 (at Rye House) (National League, Saturday, May 7th 2011) The Hawks rebounded from Bank Holiday Monday’s nightmare at Scunthorpe to bag all three match points in a tense, tight affair that was a credit to both teams. Both have adhered to the original National League ethos of assembling sides based around young prospects plus the added stability of one or two experienced “old hands”, and there both elements were very much on show here. Ultimately, the Young Stars proved too over-reliant points-wise on James Cockle and Darren Mallett – although Lewis Kerr also showed strong hints of his potential – against a Hackney side that was firing on far more cylinders. Exciting reserve Shane Hazelden continued his rich vein of form to head the Hawks’ score-charts with paid 16, with David Mason in close contention for the man of the match award with paid 12. There was excellent support, also, from Barry Evans (8) and Ben Hopwood, who recovered from an early fall to rack up a matching paid total. It proved a mixed night for Ben Morley, who was originally scheduled to be with Rye House at Berwick. That Premier League action was postponed very early in the morning, allowing the 17 year old to take his place in the Hawks’ team. Morley rattled off two race wins, one on Ben Hopwood’s machinery, but also suffered two falls in what turned out to be a mixed night. All in all, the Hawks fielded six different race winners, with Marc Owen gaining mention for his important victory in Heat 7. Even the odd man out, 15 year old Brandon Freemantle, contributed a hard fought point from his battle with Oliver Rayson in Heat 7. There was nothing to separate the two teams over the first seven races, before the Hawks finally pushed clear to 31-23 with successive 5-1s. Ben Morley and Shane Hazelden secured the first over Jake Knight in Heat 8, then David Mason and Ben Hopwood repeated that outcome over the previously unbeaten James Cockle in Heat 9. The two sides exchanged 5-1s in Heats 11 and 12 before a final maximum blast, from Hopwood and Hazelden ensured all three match points for Hackney with a race to spare. That last heat saw Cockle and Mallett win out in a close finish over Mason and Evans to give the Young Stars a final uplift for their efforts. Hackney scorers: Barrie Evans 8 (5 rides) Ben Morley 6 (4) David Mason 10+2 (5) Ben Hopwood 7+1 (4) Marc Owen 4 (3) Brandon Freemantle 1 (4) Shane Hazelden 13+3 (6) King’s Lynn scorers: Darren Mallett 9+2 (5 rides) Adam Lowe R/R Oliver Rayson 2+2 (5) Lewis Kerr 6 (5) James Cockle 16 (6) Tom Stokes 2+1 (4) Jake Knight 6 (5) Match Points: Hackney 3 King’s Lynn 0 Hawks No Go on Friday the 13th Hackney’s originally scheduled next fixture at Lakeside on Friday, May 13th, against front-runners Dudley has been moved back a fortnight and will now be staged at the Arena-Essex Raceway on Friday the 27th. The Hawks’ next home action at Rye House is set for Saturday, June 11th, when they clash with arch-rivals Mildenhall. ENDS
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Post by Administrator on May 22, 2011 8:13:36 GMT
Hawks at Home The Hackney Hawks are next in action on Friday (May 27th) when they take flight against pre-season title favourites Dudley at Lakeside. They will be facing a Heathens side that includes World U-21 competitor Kyle Newman, former League Riders Champion Jon Armstrong and 2010 British U-21 Grasstrack titlist Tom Perry, who was also voted Dudley’s Rider of the Year last term. The meeting at the Arena-Essex Raceway starts at 8pm. The Hawks’ next home action at Rye House is set for Saturday, June 11th, when they clash with arch-rivals Mildenhall in the Knock-Out Cup. Saturday, June 11th Hackney Hawks vs Mildenhall (KO Cup) 7.00pm ENDS
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Post by Administrator on May 26, 2011 14:10:33 GMT
Thursday 26th May 2011 THE HAWKS TAKE TO THE TRACK AT THE ARENA-ESSEX RACEWAY This Friday, 27th May, will see two of the most famous old names in British Speedway in action at the Arena-Essex Raceway as the Hackney Hawks take on the Dudley Heathens in a National League match. Hackney raced at the Hackney Wick Greyhound Stadium in Waterden Road between 1935 and 1996 at a venue that has been demolished to be replaced by the Olympic Stadium. The Hackney Hawks name was brought back this season. The Heathens raced as the Cradley Heath Heathens at the Dudley Wood Sports Stadium on and off between 1947 and 1995. The name of the Heathens was resurrected in 2010 when the Dudley Heathens were formed. Both clubs are still without permanent home venues with the Hawks sharing their home matches between the Arena-Essex Raceway, the home of the Lakeside Hammers, and Rye House Stadium Hoddesdon, where Premier League side the Rye House Rockets are based. In 2010 the Heathens raced their home matches at either Monmore Green Wolverhampton , where the Wolverhampton Wolves race, or at the Perry Bar Stadium Birmingham the home of the Birmingham Brummies. This year, however, the Heathens will stage all their home meetings at Monmore Green. Both clubs are steeped in history with many of the World’s top riders having competed in their famous colours. The two clubs now compete in the National League where in a 10 team League the Hawks are currently in third place with the Heathens in seventh place. However, the Heathens have competed in only two League matches compared to the Hawks five matches. A win for the Hawks on Friday will see them move up into top position in the table but the Dudley Heathens are expected to give the Hawks a stern test as the Heathens finished top of the League last season and have already won the National League Shield this year. The Heathens are led by 36 year old veteran Jon Armstrong who is in his twentieth year of racing. Alongside him he has a youthful team comprising of Richard Franklin (aged 18), Ashley Morris (17), Kyle Newman (19), Tom Perry (18), Darryl Ritchings (16) and Danny Stoneman (19). The Hawks have two former Hammers riders in their side in Barrie Evans and David Mason along with two riders who are Lakeside Hammers assets in Shane Hazelden and Mark Owen. Completing their team will be Brandon Freemantle and Ben Hopwood with the ‘Rider Replacement’ facility being used to cover the rides of Ben Morley , who misses the match as he will be on Premier League duties with Rye House in Edinburgh. This National League match between these two famous named clubs in Speedway will start at 8pm on Friday (27th May) at the Arena-Essex Raceway, the home of the Lakeside Hammers. The Grand Parade of riders will be at 7.45pm. Admission price to this meeting are:- Adults - £12, Concessions - £10, Children 6 to 16 inclusive - £2 with Children under 6 admitted free when accompanied by an adult. A special matchday programme will also be available at £1. Lakeside Hammers Season Ticket holders should note that they will admitted for half price on production of their current Season Ticket. An EFlyer advertising this meeting may be downloaded free of charge at tinyurl.com/3n2y5h3
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Post by Administrator on May 27, 2011 21:43:33 GMT
Hawks Halted By Heathens Hackney 42 Dudley 48 (at Lakeside) (National League, Friday May 27th 2011) The Hawks suffered their first home defeat of the season when edged out by Dudley in a tense last race decider at Lakeside. Strong performances from both Hackney captain David Mason (13+2) and reserve Shane Hazelden (14+1) were unfortunately outweighed by disappointment for Ben Hopwood, who struggled with machinery problems throughout and also had the misfortune to fall when challenging for third place in Heat 5 after clipping the inside kerb on the very last bend. Hazelden also had his problems, his Heat 6 quickly ending when his cut-out came adrift. The match ebbed and flowed, with neither side able to command more than a two point advantage until the final heat. Following a share of the spoils in each of the first six races, Dudley took advantage of Hazelden’s Heat 6 gremlins to take the lead with a 4-2. The Hawks, in turn, replied with a 5-1 two races later to move in front at 25-23, as Hazelden stormed from the gate and Mason cut back from the outside to join him at the front. Successive Dudley 4-2s nudged the visitors into a 34-32 lead, before another Hawks maximum from the same pairing lifted Hackney to another narrow advantage. That situation did not last long, however, as former League Riders Champion Jon Armstrong and the unbeaten Kyle Newman produced 5-1s from their pairings in Heats 13 and 15 to clinch the win for the Heathens. The Hawks will be aiming to re-group - and plot their revenge – as venture to Monmore Green in Wolverhampton for next Tuesday’s (May 31st) quick return match. Following that fixture, it will be a case of eyes on a different prize, as the Hawks head to Mildenhall on Sunday, June 5th, for the first leg of their Knock-Out Cup first round tie. The Fen Tigers will return the favour when they are the visitors for Hackney’s next home fixture at Rye House, on Saturday, June 11th, in what will be the second and deciding leg of the tie. Hackney scorers: Barrie Evans 6 (5 rides) Ben Morley R/R David Mason 13+2 (5) Ben Hopwood 2 (4) Marc Owen 6+1 (4) Brandon Freemantle 1+1 (4) Shane Hazelden 14+1 (7) Rhys Naylor (No.8) dnt Dudley scorers: Jon Armstrong 12+1 (5 rides) Richard Franklin 5+1 (4) Tom Perry 4+2 (4) Ashley Morris 9 (4) Kyle Newman 13+2 (5 rides, maximum) Darryl Ritchings 5+1 (5) Danny Stoneman 0 (3) Match points: Hackney 0 Dudley 3 ENDS
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Post by Administrator on May 30, 2011 18:47:06 GMT
Hackney’s amended home fixture list is (all National League, except where stated): Saturday, June 11th Mildenhall (KO Cup) (at Rye House) Friday, June 17th Isle of Wight (at Lakeside) Saturday, July 2nd Newport (at Rye House) Friday, July 29th Buxton (at Lakeside) Saturday, August 6th Mildenhall (at Rye House) TBC Scunthorpe (at Lakeside)
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Post by Administrator on May 31, 2011 21:38:22 GMT
Hawks Rue One That Got Away Dudley 49 Hackney 41 (at Wolverhampton) (National League, Monday May 31st 2011) Last Friday, the Hawks slipped to their first home defeat of the season when edged out by a strong Dudley side in a tense last race decider at Lakeside. Just four nights later, they looked to have exacted their revenge by handing the highly rated Heathens their own first home loss of the year, only to capitulate in the final third of the meeting. Spurred on by another tremendous performance from reserve Shane Hazelden, the Hawks made light of Marc Owen’s morning withdrawal due to illness and looked home and dry with a 34-26 advantage after Heat 10, only for the Heathens to sucker-punch them in the closing stages.
An unexpected fall from Barrie Evans – his second of the fixture – helped Dudley to a 5-1 in Heat 11, while a second maximum quickly followed when Hazelden was controversially excluded after falling under pressure from Tom Perry in Heat 12. With the scores now level, Kyle Newman – a real thorn in the Hawks’ side on Friday – then inflicted yet more damage by holding off Evans for second place behind partner Jon Armstrong, as the Heathens took the lead for the first time in the match, at 41-37. Hackney enjoyed brief respite when Ashley Morris ground to a halt on the last bend of Heat 14 as a fourth consecutive 5-1 loomed large, but the match still had one final sting in the tail, as Newman won the finale from the back and Armstrong sneaked past Evans for second place right on the line. That last race result left the Hawks just a bike length adrift of leaving town with a consolation match point. A disconsolate co-team manager John Sampford said afterwards, “I’m absolutely gutted for the lads, who rode their hearts out and yet came away with nothing to show for their efforts. It didn’t help that Barrie (Evans) suffered two uncharacteristic falls, although the real blow was when Shane (Hazelden) was excluded in Heat 12. There was definitely contact, and I’ve seen similar decisions given the other way. Instead of possibly getting a heat advantage from that race, we conceded a 5-1…. and that proved crucial at the end of the night.” From here, the Hawks will aim for a fresh start in a fresh competition, as they head to Mildenhall on Sunday (June 5th) for the first leg of their Knock-Out Cup first round tie. The Fen Tigers will return the favour when they are the visitors for Hackney’s next home fixture at Rye House, on Saturday, June 11th, in what will be the second and deciding leg of the tie. Hackney scorers: Barrie Evans 7+1 (6 rides) Ben Morley 8+1 (6) David Mason 5 (4) Ben Hopwood 5+2 (5) Marc Owen R/R Brandon Freemantle 0 (3) Shane Hazelden 16 (7) Dudley scorers: Jon Armstrong 9+1 (5 rides) Richard Franklin 4 (4) Tom Perry 6+2 (4) Ashley Morris 5+1 (4) Kyle Newman 13+1 (5) Darryl Ritchings 11+1 (5) Danny Stoneman 1+1 (3) Match points: Hackney 3 Dudley 0 ENDS
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Post by Administrator on Jun 5, 2011 7:06:08 GMT
Follow the Hawks on the Web In addition to the official 2011 Hackney website (www.hackneyhawks.co), updates on all of Hackney’s home and away matches are available via twitter @hackneyspeedway. This service includes tomorrow’s (Sunday, June 5th) Cup match at Mildenhall. Hackney speedway also has nearly 2000 followers on Facebook. The online discussions cover Speedway in general, as well as Hackney, with former Rye House Rocket Karl Fiala frequently featuring in the debates. Two additional websites well worth bookmarking are: 1. www.hackneyreunion.com, which features pictures and tributes from the 2005 Hackney reunion, plus new era Hawks match reports 2. www.hackneyhawks.co.uk, which focuses on the original glory days at Waterden Road, as a way to look back and remember Hackney Speedway’ great past.
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Post by Administrator on Jun 5, 2011 19:06:38 GMT
Hazelden Injury Leaves Hawks to Suffer Cup Mauling Mildenhall 60 Hackney 32 (Knock-Out Cup, first leg, Sunday, June 5th 2011) The Hackney Hawks have the proverbial mountain to climb in order to retain an interest in this season’s National League Knock-Out Cup after suffering a 28 point mauling at West Row. The Fen Tigers, who had levelled the Isle of Wight 61-33 in their last track outing, ran riot again here, although the pivotal factor was on very clear view. Reserve Shane Hazelden has been hugely influential for the Hawks this season – the 17 year old is due to soar to the team’s No.1 spot when the new averages take effect this Saturday – but was quickly ruled out of the match with slight concussion when partner Brandon Freemantle locked up directly in front of him in Heat 2, leaving the British U-21 Finalist with nowhere to go other than straight into his colleague. It took a long time for the Hawks to settle from that disaster. They trailed 19-4 at Heat 4 and 44-16 at Heat 10, before Ben Morley finally stemmed the flow with a six point Tactical ride in Heat 11, with Barrie Evans’ third place finish forging a 7-2. Evans followed up by winning Heat 13 for Hackney’s second race victory, as the Hawks matched their hosts 16-16 across the final five races. Hackney co-promoter Len Silver stressed afterwards that “Losing Shane (Hazelden) made a huge difference. He has been going so well this season, and with a full run of rides I believe we could have held the deficit to ten or twelve points. He is about to go to our No.1 position, so what effectively happened here is that we lost our No.1 in his first race – and you know what usually happens to most away teams in that situation, don’t you? “Ben (Morley) rode consistently well throughout, but I think the rest of the side let their heads drop when we lost Shane. It wasn’t until well into the second half of the match that we really got our act together again.” Hackney scorers: Barrie Evans 6 (5 rides) Ben Morley 12 (5 rides, inc 6 as a TR) David Mason 4+1 (4 rides, inc 2 as a TR) Ben Hopwood 5 (4) Marc Owen 4 (4) Brandon Freemantle 1+1 (7) Shane Hazelden 0 (0) Mildenhall scorers: James Brundle R/R Aaron Baseby 15+2 (6 rides) Danny Halsey 8+2 (5) Lewis Blackbird 13 (5) Jack Hargreaves 7+2 (5) Nick Laurence 2+1 (3) Joe Jacobs 15 (6) Bring ‘Em On: Mildenhall The Hackney Hawks will have it all to do when they attempt to overturn a mammoth 28 point deficit in the second leg of their Knock-Out Cup tie against Mildenhall at Rye House on Saturday (June 11th @ 7pm). The Fen Tigers are a club re-born this season under the promotion of former stars Kevin Jolly, Chris Louis and Michael Lee, and their results have so far matched their owners’ optimism, with five straight home victories – including Sunday’s charge over the Hawks – already added to with a hard-fought draw at King’s Lynn. Long-time King’s Lynn Star James Brundle missed the first match between the sides having experienced a heavy crash at Ipswich three days earlier, but will hopefully be fit to return for Saturday’s second leg. Also heading into town are former Stoke, Redcar and Birmingham man Jack Hargreaves, who has returned to the sport after a near three year absence, and Lewis Blackbird, who has been gone for a similar period to successfully concentrate on British Mini-Bikes. 2010 Cobra and British U-18 runner-up Joe Jacobs and former British U-21 international and 2008 Raiders’ Rider of the Year recipient Danny Halsey will add an extra spice to the line-up. There may also be a spot for highly rated Aussie Cameron Heeps. The 15 year old, who is already a five times Western Australia U-16 Champion, has now arrived in this country and is ready to ride in what would be his British debut subject to final BSPA ratification of his patriality. Forthcoming Fixtures at Rye House Saturday, June 11th Hackney Hawks vs Mildenhall (KO Cup) 7.00pm Saturday, June 18th Rockets vs Redcar (Premier League) 7.00pm Saturday, June 25th NO MEETING AT RYE HOUSE Sunday, June 26th Rockets vs Berwick (Premier League) 2.00pm ENDS
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