Gary Havelock pleads with fans to stick with Bees after disappointing start - The Rugby Observer

Gary Havelock pleads with fans to stick with Bees after disappointing start

Rugby Editorial 5th Apr, 2016 Updated: 27th Oct, 2016   0

GARY Havelock has urged Coventry Bees fans to stick with his team after they suffered back-to-back defeats in the Elite League against Swindon and Wolverhampton, writes Observer speedway reporter Robin Allen.

The Bees travelled to Swindon last Thursday looking to maintain their good form at the Abbey in recent years.

But they were without Krzysztof Kasprzak and Josh Bates who were already unavailable because of fixture clashes, while Havelock’s side were dealt a further blow when James Sarjeant pulled out through illness.

This meant that Hans Andersen, Adam Ellis and Danny Ayres came in as guests and the visitors slumped to a 20-point defeat to the Robins, with the only high points being a 5-1 in heat nine and the performance of Adam Ellis – who top scored with 11+1.




“My message to the fans would be do not panic,” Havelock told the Observer. “It is way too early to be pressing the panic button.

“It is difficult to describe the Swindon meeting, one minute we were right in it and the next we had conceded five heat advantages in six races.


“Looking at the two teams on paper, I did not feel that Swindon were that much stronger than us to beat us by a 20-point margin.

“There was not really anyone in particular you could have said had a really bad night because with the acceptation of Ellis – who was not our rider, everyone had a bad night.”

Young Pole Kacper Woryna struggled to get to grips with the firmness of the Swindon circuit but Havelock believes it is just something he needs to get used to.

“In Poland they use different material to what we have over here, they have shale that is a lot darker and sandier which usually provides more grip but sucks the power out of your engine which means you back wheel will not spin as much.

“With Poles if they gate, they are gone and there is nobody that is going to catch them but I would like to help Kacper develop his skills when he’s in traffic or at the back.

“I’m sure he will get used to it because he’s showed a glimpses of what he is capable of, it is just a case of turning that into a little bit more consistency.”

Bees then took on Wolverhampton at Brandon on Friday with Joonas Kylmakorpi and Kyle Howarth up against their former club.

Despite Kasprzak and Bates returning to boost the home side, they were unable to stop track specialists Fredrik Lindgren, Kylmakorpi and Howarth putting the hosts to the sword with 38-52 win

The performance of Jason Garrity and Bates was the only high point of the meeting with have praising both riders but Bees promoter Mick Horton felt the need to issue a public apology to supporters.

He said: “I take full responsibility for the performances, which are totally unacceptable.

“The fans have come out in force in cold weather, and what we’ve dished up so far isn’t good enough.

“No rider goes out to under-perform, and our riders as disappointed as the fans and the management are.

“I built this team, so I take responsibility for it, and clearly at the moment we aren’t up to scratch.

“We all know it’s a results business, and that the fans deserve better. The support is fantastic, we really appreciate the loyalty, and that’s really been the only bright spark over the last couple of nights – so please don’t give up on us.”

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