6:42pm Friday 10th July 2009
Horspath Hammers qualified for the British Team Championship finals day with an impressive 90-82 win at fellow Premiership team Great Blakenham in Suffolk.
Four of the first five heats were drawn, with Hammers winning the other 5-4.
At the half-way point, Horspath led by six points, helped by an extraordinary heat nine, when three riders were excluded, leaving Mike Morgans to claim a 4-0 success.
The sides swapped 6-4 victories, leaving the Hammers 83-79 ahead going into the final heat of the match.
Steve Harris and Mark Boaler ensured the win with a 7-3 success.
Horspath scorers: D Harper 11, M Boaler 12, M Morgans 17+1, D Carmichael 16+1, S Harris 15, M Carmichael 12+2, R Hunt 3, W Hutt 4.
Meanwhile, Horspath’s Bri-tish Junior & Youth league team finished fourth in the first round of the national finals at Norwich.
Ben Carter came third in the under 12 A final, with both Rachel Edge (women) and Mark Carmichael (under 18) qualifying for their respective A finals.
These were postponed until the next round with the action eventually halted at 10.15pm due to fading light.
Tomorrow, Horspath entertain Poole in a British Premier League clash (2pm).
Hammers will have to be at their best against their strong visitors, who are led by British Champion Gavin Wheeler plus three Polish internationals.
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