March 29   Hackney   47   Tigers   31  (British League)

Tonights meeting had one of the most unusual program covers of all time! No action shot of riders, but an artists impression of a young couple in trendy late 60s garb approaching a turnstile, all this picked out in a very strange olive green hue! Unsurprisingly it was soon replaced by a more traditional design! Hackney were certainly trying to project a more modern image but the previous week’s experiment of using a former pop singer as the track announcer was abandoned – if its not broken, don’t try to fix it!

With Lars Jansson not yet in the country, following his hurried signing, Olle Nygren stepped in as a guest, and what a good job he did too, with ten points from four rides! Bo Josefsson got a second in his first outing before blowing his engine but commendably continued using borrowed bikes. Oyvind Berg and Willie Templeton gave tigers their only heat win, when they relegated Colin Pratt to third place in heat seven.

Berg also had bike troubles of a different kind! He was fined for not having a nameplate of his bike, contrary to speedway regulations. He later painted his bike red and white, so there was never any doubt which one was his! An anonymous donor later gave all the Tigers engraved nameplates

Tigers Scorers

Nygren 10, Berg 7, Josefsson 5, B McMillan 4, W Templeton 3, J McMillan 1, Whaley 1:

Hackney Scorers

Pratt 10, Jansson 10, McGillivray 8, Lukehurst 8, Brown 6, Biggs 3, Everett 2:

 

March 30   King’s Lynn   36   Tigers   42  (British League)

Don Smith certainly did a good job of rebuilding Josefsson’s blown engine as the Swede romped top a maximum at Saddlebow Road, on his first visit to the track. He was ably backed by guest Nygren with eleven, only beaten by Simmons, and Berg whose third place in heat twelve clinched the league points for Tigers. However it was Jim McMillans’ performance that turned the meeting our way with a fine six points, including a 5-1 partnership with Nygren ahead of Terry Betts in heat six.

Promoter Whaley, buoyed by this victory, hit out at the press who had written the Tigers prospects off as potential wooden spoonists. Sadly he would have to eat his words before the season was out.

Tigers Scorers

Josefsson 12, Nygren 11, Berg 8, J McMillan 6, B McMillan 4, W Templeton 1, Whaley 0:

King’s Lynn Scorers

Simmons 9, Crane 7, Featherby 6, Betts 6, Penniket 6, Belham 2, Cole 0: