Karl in to boost Cats’ Hornets test (From Dorset Echo)

Karl in to boost Cats’ Hornets test

8:30am Saturday 14th August 2010 in

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WEYMOUTH Weyline Wildcats will need a vast improvement if they are to pull off a shock victory over the Newport Hornets.

Phil Bartlett’s side lost 55-35 on their last visit to the current National League leaders and if last night’s 46-43 Challenge Match defeat against the Tamworth Saxons is anything to go by they could well be on the receiving end of another big defeat tomorrow afternoon.

However, the Wessex Raceway outfit can take a glimmer of hope with them across the Severn Bridge. Adam McKinna (8) and Richard Andrews (11+1) will no doubt glean some confidence from their displays against the Saxons while James Cockle and Byron Bekker will be able to draw on the experience they gained from finishing fourth in the National League Best Pairs at Queensway Meadows last weekend.

Another boost will be the addition of Karl Mason but Bartlett is still under no illusions about the task ahead. He said: “It is going to be a mountain to climb there is no doubt about that but we will go there and give it our best shot.

“Gary Cottham is going to be rested tomorrow with Karl coming in to fill his spot but it is only going to be for one week only.

“Karl is Newport owned and has ridden their track more than anyone, so the decision to bring him in is nothing personal at all. It is just about making the team as strong as it can be.

“As for last night’s performance, it was very disappointing, but it was good to see Richard put in such a positive performance. We know he can do it but he has to do it consistently.”

The Wildcats’ topsy-turvy evening began with Mason (8) gaining a tapes-to-tapes victory for the Saxons ahead of team-mate Micky Dyer (7+1).

Luke Chessell (2) then collided with Luke Wiltshire (2) in heat two while coming out of turn one and was duly disqualified after making contact with the fence.

His night then went from bad to worse with mechanical failure forcing him to retire in heat four before he was then excluded in heat eight for delaying the start.

Even Andrews and Cockle (3) hit the dirt in heats two and seven respectively, but thanks to McKinna and skipper Tom Brown (7), the Wildcats still remained in touch at the midway point when on another night, against stronger opposition, they could have been a long way adrift.

Andrews, who replaced Chessell in heat eight where he helped secure the hosts a vital 5-1 behind McKinna, then helped claim a third straight 4-2 for the hosts in heat 11 following victories for Cottham (5+1) and Bekker (7), as the hosts moved 35-30 ahead.

However, in the next race, an uncharacteristic error by Brown caused him to be excluded, following a fall under no pressure on the approach to turn one.

That enabled Chessell to gain some light relief by claiming second place in the re-run but the Saxons still recorded a 4-2 to cut the deficit to just three points thanks to a fine ride by ex-Wildcat Brendan Johnson (11+3).

The British Under-18 champion then claimed another win in heat 14 before holding off McKinna in the last-heat decider where he finished runner-up behind Jake Anderson (16) to give Tamworth the spoils.