Rebels beat off Exeter challenge.

West Country Speedway fans were heartened by the sight of the Exeter Falcons Race Jacket once again taking to the track, as the Somerset "Mike Manning Audio" Rebels hosted a representative Exeter Falcons side in the "West Country Challenge.

The Falcons have been homeless since the closure of their County Ground home late last year, but the new management team have kept the team in the publics eye with matches like this. The Rebels were at full strength, with the exception of the injured Paul Fry, but made a change to the riding order with Glen Phillips moving to Fry's Number 4 slot, and rider replacement at Number 2. The Exeter side consisted of two ex-Falcons, in Mark Lemon, and County Ground legend, Michael Coles, backed up by a solid looking trio of Brent Werner. Tommy Allen, and new Aussie sensation Chris Holder, with a reserve pairing of Jordan Frampton, and Stoke's Luke Priest.

The start of the meeting was delayed for some time as the PA system failed, and could not be repaired. Not to be phased by this promoter Pete Toogood, much to the delight of the crowd, utilised the parade truck, complete with a large board containing the heat results, and completed a circuit of the track after each heat bringing the result, score, and winning time to the supporters. Somerset can now boast the very first interactive scoreboard in British Speedway.

Once the racing got underway, the Rebels dominated the early exchanges, and pulled out an 8-point lead by Heat 5, and providing 4 out of the 5 heat winners. Magnus Zetterstrom got the ball rolling, with a fast win, from Mark Lemon, with Stephan Katt in third spot taking the rider replacement ride. The crowd could have been forgiven for thinking that the gremlins had arrived in force, as the race had to be re-started after a malfunction caused the tapes to release early before all the riders were ready. This was quickly fixed, and PA system apart the evening went smoothly afterwards.

The reserves heat went to Ben Barker after a quick start saw him lead from Jordan Frampton. Simon Walker got the better of Luke Priest coming out of the final turn of Lap 2, but despite giving a determined chase he could not catch Frampton for second. Jordan Frampton won't be a familiar name to most speedway fans, but regulars at the Oak Tree Arena will have seen him making many impressive second half appearances this season. He has been itching to step up to the higher level, and has been Somerset's Number 8 on a couple of occasions recently without getting a ride. He showed here that he is not out of place at Premier League level, and by the end of the night had impressed many with his quick starting, smooth style, and went away with a heat win under his belt to boot.

Recent Mildenhall recruit, Brent Werner, provide Exeter with their only winner in these opening heats when he took Heat 3 with a fast start from race partner, and former Rye House team mate, Tommy Allen. Stephan Katt soon got the measure of Allen, and moved easily into second spot before Allen retired with engine problems. In the meantime Glen Phillips was having his own personal battle with the track, getting out of shape on the second bend of the opening lap, and then repeating the dose in the same place on the very next lap, and falling in the process before remounting and finishing third.

Glenn Cunningham opened his account in the next race, with a great win over Chris Holder. Making a fast start with his partner Ben Barker they left Holder for dead. The young Australian then showed the kind of style that is exciting fans all over the country, chasing down Ben Barker, passing him on the wide outside at the end of the third lap. He then set sail after Cunningham, catching him on the final turn of the race, but the battling Bristolian had just enough up his sleeve, and held him off at the line.

Heat 5 provided the crowd with a terrific race, after all bar Mark Lemon made a fast start, but also sadly it was the last look we got of Falcons legend Michael Coles. After contesting most of the first lap, he faded, and finished last. Phillips, and Lemon then engaged in a side by side battle over second spot for the whole race, which eventually saw the Falcons man just prevail at the end, with Stephan Katt taking an easy win for the Rebels. Cole didn't appear again after this heat, he was excluded under the 2 minute rule in his next ride, and did not appear for his final ride in Heat 11. With no PA system the crowd could only guess at the reasons why.

By heat 6 there was a buzz of anticipation in the crowd, as they waited for the first clash of the evening between Rebels skipper Magnus Zetterstrom, and Chris Holder. Their recent meeting in a league match provided some epic encounters, with Holder becoming one of the few riders to lower Zorro's colours on his home track, and having the temerity to do it after Zetterstrom had lead him from the start. This time the flying Aussie did it from the start, leading away from the tapes. As regular visitors to the Highbridge circuit know Zorro does not like being beaten on his home shale, and set off after Holder with some determination, but despite getting within striking distance he could not find the move to dislodge the Isle of Wight star from first place, with Holder setting the second fastest time of the night, just 4/100's of a second behind Zorro's opening heat time of 57.93.

The Rebels maintained their advantage in the next with a shared heat. Glenn Cunningham taking the win after he got the better of the fast starting Tommy Allen off the final bend of the opening lap. Brent Werner took the minor placing, but not before holding off a terrific challenge by Simon Walker on the final turn of the race.

Heat 8 brought a win for the impressive Jordan Frampton, but it may have been different had Ben barker been able to hold a tighter line when challenging Frampton in the closing stages of the race. Frampton and Priest made a great start to lead, but Barker produced a fantastic cutback on bend three to account for Priest. He set off after Frampton with great purpose, and got within touching distance quickly, but Frampton seemed to have his measure until the young Cornishman again produced another super cutback to drive under Frampton on the third bend, this time he couldn't hold a tight enough line, and as he drifted out towards the fence, he clipped Frampton's front wheel taking it away. With Frampton on the floor the referee had no choice but to exclude Barker, handing Frampton his first win at this level.

The Falcons also took the next, cutting the Rebels advantage to just 4-points, with Holder again the one to do the damage. Making a fast start he led from his team mate Jordan Frampton, moving out wide to block off the run of Stephan Katt, and eventually won untroubled. It was left to Stephan Katt to rescue some points for the home side, as he got the better of the youngster on the last lap. Heat 10 brought the Rebels top two together, as Glenn Cunningham took the rider replacement ride. They made no mistake leading from the gate, despite some outrageous movement at the tapes by Tommy Allen. The resulting 5-1 putting the home side 8-points clear again. The next heat was shared keeping the Falcons within striking distance of the home side. Glenn Cunningham shot away from the tapes, but reckoned without a determined Mark Lemon. Lemmo knows every inch of this Oak Tree circuit, and put his knowledge to good use as he made a superb run around the very widest of outside lines in the opening two bends, to squeeze through the narrowest of gaps going onto the back straight. Once in front he made his way home from a hard chasing Cunningham.

The Rebels did not let up the pressure, and increased their lead in the next heat, with Katt making the best gate, and then fending off a challenge from Tommy Allen on the second bend. Simon Walker took the minor honours from Jordan Frampton. Now 10-points down, Falcons team manager Graeme Gordon sent out Holder in the "Black and White". Magnus Zetterstrom was obviously eager not to let the Falcons to profit from the move, as he made a lightning start that was just too good for referee Graham Reeve's liking, as he called all four back to try again. The tactical move didn't work out how Gordon would have liked, as at the re-start it was Mark Lemon who took the win, after Holder had been beaten out of the gates by Lemon, and Magnus Zetterstrom. Despite a hard chase Holder could not get close enough to Zorro to deliver a challenge, Exeter having to make do with a 2-5 advantage.

With the match now out of their reach it was left to the Falcons to limit the margin of defeat. Brent Werner took his second win of the night, but had to work hard beating off a determined challenge from Simon Walker, with Glen Phillips taking the minor place. The nominated heat brought Zorro, and Holder together for the third time of the evening. With honours fairly even between the two, Zorro was intent on not letting the young pretender lower his colours for a second time. He powered from the gates, and pulled out a lead that no one could peg back, leaving the Falcons pair to fight out the second spot, from Stephan Katt at the rear.

Despite the PA problems the crowd were treated to a highly entertaining evenings racing, with some superb performances on both sides. For the Somerset "Mike Manning Audio" Rebels there were good points from all departments with, as they ran out winners 49-42. Zorro again providing the top score, ably backed up by Cunningham, and Katt. for the Falcons the main bulk was provided, as you would expect, by Lemon, and Holder. A special mention should go to Jordan Frampton, who's first foray into Premier League level Speedway earned him a 6-point haul from five rides, and his performance might have some promoters who are looking for a "C" grade reserve sit up and take notice.

If the racing at the Falcons new home, on a track similar in style to that at Somerset, is half as good as this, the Devon team's fans will be in for a real treat, and Rebels fans can again look forward to some tight battles with the "old enemy". Lets hope that we don't have to wait too long.