Heat by Heat Results - September 1978

The Dukes and their supporters began a busy weekend on the road, with a defeat at Hackney.  Once again, it was down to Mike Lohmann and Ian Cartwright to keep Halifax in touch, with Lohmann forming a useful partnership with number 8 Carter, who grabbed a fantastic paid 10 points.  But the Dukes were effectively a 3 man team, as Klaus, Pusey, McKeon and Broadbelt all failed to get into the match, with the reserves failing to beat a home rider all night.

The Dukes moved onto Norfolk, but were soundly beaten by King's Lynn, with Michael Lee in majestic form.  But Ian Cartwright showed his own class, scoring an impressive 12 points, before running out of steam in the final heat.  With his only support coming from Mike Lohmann, it was another top-heavy Halifax performance, as the Stars pulled away in mid-meeting after a cagey opening few races.

The Dukes finally got to race at White City after several cancellations, and pulled off the result and performance of the season to snatch a draw after an incredible comeback.  The Rebels steadily built their lead and the tie looked over when Weatherley and Gachet took them 10 in front with only 5 races remaining.  But Mike Lohmann and Ian Cartwright clawed the Dukes back into contention, before Kenny Carter sensationally won the final 2 heats, with Lohmann and Cartwright grabbing the all-important third places.

A frustrating night at the Shay as the meeting against Exeter was stopped after only 2 races.  The referee declared the damp track fit before the meeting, and the Dukes took a 5-1 in a re-run heat 1 after Farrell fell, although this was not related to the track.  Exeter levelled with a 5-1 of their own after Klaus Lohmann stopped, and the referee inspected the track again, and agreed to carry on.  But as Pusey and McKeon stood waiting at the tapes, the referee was requested to do a further inspection, with some riders refusing to race, including two of the Dukes.  No rain fell for the rest of the night, but the referee declared the track un-fit. 

A battered Halifax went down to their heaviest defeat of the seasom, as they were blown away at Birmingham.  Mike Lohmann and Eric Broadbelt piled up with Ray Wilson in the first race, with none of them being able to continue, leaving Halifax with only Ian Cartwright, Mick McKeon and Klaus Lohmann as recognised riders.  With Kenny Carter unavailable, the Dukes called up Ian Robertson from Stoke and Mick Blaynee, an Oxford and Birmingham second-halfer as cover.  The Brummies took full advantage, running in eight 5-1s, their win being confirmed as early as heat 8.  But the record of the worst defeat of the season would not last long...

After recent results, a 14 point win over Sheffield in the much-delayed Northern Trophy clash, was definitely a positive.  With Mike Lohmann riding for Denmark in the World Team Cup final, track specialist Dave Morton was drafted in, and he romped to a full-house, whilst all the Dukes contributed in a solid performance.  Halifax were 14 points up after 6 races, as some fast-starting from the Dukes, plus an unusually sluggish start by Wilson and Wyer gave Halifax the advantage.  The win saw Halifax finish second in the Northern Trophy table, behind winners Belle Vue.  The bad point was an awkward fall for Ian Cartwright in the second half final.

Already without Mitch Graham, Klaus Lohmann and Ian Cartright failed to make the trip to Devon, and when Chris Pusey failed to arrive, the Dukes had only 3 riders.  Having already called up Eastbourne's Colin Ackroyd, Halifax were forced to borrow Exeter second-halfers Mike Bowden, Graham Davidson and Bob Watts to make up a team, and with McKeon and Broadbelt failing to beat a Falcon, the result was a humiliation, with even Danish hero Mike Lohmann unable to win a race.  The defeat ranked as the Dukes second heaviest ever, after their 15 point score at Swindon the year before.

An improved Dukes performance, albeit over a weakened Sheffield, saw them go down to a 6 point defeat in a last heat decider.  Broadbelt and Cartwright returned to top score, whilst Klaus Lohmann also re-joined the walking wounded.  Mike Lohmann stopped whilst chasing Wyer in heat one, and given the debacle just 3 nights earlier, it was remarkable that the scores were tied after 9 heats.  But Pusey and McKeon went down to their second 5-1 defeat of the night to give the Tigers the edge.  Wilson and Persson just needed a 3-3 in the final race, but streaked away from Lohmann to seal the points.

Halifax fulfilled a late-season commitment in a four-team tournament at Hull.  The hosts were dominant, dropping onlly 6 points all night, leaving the Dukes, Leicester and an under-strength Cradley to fight for scraps.  The efforts of Lohmann, Cartwright and Pusey saw the Dukes edge the Heathens for 3rd place, with Cartwright taking Halifax's only win in heat 13.

WIth end of season open dates in the calendar, Halifax took on a powerful Overseas Stars side, featuring former Dukes Titman, Kroeze and Godal - who amassed 24 points between them.  Another night of mechanical gremlins hampered the Dukes, with Lohmann seizing his engine when well placed in heat 10.  With Broadbelt and Klaus Lohmann still not 100% fit, the Dukes were always up against it, with the Lohmann stoppage in heat 10 sealing the win for the visitors.

Given the Witches record at the Shay, the choice of Ipswich for a challenge match against the weary Dukes was possibly not a good decision - and so it proved.  Halifax were already 8 points adrift when Broadbelt lost control and smashed into team-mate Mike Lohmann, neither rider being able to continue (or having machinery to do so in any event).  With McKeon and Pusey looking uninterested on a greasy track, it was left to Ian Cartwright to bear the burden, although he declined to take a tactical substitute outing, as the divisions in the team started to show.