|
Post by Administrator on Sept 7, 2016 8:51:44 GMT
RAIDERS READY FOR RIVALS The BMR Raiders will face not one, but TWO, local derby rivals in Hoddesdon on Sunday afternoon in the Travel Plus National League. The double header meeting will see the Raiders kick off against King’s Lynn at 4pm, with additional East Anglian adversaries Mildenhall due onto the circuit after the interval. As an added bonus, the club will also stage the Mitas British Youth 150cc Championship, consisting of seven qualifying races and a winner-takes-all Final. That event will start at the earlier time of 2.30. Rye House Team Manager Peter Schroeck is determined to see his side maintain their recent vein of form, one which has seen them lift the Fours Championship, beat Coventry and Buxton and take home a match point from a spirited display at Mildenhall. “The boys have come good over the last few weeks, and not just at the top end of the team. They gave great performances at Mildenhall and against Buxton over the Bank Holiday Weekend, and there’s no reason why they can’t do the same on Sunday to help push us up the League ladder. “There’s the added factor of both King’s Lynn and Mildenhall being local derby rivals too, which will definitely add a little “something” to the two matches. All in all, it should be an exciting afternoon, and we’re really looking forward to it.” BMR Raiders vs King’s Lynn: Rob Branford, George Hunter, Connor Locke, Ben Morley, Luke Priest (captain), Matt Saul, Sam Woods King’s Lynn: Jon Armstrong (guest), Scott Campos (captain), Nathan Greaves, Taylor Hampshire, Ryan Kinsley, Tom Stokes R/R, Lewis Whitmore BMR Raiders vs Mildenhall: Rob Branford, George Hunter, Macauley Leek, Connor Locke, Ben Morley, Luke Priest (captain), Sam Woods Mildenhall: Jon Armstrong, Alfie Bowtell, Connor Coles, Danny Halsey, Kyle Hughes R/R, William O’Keefe, Alex Spooner, TBC 12 year old Nathan Ablitt will be the pre-meeting favourite to lift the Mitas British 150cc Championship that precedes the National League action, having won every one of the forty races he has ridden in this class during the British Youth series, but he will also recognise that it is what happens on the day that matters now. Rye House Co-Promoter Steve Jenson is anticipating an exciting event. “We are proud to be hosting this Championship Final and supporting Neil Vatcher and the Young Lions set-up. “We know from the British Youth Series rounds that we have staged here in the past that the action will be fast and furious – and this Sunday will be no different and every one of the competitors will give 100%. “We are also delighted to be helping to support the next wave of young British riders. As I’ve said before, the British Youth system sits neatly alongside what we are aiming to achieve at a local level with our own new Training Track which is close to completion, as well as what we are targeting with our main Training Schools and – a bit further up the chain in the development of new talent - opportunities in the BMR Raiders in the National League.” Admission prices for Sunday’s meeting at Rye House – some 38 races in total – will be in line with a single Premier League meeting: Adults £16, Seniors (over 60s) £14, Full-Time Students (17-22) £10, Children (aged 12-16) £5, with Children (under 12) admitted FREE. The matchday programme will be £1.00. Please note that those seeking Student admission must provide a copy of their current student photo ID (issued by the NUS or their university/college) at the turnstiles.
Additionally, Mildenhall supporters wishing only to watch the second match may do so by entering the stadium after Heat 14 of the Raiders-King’s Lynn match, with normal National League admission then applying:
Adults £12, Full-Time Students (17-22) £8, Children (aged 12-16) £5, with Children (under 12) FREE
|
|
|
Post by Administrator on Sept 12, 2016 6:30:59 GMT
RAIDERS OUTSHINE YOUNG STARS The BMR Raiders maintained their climb up the table by sweeping aside local derby rivals King’s Lynn 54-36 in the first of two Travel Plus National League matches staged at Rye House on Sunday. Ben Morley went through the card with a five ride maximum, and would have been joined in the unbeaten stakes by Rob Branford had the Raiders No.1 not fallen when second behind his colleague in Heat 13. Captain Luke Priest was also in powerful form, dropping his only points through mechanical failure when holding second spot in Heat 9, while Sam Woods added paid 8 and George Hunter 7, a haul that included his first victory in what has proven a stop-start season due to injury. Four consecutive 4-2s lifted the Raiders to a 19-11 advantage by Heat 5, and when Morley was joined at the front of Heat 7 by Woods – who passed both Ryan Kinsley and Scott Campos to claim second – the resulting 5-1 effectively sealed the win at 27-15. The Raiders posted no less than thirteen of the fifteen race wins, with the last saved for Morley in Heat 15 as leader Branford slowed on the last lap to allow his colleague to claim a full maximum for the match. The Southend Flyer appreciated his partner’s gesture. “It was a nice touch because he realised I was on for the full max. We are both going really well. He was fast today, and I must admit I was struggling to keep up with him! It’s been really tough the last few days (riding for the Rockets on the road) so to get the motors sorted and get a max was really important. “The last few matches, we’ve been picking up points here, there and everywhere. It’s a shame we couldn’t do that at the start of the season, but it is always nice when you do get them and begin to move up the table.” Morley does not want to be drawn too much on talk about the defence of his National League Riders’ Championship at Leicester on Saturday. “Some people may want to focus on me as the current holder of the title, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. When I won it here last year, I just went out and enjoyed my racing, and it will be the same again on Saturday. I don’t want to make too much fuss about it, but just go there and enjoy myself.” BMR Raiders: Ben Morley 15 (5 rides, max), Robert Branford 11+1 (5), Luke Priest 9 (4), Sam Woods 7+1 (4), George Hunter 7 (4), Connor Locke 3 (4), Matt Saul 2 (4)
King’s Lynn: Nathan Greaves 13 (6 rides), Jon Armstrong (guest) 7+1 (5), Scott Campos 7 (5), Taylor Hampshire 3+2 (6), Ryan Kinsley 3+1 (5), Lewis Whitmore 3 (3), Tom Stokes R/R Match Points: Rye House 3 King’s Lynn 0 RAIDERS FEND OFF FENMEN The BMR Raiders extended their successful run to four wins in five matches – with an away match point at Mildenhall and the little matter of the Fours Championship thrown in for good measure along the way – when they edged the Fen Tigers in Sunday’s second local derby at Rye House. A tense affair with plenty of close racing, the lead changed hands on no less than three occasions, and there was never more than four points between the sides until a curious Heat 14 that ultimately settled the match. Race leader George Hunter was under severe pressure from former Rye man Alfie Bowtell when both fell independently on the third lap, causing the action to be halted, both riders excluded and the heat awarded as a 3-2 success for Macauley Leek that gave the Raiders an unassailable 44-39 advantage. There was still time for a dramatic nominated race that saw Ben Morley fall but Rob Branford more than compensate by storming past Danny Halsey and Jon Armstrong for a stunning victory. Talking after that pulsating finale, the Raiders’ No.1 stressed that even though the match was already won, “Every time I get on the track, I try to give it 100%. It doesn’t matter what race it is to me; I’m a racer and that’s what I’m here for. I treat it the same as any other race. “It’s good to ride against guys like Jon Armstrong; you know that he’s going to leave you enough racing room. When you have that trust with another rider, you can really put yourself out there and push the boundaries. “With my form at the moment, I really don’t want the season to end. I’m just taking it meeting by meeting and keeping myself busy. I’m not looking at the end yet, but it feels as though the season has gone really quickly. Fortunately the off-season will go pretty quickly too, and before you know it we’ll be in March again.” And of Saturday’s National League Riders’ Championship in which he will aim to place two rungs higher than 2015’s silver position: “I’m not going there to get beaten. It’s the same as every race and every other meeting. I treat every race the same, and go out in every one to win. “Let’s see what happens.” BMR Raiders: Robert Branford 11 (5 rides), Ben Morley 11 (5), Luke Priest 9 (4), Macauley Leek 7+2 (4), Connor Locke 5 (4), Sam Woods 3 (4), George Hunter 1 (4)
Mildenhall: Danny Halsey 13+1 (6 rides), Jon Armstrong 12+1 (6), Connor Coles 8+2 (5), Alfie Bowtell 6 (5), William O’Keefe 3 (4), Alex Spooner 0 (4), Kyle Hughes R/R Match Points: Rye House 3 Mildenhall 0 ABLITT WINS 150CC TITLE Exciting prospect Nathan Ablitt lived up to his pre-meeting billing as title favourite by lifting the Mitas British Youth 150cc Championship that was staged at Rye House on Sunday. The 12 year old not only went through the card in his programmed rides but also took the deciding Grande Final ahead of Sam Hagon and Mason O’Rourke to complete a simply remarkable British Youth season of not dropping a single race in some 45 heats! But if Ablitt’s success was an expected one, it only came at the climax of some fantastic racing that saw all seven competitors truly give 100%. Examples included a gripping Heat 3 in which O’Rourke pipped Sam Hagon to victory by just half a bike length and a stunning Heat 6 that saw Ablitt himself left at the rear of the field in the early stages after missing his gear and slipping into neutral before recovering to work his way past his three rivals. As Young Lions Manager Neil Vatcher put it afterwards, “None of those seven riders left anything in the can today. There was some really exciting racing, and every single one of the boys gave his all.” Of Nathan Ablitt’s incredible 45-out-of-45 record for the series: “As I’ve said before, it is incredibly hard for anybody to achieve that in ANY class. To go 9 meetings and 45 races undefeated, with no engine failures or slide-offs, is absolutely amazing. All credit to Nathan to finally be crowned British Champion. He certainly deserves that title. “It’s been a fantastic year. I say every season that the Series gets bigger and better each time around, and 2016 has been no different. Now we start making plans for next year! “It’s exciting for us that at National and Premier League level we’ve seen some really good kids coming through once again this year, and hopefully that will continue for many years to come.” Qualifying scores: Nathan Ablitt 12, Sam Hagon 10, Mason O’Rourke 7, Jamie Bursill 6, James Laker 3, Kieron McCoy 2, Charlie Jenson 2 Grand Final: Ablitt, Hagon, O’Rourke, Bursill (68.4 secs)
|
|
|
Post by Administrator on Sept 18, 2016 6:47:13 GMT
MORLEY SILVER IN NLRC! BMR Rider Ben Morley sensationally recovered from a third race exclusion to finish second in this year’s National League Riders’ Championship, which was staged at Leicester on Saturday night. The defending Champion had secured five out of a possible six points when he was disqualified for bringing Matt Williamson down on the first bend of Heat 11, but quickly bounced back to win his two remaining rides – and then also hold off Birmingham’s Tom Perry in a dramatic run-off for second place. It proved a more difficult night for Morley’s colleague Rob Branford, who missed his opening ride after arriving late due to traffic chaos. Last year’s bronze winner managed two second places when he did get on the track, but that unfortunately was as good as it got as two subsequent retirements left him well down the pack. The Championship was won by Cradley’s Max Clegg, who lifted his second national title in the space of just four days after earlier claiming the British U-19 crown on Wednesday night. Our congratulations to him, and also to our own Southend Flyer. Result:
1st Max Clegg (Cradley) 14 2nd Ben Morley (Rye House) 11 (after run-off) 3rd Tom Perry (Birmingham) 11,
Other scorers: Luke Bowen 10, Matt Williamson 9, Nathan Greaves 8, Ben Wilson 8, Lee Payne 7, Ashley Morris 7, Jake Knight 7, Mark Baseby 6, Daniel Halsey 5, Ryan Blacklock 4, Rob Branford 4, James Shanes 4, Chris Widman (Res) 4, Ryan Kinsley (Res) 1, Liam Carr 0. Rye House supporters will have the opportunity to salute Ben Morley’s achievement – and also those of his Team as a whole in 2016 - tomorrow (Sunday) when the BMR Raiders host their final Travel Plus National League home fixture of the season. The opposition will come from the Isle of Wight, who will bring with them 2010 National League Riders’ Champion Lee Smart, as well as two riders who were part of early incarnations of the Raiders in James Cockle and Mark Baseby. Nathan Stoneman is also set to feature for the Warriors, just nine days after posting a remarkable 21 point maximum when his side won at Coventry. The Island side gave the Raiders a rough ride in Ryde when the two sides last met in August. That defeat has been the only real blip in the Raiders’ record since winning the Fours, and provides an obvious focus for revenge. A victory would also bring them within sight of the Warriors’ eighth place position in the table, with three away fixtures still outstanding. Said Rye House Team Manager Peter Schroeck ahead of time, “There is an old saying that success breeds success – and that’s how it has felt these last two months. As we keep saying, we win as a Team, and we lose as one – that’s why we celebrated the Fours title right across the squad. Every one of the boys has been really getting stuck in – they have ALL season – but they are finally now getting the rewards their efforts deserve. “We’re really looking forward to the match. As you can guess, all the boys are up for it, and we want to get a result that will set us up nicely for our final away fixtures.” The action starts at 6pm. BMR Raiders: Rob Branford, George Hunter, Macauley Leek, Connor Locke, Ben Morley, Luke Priest (captain), Matt Saul R/R Isle of Wight: Mark Baseby, James Cockle (captain), Layne Cupitt, Kelsey Dugard, Lee Smart, Nathan Stoneman, Chris Widman Sunday’s match at Rye House will be followed the following night by the BMR Rockets’ home Premier League finale against Scunthorpe, which kicks in at 7.30pm. A match preview for that fixture will follow separately.
|
|
|
Post by Administrator on Sept 19, 2016 6:18:25 GMT
RAIDERS COME OUT TO PLAY AGAINST WARRIORS The BMR Raiders rounded out their home Travel Plus National League programme with what ultimately proved a comfortable 54-36 victory over the Isle of Wight at Rye House on Sunday evening. Rob Branford and Ben Morley both posted maximums, with captain Luke Priest dropping points in just one of his five outings, while George Hunter enjoyed two more race wins and Connor Locke’s full complement of seven rides produced paid 9. Macauley Leek completed the scoring with 1 point and an unlucky fall in Heat 11 when holding third. In total, the Raiders supplied fourteen of the fifteen race wins. The win – the Teams’ fourth in a row, and its fifth from their last six matches – cements Rye’s position of ninth in the table, and opens the opportunity to climb higher with the right results from their three remaining away fixtures. But if the final score and general statistics were decisive, the early stages were anything but that. The Warriors held the margin to 29-25 after nine races - with no less than seven of those heats producing 3-3s - and were unlucky not to be on level ground after Nathan Stoneman fell on the very last bend of Heat 2 to turn a visiting 4-2 into a home one. The match finally swung when Branford blasted past Lee Smart on the second lap to take the main three points in Heat 10, with the resulting 4-2 pushing the score to 33-27. Once the Raiders were clear, they really let rip, with three 5-1s coming from the remaining five races. Priest and Locke collected the first of those in Heat 12, with both Warriors falling, while Branford and Morley produced their customary Heat 13 display – with Morley returning the previous week’s favour by slowing on the run-in to allow his partner the full victory and the chance of a full maximum while he himself settled for a paid one. Branford duly delivered on that promise by romping home with Priest in the finale to give the Raiders their eighteen point winning margin and give Team Manager Peter Schroeck an extra reason to celebrate his 50th birthday. His captain Luke Priest was in an equally jubilant mood afterwards. “We are on the crest of a wave at the moment. We’re high, we’re feeling that way, and you can’t argue that we deserved to win.” Of the one that personally got away from him (Heat 5): “George (Hunter) made a good start and I tried to protect him, but in doing that I made a mistake and left the door open for Mark (Baseby). Yes, I got beat, but George managed to win the race so it wasn’t all for no reason. “We all know that George has had a really difficult season with injuries. He started to find his feet and confidence, and then got knocked back again, but he’s getting better and better now which is encouraging and we’re really happy for him. “Overall, it was a great Team performance, and if we can do this in the last three away meetings we’ll be really happy.” Those three matches take the Raiders to King’s Lynn (Wednesday), Coventry (Friday) and Buxton (date tbc). Says Priest, “I think that King’s Lynn will be the toughest of our three on the road, but we will go there on the crest of a wave like I say, and aim to do the business. “We all want the season to keep going the way it has these last two months.” BMR Raiders: Rob Branford 15 (5 rides, max), Luke Priest 12+1 (5), Ben Morley 11+1 (4 rides, max), George Hunter 8 (5), Connor Locke 7+2 (7), Macauley Leek 1 (4), Matt Saul R/R
Isle of Wight: Nathan Stoneman 8+2 (6 rides), James Cockle 7 (4), Mark Baseby 6 (4), Layne Cupitt 5+2 (5), Lee Smart 5+1 (4), Chris Widman 4+2 (4), Kelsey Dugard 1+1 (3) Match Points: Rye House 3 Isle of Wight 0
|
|
|
Post by Administrator on Sept 21, 2016 22:16:59 GMT
RAIDERS UNABLE TO STEM TIDE Captain Luke Priest had labelled this match beforehand as the toughest of his side’s three remaining away fixtures in the Travel Plus National League, and so it proved as the BMR Raiders went down 55-35 at King’s Lynn on Wednesday. The start of the meeting was delayed to enable remedial track work due to high tides in the area causing the water table to rise. Once it did commence, victories for Macauley Leek and Rob Branford ensured that the Raiders were in contention at 17-13 after the first third of the meeting, only for the hosts to turn the screw in the next segment with three 5-1s and a 4-2 from that stanza of five races. Two further wins by Branford in the closing stages helped to steady the ship, and indeed the 22 year old finished top of the Raiders’ pile on 13 points, with Priest offering the main support with 9 and Connor Locke adding paid 6. The Raiders operated Rider-Replacement for Ben Morley who was committed to action in the Elite League play-offs. Rye House Team Manager Peter Schroeck commented afterwards that “We are not going to allow ourselves to get too disappointed over this one because King’s Lynn are pretty strong at home and make this a fairly tough place to come to. “Even Branny (Rob Branford) struggled a bit with the track tonight as they had to pull all the dirt off because the tide was in, although it was obviously the same for both sides. “We’ve enjoyed a really good run recently, and we won’t let one match get us down.” Looking ahead to the Raiders’ penultimate trip in 2016, which takes them to Coventry in two nights’ time, Schroeck continued, “We’ve got a much better chance of getting something out of Friday’s meeting. The Storm have been vulnerable at home this season (losing seven times in nine matches), so we know what the opportunity is. “We will also have Ben (Morley) back, which will be a boost, and we won’t need to remind ourselves of what happened the LAST time we were at Brandon, when we went home with the Fours Championship trophy.” BMR Raiders: Robert Branford 13, Luke Priest 9, Connor Locke 5+1, George Hunter 4+1, Macauley Leek 4+1, Matt Saul 0, Ben Morley R/R King’s Lynn: Nathan Greaves 14+2, Jon Armstrong (guest) 14, Scott Campos 12+1, Ryan Kinsley 9+4, Taylor Hampshire 5, Lewis Whitmore 1+1, Tom Stokes R/R Match Points: King’s Lynn 3 Rye House 0
|
|
|
Post by Administrator on Sept 23, 2016 21:15:37 GMT
RAIDERS AT COVENTRY – POSTPONED The BMR Raiders’ scheduled Travel Plus National League fixture at Coventry tonight – part of a double header with Stoke as the other visitors to Brandon – was called off earlier today due to stadium unavailability. A new date for the trip will be announced when confirmed. Separately, the Raiders have a new date for their visit to Buxton, following the original rain-off of this match back in June. Rye are now set to be at Hi-Edge on Sunday, October 23rd.
|
|
|
Post by Administrator on Oct 16, 2016 13:47:20 GMT
NATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: POSTPONED Today’s National League Pairs Championship at King's Lynn, which was to have featured BMR Raiders Ben Morley and Rob Branford, has been postponed, with the call-off decision made mid-morning following extensive rain.
No new date has been arranged at this stage but we will advise further as and when this happens.
While a new date is also still to be announced for the Raiders’ trip to Coventry, they will be in Travel Plus National League action next Sunday when they visit bottom club Buxton targeting their first away victory of the season.
|
|
|
Post by Administrator on Oct 20, 2016 18:10:25 GMT
THAT’S ALL…. FOR NOW! Rye House have been forced to abandon plans to stage a final home meeting in the 2016 season. The club had been keen to bring the curtain down on the first campaign of the New Attitude Era with one extra fixture at its Hoddesdon circuit, but that has not proved possible. As Co-Promoter Steve Jenson explains, “We had originally hoped to sign off with the home leg of the Knock-Out Cup Final, but that was obviously not to be. We then turned our attention to an individual or pairs finale, but rider availability in terms of suitable invites is a real problem at this time of year as everyone goes into hibernation for the winter. We wanted to provide an attractive field rather than just put on a meeting for the sake of it, but the star names we wanted to include were not available. “Additionally we have re-commenced work to complete the stadium initiatives already started, including the new motorcycle dealership on the fourth bend, and will also be investing in a number of new ones. These will all impact on crowd access areas and safety, and are another reason to call a halt now. “It is not ideal to draw a sudden line on our home racing without the chance to say goodbye for the year, but we’d like to use this opportunity to say a big thank-you to all our supporters for your attendance throughout the season. The year has seen some major steps forward in terms of our crowd levels – there are not many clubs who can make that claim – and we very much appreciate both your support and the atmosphere that has resonated in the stands and on the terraces. “Both our sides, the BMR Rockets and Raiders, have given 110% to a man - and also worked together as a Team, which is what it is all about here at Rye House. So it’s a big thank-you to every one of them, and to Peter Schroeck who has galvanised our two squads in his first season of team management. “We’d also like to thank all our sponsors, and our hard working track and stadium staff. Without them, none of this would be possible. “That includes Peter Jordison, our Clerk of the Course John Smith, John Strong, Steve Webb, and a host of others. They are all unsung heroes. “There is still the little matter of announcing the Mr Rocket and Mr Raider rider of the year award winners, which we will do in the near future. So the season isn’t quite over just yet! “We would also like to emphasise that although we have reached the conclusion of this season’s home racing, it is really only the end of the beginning. In addition to the continuation of our stadium enhancement programme, we are also well underway with our planning for the 2017 season on the track. “The BSPA Annual Conference is just around the corner, both calendar-wise and geographically at nearby Paradise Park – the home of the National Speedway Museum and the annual Celebration of Speedway – on November 1st through 3rd. “We are looking forward to making our first announcements on what we believe will be an exciting 2017 campaign once the regulations and structures for next season have been finalised at the Conference.”
|
|
|
Post by Administrator on Oct 24, 2016 13:11:03 GMT
RAIDERS HIT BY HITMEN The BMR Raiders made a bright start to their final scheduled fixture only to ultimately fall to a 52-38 defeat at Buxton in the Travel Plus National League on Sunday. The Raiders made light of the absence of Ben Morley in the early stages – the 2015 League Riders’ Champion has already completed his UK racing and flew out to Australia last Tuesday – with a 4-2 from Macauley Leek and Connor Locke in Heat 2 giving them a two point advantage after eight races, the other seven being shared. The match then swung totally in the other direction, as the Hitmen powered in three 5-1s and three 4-2s over the next six heats to ensure a comfortable victory, although Rob Branford and Luke Priest did sign off with a maximum over home guests Tom Woolley and Tony Atkin in the final race to secure a respectable total for the Hertfordshire side. The duo finished top of Rye’s score-chart with 12 and paid 10 respectively, with George Hunter popping in a win and paid 8 in support. With the cancellation of the National League Pairs at King’s Lynn following two rain-offs of the event, the Raiders have one outstanding fixture which is away to Coventry, although the October 31st deadline for this staging is now looming. Regardless of the outcome, the Raiders are destined to finish ninth out of twelve clubs in the final League table. Talking after Sunday’s match at Hi Edge, Rye House Co-Promoter Steve Jenson felt that, “We were certainly up for it, and really wanted to win in order to help round off the season on a high, but it wasn’t to be. “Obviously we missed Ben (Morley) but it was an opportunity to give all the boys a ride. George (Hunter) and Macauley (Leek) did well to support Rob (Branford) and Luke (Priest) with race wins. “Overall, it was a refreshing match with a really positive atmosphere: just fourteen lads going out and enjoying themselves on the track – which is how it should be.” BMR Raiders: Robert Branford 12, Luke Priest 9+1, George Hunter 7+1, Sam Woods 4+1, Macauley Leek 4, Connor Locke 2, Matt Saul R/R Buxton: Tom Woolley (guest) 14+1, Tony Atkin (guest) 10, Ryan Blacklock 10, Joe Lawlor 8+1, Lee Geary 7+3, Ryan Burton 3+1, Shelby Rutherford R/R Match Points: Buxton 3 Rye House 0
|
|
|
Post by Administrator on Nov 11, 2016 14:49:57 GMT
|
|