Arena Essex reached the Knockout Cup Semi-final when they beat a determined Oxford side 48-46 to record a 94-93 aggregate success after a last-heat decider at the Purfleet Raceway last night.
The Hammers hero was veteran Kelvin Tatum who returned a five-ride paid maximum from the reserve berth, while his chief support came from former World Champion Mark Loram, who recorded three wins in his 13 point tally, his best figures yet since his winter move from Eastbourne.
Crucially one of those heat successes came in heat 13 when Loram delighted his new army of fans by outgating Leigh Adams and then working hard to denying the Australian any opportunity.
Adams, a former Arena rider a decade ago in their First Division days, proved a more than adequate guest for Oxford - replacing Greg Hancock, who suffered a shoulder injury on Monday although Loram twice proved his master.
The Hammers opened up a nine-point lead (40-31) with three races to go but when thevisitors nominated of Adams for a "tactical ride", things looked ominous for Ronnie Russell's men.
But Loram took the field around the first turns to ward off Adams with Dean barker's third place protecting the nine-point cushion.
Published Thursday April 8, 2004
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