Having witnessed his side open their away league account with a point from their trip to Manchester, team manager Garry May admitted “I guess I can be satisfied with that although I thought we might have had claimed the draw in the end, as I fancied our chances with Doyley and Jack both going so well. It was good speedway and unfortunately Jack couldn’t quite work his way through. That said he had a really good meeting for us and it is great to see him in that form.”
The Rebels did remarkably well to recover from consecutive 5-1 reversals in the first two heats to go within two points of the Aces after 11 races, the home side having top contributions again from reserve Dan Bewley and number one Craig Cook.
Holder showed plenty of pace throughout the night and Doyle too often proved too canny for the Aces after his shock heat one third place, a race won by returning Pole Damian Drozdz for the home side. But, in heat 15 with the Rebels needing a 5-1 to draw Holder continually found himself blocked in traffic and not quite able to join Doyle, what himself was under fierce assault, at the front.
May also singled out the performance of Jonas Jeppesen, despite pulling the Dane out of his second ride. “It was a hard call to take a ride off Jonas but I felt I had to go for the tactical as soon as possible after that terrible start to the meeting. Jonas though ride well for the rest of the evening, the track really suited him.”
Jeppesen admitted afterwards “this place is much more similar to the tracks I ride regularly back in Denmark and it suited me. I was pleased with how it went for me tonight and now I’ve got to do the same on Wednesday for the home fans.”
That home meeting on Wednesday will see the ‘Cases’ Somerset Rebels host Poole in the first leg of their knockout cup quarter final tie.
BELLE VUE – 47: D. Bewley 14+2 (3,3,3,1′,3,1′), M. Fricke 9 (0,3,2,2,2), C. Cook 9+3 (2′,3,2,1′,1′), R. Tungate 8 (2,2,2,2), D. Drozdz 3 (3,0,0), J. Etheridge 2+1 (2′,0,0), L. Bjerre 2+1 (1′,0,R,1)
SOMERSET – 43: J. Doyle 15 (1,3,2,3,3,3), J. Holder 11 (3,2,3,3,0), J. Jeppesen 6 (1,2,1,2), R. Lawson 5+2 (1′,1′,3,0), J. Allen 3+1 (0,1,1′,1), B. Wilson-Dean 2 (0,2,0), C. Wright 1+1 (R,1′,0,0)
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