SPEEDWAY Hackney Hawks 58, Wightlink Islanders 35
AFTER a week of changes Wightlink Islanders were looking to bounce back in style away to Hackney Hawks last Friday.
But after a great start, the Hawks flew into the lead and never looked back, leaving the Island side disappointed once again.
Co-promoter Kevin Shepherd said: "It was a meeting of two halves. I think the first half of the meeting was very encouraging and I felt we were in with a shout of getting a point.
"In the second half, I don’t know why but it was all Hackney and in the end it was a quite disappointing result to be honest."
Mr Shepherd said moving Rob Smith to number four was encouraging although the side were knocked back by two falls for skipper Nick Simmons towards the end of the meeting.
"We really need to start sharpening up away from home if we are to get into those play offs." he added.
The side had been without Gary Cottham for the match, after an accident in his workshop left him nursing around 30 stitches in one of his fingers.
However, at the time of going to press he was due to return for the Islanders’ Wednesday night trip to Norfolk, where they will take on the King’s Lynn Young Stars.
The Islanders travel to Mildenhall Fen Tigers on Sunday in the first leg of their Knock-out Cup tie, before hosting the Tigers again in the return leg on Tuesday. Tapes go up at 7.30pm.
Meanwhile, Islanders chairman Brian Ginders has welcomed a new director to the board.
Jan Hunt is the wife of co-promoter, Chris Hunt, and she will act as commercial director.
Mr Ginders said: "It is time the company was run as a business and not as a club. Since I have been chairman, I have always felt the directors should have a role to play. If not, then why be a director?"
He said he would act as finance director, Colin Whitlock would be site and maintenance director. He said John Reynolds would step down from the board, once the club had paid back his directors’ loan.