A season on from 2007’s 47-43 squeaker in the North East, the Silver Ski Rockets forced another last heat decider on Teesside, only to add to their extending list of narrow away League defeats this year.

With Robert Mear a non-starter due to concussion suffered on the Northern Tour and Tommy Allen working off the side-effects of Sunday’s severely bruised thigh, Rye were delighted to welcome back “honorary Rocket” Tomas Topinka as a guest for Tai Woffinden, and the Czech duly followed up his paid 17 guest haul against Glasgow with an 18 point showing here, a tally which included a 6 point Tactical Substitute win off a 15 meter handicap. Additional wins from Luke Bowen (two) and Chris Neath were also key in keeping the Rockets in contention.   

After conceding an opening race 5-1, consecutive wins from Bowen – the second against the hard-pressing Ty Proctor – book-ended either side of a Heat 3 victory for Topinka, hauled the Rockets back to 13-11. The Bears edged clear again with successive 4-2s, before wins from the back by both Topinka (against Proctor) and Neath (against Arlo Bugeja) brought Rye back for a second time, at 26-22. A 5-1 from James Grieves and Chris Kerr – who held off intense pressure from Neath - in Heat 9 once again sent the home side clear, and that result was followed by four consecutive drawn heats, to leave the Rockets 43-35 behind with just two races remaining.

That situation led to Topinka’s nomination as a Tactical Substitute in Heat 14, and the Czech duly made light of his 15 metre starting handicap, passing both James Cockle and team-mate Luke Bowen before ultimately overhauling race leader Chris Kerr on the last lap. The resultant 7-2 set up a last heat decider, with Rye needing a 5-1 to sneak the points, but it was Proctor and Grieves who proved decisive on the first bend, with Topinka and Neath left on the wrong end of a maximum score.

So near, so far again.

Rye House scorers:
Stefan Ekberg   7 (4 rides)
Robert Mear   R/R
Tomas Topinka (guest) 18 (6 rides, inc 6 as a TS)
Tommy Allen   1 (3)
Chris Neath   8+1 (6)
Danny Halsey   1+1 (5)
Luke Bowen   8+1 (6)

Redcar scorers:
Gary Havelock   6 (4 rides)
Josh Auty   7+3 (4)
James Grieves   13+1 (5)
Chris Kerr   6+2 (4)
Ty Proctor   13 (5)
James Cockle (guest)  1+1 (4)
Arlo Bugeja   4 (4)