Match Report: Reading Racers vs Swindon Robins - 02/04/01 - Premier National Trophy Reading Scorers 1.Charlie Gjedde : 3,ef,3,1',2' = 9(2) 2.Paul Clews : 2',(f/r)1,0,(f/r)0 = 3(1) 3.Armando Castagna : 1,2,3,3,3 = 12 4.Dave Mullett : 3,f,2',1 = 6(1) 5.Phil Morris : 2,2,3,2 = 9 6.Marc Norris : 1',1',1,f = 3(2) 7.Shane Colvin : 2,1',3,0 = 6(1) Swindon Scorers 1.Alan Mogridge : 1,1,f/r0,3 = 5 2.Martin Dixon : 0,3,2,2,2',1 = 10(1) 3.Claus Kristensen : 2,ex,1',2 = 5(1) 4.Oliver Allen : 0,3,2,3 = 8 5.Paul Fry : 3,3,1,0,0 = 7 6.Mark Steel : 3,2',0,1' = 6(2) 7.Ritchie Hawkins : f,ret,1' = 1(1) Heat details: Heat 1: Gjedde, Clews, Mogridge, Dixon 62.65 5-1 Heat 2: Steel, Colvin, Norris, Hawkins (fell) 65.02 8-4 Heat 3: Mullett, Kristensen, Castagna, Allen 65.77 12-6 Heat 4: Fry, Morris, Colvin, Hawkins (ret) 65.52 15-9 Heat 5: Dixon, Castagna, Mogridge, Mullett (fell) 66.58 17-13 Heat 6: Fry, Steel, Clews, Gjedde (ret) 67.18 18-18 Heat 7: Allen, Morris, Norris, Kristensen (ex/ unfair riding) Award 21-21 Heat 8: Colvin, Dixon, Hawkins, Clews 67.27 24-24 Heat 9: Castagna, Mullett, Fry, Steel 65.39 29-25 Heat 10: Gjedde, Allen, Kristensen, Clews (f/rem) 65.64 32-28 Heat 11: Morris, Dixon, Norris, Mogridge (f/rem) 65.74 36-30 Heat 12: Castagna, Kristensen, Steel, Colvin 66.27 39-33 Heat 13 Mogridge, Morris, Gjedde, Fry 66.02 42-36 Heat 14: Allen, Dixon, Mullett, Norris (fell) 67.90 43-41 Heat 15: Castagna, Gjedde, Dixon, Fry 68.15 48-42 Yes Reading beat Swindon in an official meeting for the first time since 1996 - can that really be true??? Difficult to take too many pointers from the match though as it was raining near enough throughout - but not too hard for it to be called off. Indeed full credit to both sides for racing this meeting - there were no track inspection histrionics that are so commonplace. Reading zoomed into a 6 point lead by heat three and looked the part but when Mullett fell in heat 5 and Gjedde blew up after flashing past Fry in heat 6, Reading ended up on level terms with the Robins. Swindon`s three matches ridden started to give them a real edge at the gate and Racers could count themselves fortunate to see Kristensen excluded for a fair looking pass on Morris in heat 7. Any thoughts that the luck might be going Reading`s way immediately disppeared when a very dubious 2nd turn by Dixon dumped Clews into the fence with Colvin a leader in heat 8. Clews was forced on to a totally uncompetitive 2nd bike annd failed to take anything from a race he looked like winning. Reading re-established a 6 point lead by heat 11 and it wasn`t until heat 14 that Mick Bell made his first tactical move introducing Dixon for the highly competive Hawkins which brought a 5-1 with Allen after Mullett looked out of sorts in the deteriorating conditions. A last heat decider with Reading 2 up saw the immaculate Gjedde follow home the impressive Castagna for a resounding 5-1 over Dixon and Fry (not my choice for Swindon - I`d have plumped for Allen +1 - if allowed). Reading 48 Charlie Gjedde (Looked a class act. Just breezed past Fry in heat 6 - He was surprisingly out trapped by Moggo in heat 13 but rode a sensible race protecting Phil from Fry - he didn`t go mad.) Paul Clews (Bit of a mare for Clewsy after a terrific first race 5-1. Unceremoniously fenced by Dixon in heat 8 - therafter uncompetitive. He`ll be back) Armando Castagna (Beaten in his first - Again! - this time by Kristensen, behind partner Mullett, then outpaced looking uncomfortable behind Dixon - and messing up Mullett. Just when you are raedy to write him off - three wins off the bat as cool as you like. Including a nice heat 9 5-1 with Dave in heat 9 and heat 15 by a mile) Dave Mullett (In and out meeting for Dave who looked uncomfortable in the conditions and was hampered by partner Castagna before he fell in heat 5. Two 5-1s and a disappointing heat 14 ride when both Allen and Dixon outpaced him. He`ll be better in the dry) Phil Morris (Steady meeting despite some atrocious gating in his first two rides. A massive gate in ride three to beat Dixon in heat 11. Then beaten by Moggo`s only good ride. Not in the races from the back - conditions not suiting Phil) Marc Norris (Steady - if a little disappointing with all he expectations. A crash in his last ride may have left him with broken fingers) Shane Colvin (Star of the show for Reading? Not far off. Fantastic from the gate - if only his fellow Racers were as sharp - and he missed practice! Beaten by the lightening fast starting Steel in heat 2, he led Fry briefly in heat 4 then won heat 8 in superb style from Dixon. Pushed out of turn three by Steel in heat 12 - its a shame as the lad should`ve given him a harder race.) Swindon 42 Alan Mogridge (Rarely at his best around Reading - Moggo was pretty poor until he turned his form on its heat in heat 13 with a striding win from Morris and the excellent Gjedde) Martin Dixon (Pretty darn good . Beaten by Shane in the rerun of heat 8 when earlier claiming the scalp of Castagna - it was that sort of meeting..Don`t think I`d have put him out in heat 15 despite a decent tac sub ride in 14. Loads of points for a second string) Claus Kristensen (Pedestrian stuff from CK apart from when he was on a 5-1 over Morris in heat 7 when he was excluded somewhat unfairly when Morris fell. Suffering from flu.) Oliver Allen (Highly impressive. - Olly looks like making a mockery of his 6 point average. A fine win over Phil and a superb demolition of Mullett in heat 14) Paul Fry (Looked for al the world like he was going to reap havoc agan at Reading after beating Phil then collecting a fortunate win as Gjedde ground to a halt. But although he pressed Mullett hard in heat 9 he looked lost behind Gjedde in heat 13 and was tailed off in heat 15) Mark Steel (Very impressive - very confident - lost his first race for a few rides at Smallmead in heat 9 when tailed off behind patner Fry. But on the whole he looks the best reserve in the league alongside Master Harrison.) Ritchie Hawkins (Forget the score - highly competitive rides from Hawkins - in no way outclassed - very very impressie for a rookie like him. Also suffering from Flu)