Aces Ride Away With Premiership Title

Tearful Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon admitted “elation beyond belief” after winning the Premiership title for the first time in 29 years. 

The ATPI Aces finally clinched the big prize with a narrow two-point win on aggregate at Owlerton on Thursday night. 

But a huge storm erupted following controversial refereeing decisions. Sheffield boss Simon Stead claiming they were “robbed”.

However, Lemon was overcome with emotion and said: “It’s elation beyond belief. I just didn’t think this could happen. So much hard work has gone into this. 

“Matej (Zagar) and I go back to 2006 when we had our dreams dashed by a single point at Peterborough while both at Reading in the Grand Final.

“This is our fourth final at Belle Vue, I couldn’t bear to lose another final. 

“There’s so many people we have to thank, especially our owners Tony Rice and Robin Southwell. Our sponsors and partners like ATPI and Rentruck, just incredible backing for so many years. 

“The fans have waited 29 years for this moment. Look at them, they are loving it. They deserve it, they’ve been great. 

“We’ve had ups and downs and years when we’ve worked really hard and it’s not happened. This makes it all worth it I think. 

“The boys just rode their socks off in the final and all season. We lost Charles (Wright) and Jye (Etheridge) on Monday and I felt our backs were against the wall. 

“We also lost our No.1 Max Fricke just before the Play-Offs. I thought ‘oh no here we go again’ it’s deja vu. 

“But we were fortunate to bring Robert Lambert in to replace him as a long-term injury and he’s been a star. 

“Also credit to Sheffield to come back to the top flight and reach the final, well done to them as well.”

There were three huge moments in the second leg in Heats 1, 2 and 11. Referee Christina Turnbull most crucially excluded Tobiasz Musielak in the latter after he brought down Belle Vue’s Brady Kurtz. 

Stead said: “It’s the way it is, I think we’ve had some rough luck over the two meetings with refereeing decisions. Nothing we can do about that, we can’t race the ref. 

“I think we’ve been robbed. I think some of the refereeing decisions over the course of the two legs have been awful. That’s robbed us really.

“I think we’ve ridden well enough to win. Of course I’m disappointed. I’ll go away from this thinking that numerous refereeing decisions cost us the title.”

Sheffield’s ex-British Champion Adam Ellis blasted: “Robbed tonight. Referee licences given out with a box of Cornflakes by the looks of it.”

Belle Vue captain Kurtz got up from the nasty crash to lift the trophy. He added: “What the boys pulled out was nothing short of perfect.

“Halfway through the meeting they were really pushing hard and Sheffield are so good at home. 

“I can’t believe we sealed it up before the last race. The Aces got the win after 29 years, wow. It means so much to the whole club. 

“Right from Heat 1 when I got excluded I knew it was going to be a very long night. 

“I’ve never seen such hard racing in British racing. No one gave an inch. There was that many people putting it on the line. That’s what it is all about when it comes to the final. 

“I’d also like to say congratulations to Sheffield, they’ve had a great season. I’m sure their time will come.” 

Picture by Ian Charles