LEICESTER slipped to a surprise 45-44 defeat to Midlands rivals Birmingham in their Monday lunchtime ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park.
The Watling JCB Lions did collect the aggregate point courtesy of their ten-point win at Perry Barr last month, but the return fixture proved to be the Brummies’ first victory of the season as they edged a tight contest.
Having shown they arguably ride the Beaumont Park track better than their own on their previous visit, Birmingham proved the point once again and this time carried it through to win the meeting.
Key to their success were the contributions of second-string Paco Castagna and reserve Jonas Jeppesen, whilst the Lions were left to reflect on a damaging Heat 7 which ultimately proved crucial.
Jeppesen put the visitors in front with a win right on the line in Heat 2 when he snatched the verdict from Drew Kemp by the narrowest of margins, and a 5-1 from Tobiasz Musielak and Keynan Rew in Heat 3 left the Lions playing catch-up.
Leicester got back into contention as Ryan Douglas and Kyle Howarth secured maximum points over Musielak in Heat 5, and skipper Max Fricke suffered what proved to be his only defeat when a strong first bend from Matej Zagar in Heat 6 left him briefly at the back before he came through for a shared race.
The first half-lap of Heat 7 looked promising for the Lions as Sam Masters and Kemp held a 5-1 position which would have put them ahead, but Kemp locked up on turn three into the path of Rew, with both coming down.
Kemp suffered a knock in the crash, although he did continue in the meeting, whilst the re-run saw Masters lead again only for Rew to slide off in the same place – and at the third time of asking, Zagar got out ahead of Masters and fended off every challenge from the Lions vice-captain.
Birmingham then rode strongly to maintain the lead, going five up with a 4-2 in Heat 8 when Castagna superbly rounded Becker to take the lead, and they maintained it with a similarly impressive effort by Jeppesen to defeat Howarth and Douglas in Heat 9.
Even when Leicester looked set to hit back in Heat 10, damage was limited by Castagna splitting Fricke and Becker, and the Lions’ 4-2 there was cancelled out immediately in the next as Castagna continued a dream performance by beating Masters with Musielak third.
Douglas re-passed Rew to win Heat 12 but that race was shared as Jeppesen salvaged third place from a slowing Kemp, and that meant the Brummies were still five points up with three heats to go.
Musielak crashed out on the first bend of Heat 13 when he clipped the rear wheel of Fricke, and the re-run saw some brilliant team-riding as Fricke blocked the run of Zagar to allow Masters through, and they combined superbly to block out the Slovenian.
The gap was down to one point but there was a tough Heat 14 to negotiate – and in that race the Brummies took full advantage of Howarth being stuck on the outside, as Jeppesen and Rew raced to maximum points to all-but confirm an away win, despite a close moment on turn three when Howarth dived through on the inside only for Rew to respond immediately.
Fricke and Masters did all they could do with a 5-1 in Heat 15, but the Brummies only needed one race point which Zagar duly delivered as the Lions fell just short.
Leicester manager Stewart Dickson said: “Birmingham rode better than us, and that’s the bottom line.
“They got ahead early and it gave them something to fight for, but I felt we had opportunities to get back into it.
“To get maximums in Heats 13 and 15 and still come up short is for me a little disappointing, but I can’t question the effort of the guys.
“Birmingham deserved to win and I shook their hands and said well done – it does come as a bit of a shock when it’s not expected, but we need to dust ourselves down and get on with it.”
With this evening’s scheduled trip to Sheffield postponed due to the weather, Lions now have a week off before they host the Tigers in their KO Cup semi-final first leg next Monday (June 2).
Before that, the club stage the opening round of the British Youth Championship at 5pm this Saturday (May 31).
LEICESTER 44: Max Fricke 14, Sam Masters 11+2, Ryan Douglas 8+1, Luke Becker 4+1, Kyle Howarth 4+1, Drew Kemp 3, Joe Thompson 0.
BIRMINGHAM 45: Paco Castagna 11, Jonas Jeppesen 10+1, Matej Zagar 10, Keynan Rew 6+2, Tobiasz Musielak 5+1, Jason Edwards 3+1, Michael Jepsen Jensen r/r.
Leicester win the aggregate point
