GARY Havelock has described Monday’s dramatic 46-44 pulsating derby victory over Wolverhampton as sensational.
Krzysztof Kasprzak steered the Bees to victory at Brandon with second place in Heat 15 after skipper Chris Harris had been controversially disqualified from a clash with opposite number Freddie Lindgren.
Kasprzak had raced to four classy wins earlier in the meeting but was initially in trouble in the crucial race, before quickly switching inside Joonas Kylmakorpi off the second bend for the two points the Bees needed.
It was a just result from a hugely entertaining meeting, with Bees fighting hard against a Wolves side whose scoring was dominated by Lindgren, who made several forceful passing moves, and Australian Grand Prix wild card Sam Masters who took seven rides at reserve.
For Coventry, Kasprzak’s scoring was well backed up by his heat-leader colleagues, with Danny King giving a rejuvenated display, whilst their team-mates all picked up vital points at various stages.
“It was a sensational meeting and I thought the boys were amazing,” said Havelock. “I was so proud of them, especially after our last home performance last week.
“There is a lot of fight and heart in this team, it’s been missing a couple of times early on, but I believe in them totally and utterly – every single one of them.
“Krzysztof was sensational tonight and for Danny King to come back from scoring two points on a miserable night just seven days ago was amazing.”
Bees made the first positive move with a 5-1 in Heat 3 thanks to a strong turn three move from King to get the better of Masters, who was in the race after Kyle Howarth had touched the tapes – an incident which did restrict the visitors’ options late in the meeting.
But after Lindgren had steamed inside Josh Bates on the third lap to win Heat 4, the visitors levelled matters in the next as Masters and Jacob Thorssell raced clear with Jason Garrity falling on the third lap.
With the scores at 24-24, remarkably the next five races all resulted in 5-1s to one side or the other. Wolves struck first before Bees responded immediately through King and Harris.
Kasprzak and Garrity teamed up for the Bees’ second successive 5-1 but in Jeat 12 Masters was forced onto a borrowed bike and still won a re-started Heat 12, with team-mate Ashley Morris coming up with a big ride to defeat Bates and James Sarjeant and level the scores once more.
Back came the Bees through Kasprzak and Harris before for much of Heat 14 Bees had the match won as King and Woryna combined to keep Lindgren at bay, the Wolverhampton rider snatched the win to keep the visitors in with a chance of a draw.
It looked as though they might steal two points when Harris went down on turn three and he was disqualified despite Lindgren seemingly touching his rival, but Kasprzack successfully splitted the Wolves pair in the re-run to claim a famous Bees win.
Havelock added: “Controversy seems to follow us around because in Heat 15 it was clear that Freddie hit Bomber going into the corner, and then three-quarters of the way round his dirt-deflector hit the front wheel because it flicked up in the air. It didn’t cost us in the end, thank goodness, but it could have done.”
