Development Challenge Meeting
EXETER FALCONS 16
WEYMOUTH WILDCATS 20
WEYMOUTH Wildcats have completed their first victory since their return to the track this season.
The former Radipole Lane side overcame Exeter Falcons at Somerset to score a 20-16 victory in a development challenge meeting.
In a last-heat decider, Weymouth's Matt Bates and Richard Andrews charged to a 5-1 to seal the spoils and secure a night to remember for Wildcats' fans.
After Andrews had claimed the opener for the Wildcats ahead of Falcon Henry Atkins (3-3), it was then Bates’ turn to win heat two – he was backed up by George Piper in third to give Weymouth a 4-2 heat advantage.
With Weymouth’s Craig Nethercott falling in heat four, the Falcons battled back to level the contest up at 12-12 with just two heats remaining.
A first bend battle which resulted in Nethercott losing his bike once again saw him excluded in the next but up stepped Piper, who showed his character as captain on the night to overcome Exeter’s Saul Bulley on the back straight and claim the heat win.
That set up a a do-or-die final clash and a golden opportunity for Weymouth to break their duck for the campaign.
Eager to get away, Bates seemed to touch the tapes in the climax of the meeting but was left without punishment.
From the restart, there was more drama as Exeter lost Atkins when the tapes went up due to a primary chain failure - he was left motionless on the start line.
And the Cats capitalised. Bates and Andrews both made the start and never looked back to seal a 5-1, the meeting win, and a special moment for the Wildcats.
RIDER SCORES
Falcons: Henry Atkins 5, Saul Bulley 3+1, Nick Phillips 6, Steve Anderson 2+1.
Wildcats: Richard Andrews 7+1, Craig Nethercott 0, Matt Bates 8, George Piper 5+1.
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