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SEASON STARTS WITH A BANG — AND A WHIMPER

By Bryn Williams - Tuesday, March 25, 2008
ALTHOUGH his side lost their two-legged Chalfont Coaches Easter challenge against Reading on aggregate, Wightlink Islanders away team manager Dave Croucher was not an unhappy man after the event.
"We won our home leg and that was a good performance," he said, "especially when you consider it was our team's first meeting of the season, whereas Reading had already raced a couple.
"I am not defending a 56-36 defeat in the second leg on their track on Sunday, but I think it's firstly fair to point out that we had two riders in our side who had never seen this place before, let alone race on the track.
"We also saw two of our riders fall while in the lead in the early stages of the match when track conditions were somewhat difficult and when you consider that it was our first away meeting of 2008 against one of the stronger sides in the Premier League, then no, I'm not totally unhappy with the way we rode.
"Having said that, neither the boys nor the management will want to see repeat performances like that and I'm sure we won't and that we will get better as we get more matches under our belts."
However, he said, the team were conscious of being short of track time so far this season and had asked the management for extra practice time at Smallbrook.
As a result there will be a practice session on Thursday, with the stadium open from 6pm. Admission will be free and the lounge bar will be open, with food also available.
Meanwhile, Wightlink Islanders got their 2008 season under way on Saturday, a bitterly cold night, with a cracking 48-47 victory over Reading Racers in the first leg of the Chalfont Coaches Easter challenge at Smallbrook.
The mere one-point margin of victory somewhat flattered Reading, who found themselves trailing 34-20 after the first nine heats, as Glen Phillips led the race-rusty Islanders in fine style.
Reading arrived at Smallbrook not only tipped by many as potential league champions this year but with the benefit of having raced three previous matches this year, whereas the Islanders were opening their account.
The Racers' match fitness showed in the early stages with them moving into a narrow two-point lead after the first three races but with Glen Phillips recording his first of what was to prove to be four race wins in the match in heat four and Aussie James Holder, making his UK debut, picking up third place, the teams were back on level terms at 12 points each.
It was the Islanders who took control in the middle stages of the match, recording maximum 5-1 heat advantages in races 6, 8 and 9 and a 4-2 as well in heat 7 to open up that 14-point lead.
But, as might have been expected, the opposition's superior match fitness began to tell in the final stages as the Islanders began to tire, and with Danish ex-Islander Ulrich Ostergaard leading Reading's revival, the final margin of victory was nowhere near as big as the home side might have hoped for at one stage.
Nevertheless team manager Martin Newnham was pleased with his side's performance, saying: "Reading are a good side and the fact that they had already raced three matches this year was a telling factor towards the end of the match as we tired."
• Off track, next Monday, March 31, Wighlink Islanders will appear at the opening of a new motorcycle auction facility at Southampton Car Auction with both Glen Philips and Krzysztof Stojanowski attending with their bikes for a photo shoot and to sign autographs.
• Next Tuesday evening at Smallbrook Stadium, starting at 7.30pm, Wightlink Islanders will be conducting their opening home Premier Trophy match against Welsh side Newport Wasps.