Tuesday, May 2

K.O.CUP   semi-final

There were plenty of thrills during the Southampton- Wimbledon K.O.Cup semi-final. A last heat decision gave Southampton victory by 41-37.
  By heat 6 Southampton were leading by six points, and seemed assured of further success in the following heat Knutsson and Golden built up an early lead, but Maidment and Andrews came hard inside the latter to divide the race points.
  Wimbledon further reduced Southampton's lead in heat nine, when they substituted How for Brine and took a maximum heat win.
  Wimbledon needed a 4-2 win in the last race to force a replay. Knutsson streaked from the gate to complete a maximum, but the best they could manage was a second from How for Southampton's Chum Taylor effectively managed third place to make the match safe for the "Saints."
  SOUTHAMPTON : Bjorn Knutsson 12, Barry Briggs 11, Chum Taylor 6, Albe Golden 4, D Bradley 4, Cyril Roger 2, Pete Vandenberg 2. 
  WIMBLEDON: Ronnie Moore 10, Ron How 9, Gerald Jackson 5, Bob Andrews 5, Cyril Maidment 4,  Cyril Brine  3,  Gil Goldfinch 1.     

Thursday, May 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE

OXFORD    WIMBLEDON  

   Rain caused the National League match versus Wimbledon to be cancelled. This was a disappointment for a large number of supporters, including some from Wimbledon, who turned up to see the match.

Monday, May 8

   Oxford went the way of other visitors to Plough Lane this season: they lost by the heavy score of 52-26. Yet the match did reveal at least one visitor who was prepared to try and make a match of things in every race. Stylish Arne Pander, hero of the second-half of the previous week's debacle versus Leicester, fought in every race to score points.
  The "Dons" carried all the big guns and only Pander was able to live with the home men. Ronnie Genz  ran up eight points, quite an acheivement for a visitor these days, but the rest of the team were mediocre. It is as though some inferiority complex comes over the lesser lights of visiting teams when they ride at Wimbledon. Star men are never troubled and beat Wimbledon riders as easily as though they were on their own strips - but the performances of second-strings and reserves are too poor to comment about.
  Arne Pander was the only Oxford rider to win a race, and included Ron How and Ronnnie Moore among his victims. A great and glorious rider this Danish boy: it is a pity some of his colleagues do not capture his spirit and determination to get in and mix with the opposition.
  WIMBLEDON : Ronnie Moore 11, Ron How 10, Bob Andrews 10, Cyril Brine 6, Cyril Maidment 6, Gerry Jackson 6, Gil Goldfinch 3.
  OXFORD : Arne Pander 11, Ronnie Genz 8, Jim Tebby 3, G McGregor 2, G Major 1, D Dunton 1, H Byford 0.

 Rumours all around the place but when I last spoke to him Bob Andrews had not, repeat not, asked Wimbledon for a transfer.  He had, however, given the matter quite a lot of thought.
  "I keep thinking I would be a lot better off with a weaker team.  Riding for Wimbledon does cost me money.  After all , you don't get many extra rides."
  "A team has to be six points down before they can use a tactical substitute - and can you remember the last time we were six down?  Even if we are, Ronnie Moore would almost certainly get the first crack; then probably Ron How.  So unless we make three switches, I'm unlikely to get that extra ride."
  "If I did leave, though, I suppose Leicester would be my first choice.  If I leave. "

Monday, May 15

   Southampton stopped the Wimbledon walk-overs in their South of England Cup match - and gave the Dons the biggest scare they've had in years. Seven heats gone and the Saints were 14 points down. It looked the mixture as before.
   Briggs was in trouble, having blown up his motor in the first heat (the fourth time in succession this has happened). Knutsson hadn't won a race. The Saints looked whacked.
  In heat 9 they suddenly clicked and the match burst back into glorious life. Briggs, on Vandenberg's machine, and Knutsson smashed home a 5-1. Briggs and Roger followed with a 4-2. Knutsson again - against Ronnie Moore. He held the lead, lost it, wonder of wonders buzzed past Moore back into the lead and Saints shared points but were still eight down.
  Knutsson and Briggs again, another 5-1. Four points down with one heat to go. But this pair had run out of rides and Moore and Andrews cracked back a 5-1 in the final heat. Dons were home 43-35. But didn't they know they'd been in a fight.
  I've not heard the Wimbledon crowd go so crazy with excitement, or figure their team might be held, for some time.
  WIMBLEDON : Ronnie Moore 11, Bob Andrews 8, Gerry Jackson 7, Cyril Maidment 6, Cyril Brine 5, Ron How 5, Gil Goldfinch 3.
  SOUTHAMPTON : Bjorn Knutsson 11, Barry Briggs 9, D Bradley 5, Pete Vandenberg 3, Chum Taylor 2, C Roger 2, Albe Golden 1.

Saturday, May 20

NATIONAL LEAGUE

NORWICH 37    WIMBLEDON  41 

     After being 10 points behind after three heats Norwich fought back to level pegging with everything depending on the final heat. Norwich hopes were raised when Bales and Chamberlain leapt into an early lead, but both How and Maidment swept past them within a lap.
   How's tactics in this race met with disapproval from a section of the crowd, actions of this sort are a poor advert, for the sport. This unfortunately was supposed to be appreciation of a brilliant piece of riding.
  Norwich supporters in general are not satisfied with the present Norwich team, and steps must be taken to improve it.
  NORWICH : Ove Fundin 10, Reg Trott 8, Billy Bales 7, J Chamberlain 5, D Newton 3, D Strutt 2, J Debbage 2.
  WIMBLEDON : Ron How 11, Ronnie Moore 10, Cyril Maidment 7,  Cyril Brine 5, Gerry Jackson 4,  Bob Andrews 4, Gil Goldfinch 0. 

Monday, May 22

NATIONAL LEAGUE

New Cross suffered the same fate as other visitors to Wimbledon - they lost by 42 points to the powerful home combination. New Cross, even with such talented riders as Eric Williams and Doug Davies in their side, were no match for the all-conquering Dons, who ran out victors 60-18.
  It was processional all the time, with Wimbledon recording nine 5-1s, three 4-2s and one drawn heat over the thirteen races.
  Wimbledon riders had a field day at points scoring; the New Cross team had a trouncing; the fans were bored - and I spent most of the evening in the bar. The match was too much of a forgone conclusion to whip up any sort of enthusiasm.
  WIMBLEDON : Bob Andrews 12, Ron How 11, Ronnie Moore 9,   Cyril Brine 9,  Gerald Jackson 8, Cyril Maidment 8, Gil Goldfinch 3.
  NEW CROSS : Reg Luckhurst 6, Jimmy Gooch 4, Leo McAuliffe 3, Split Waterman 2, Doug Davies 2, Eric Williams 1,  J Fitzpatrick 0.

Saturday, May 27

NATIONAL LEAGUE

BELLE VUE 48  WIMBLEDON 30

If Wimbledon are one of the two "strongest" line-ups in Britain they did not appear to be so at Belle Vue on Saturday. In fact the Dons were very much a one man team for Ron How was the only visitor to extend the Belle Vue riders. He was top scorer for his team despite a machine failure in heat 6 when used to replace Cyril Brine with Wimbledon six points in arrears and he rode a brilliant race in the second half to outpace Peter Craven and be the only Dons qualifier for the Scratch Race final.
  Brine, Ronnie Moore and Bryce Subritzky were concerned in one of those exciting races in which the lead for second place changed hands at almost every bend and it was not until Moore pushed Brine in front at the last bend was the race decided.
  Belle Vue's teamwork was never better. The Peter Craven and Jack Kitchen pairing was superb in heat 7 and then Ron Johnston and Dick Fisher obviously decided to prove themselves their equals with a great ride against the same Wimbledon pairing of Bob Andrews and Cyril Maidment for full points. This was a match of surprises with the biggest shock being the apparent ease of the Belle Vue team in mastering what were expected to be formitable opposition from the London team.
  BELLE VUE : Peter Craven 11, Dick Fisher 10, Bob Duckworth 9, Ron Johnston 8, Jack Kitchen 8, J Yacobi 2, Bryce Subritzky 0.
  WIMBLEDON :  Ron How 9, Ronnie Moore 8, Cyril Maidment 4, Cyril Brine 3, Gerald Jackson 3, Bob Andrews 2, Gil Goldfinch 1.

Monday, May 29

CYRIL MAIDMENT, BOB ANDREWS

Cyril Maidment and Bob Andrews emerged the winning pair in the novel handicap pairs championship at Wimbledon. After progressing through their qualifying heats, they took a maximum 5-1 in the final to clinch the issue.
  Wimbledon's partisan supporters again took exception to Ove Fundin, the World Champion, and booed him out of the car park after the meeting. It seems Ove can do no right with those people who just refuse to recognise what a brilliant tactician the Swede is.
  Reason for Ove earning their displeasure is because he had the "audacity" to make a race of his every appearance on the track, particularly in heat 9 when out against Ron How.
  It is time supporters realised that there is no emnity between these two men. they are good friends and the spirit of rivalry between them on the track is a natural reaction of professional sportsmen. These few supporters earn speedway a bad name by their actions and should come to their senses.
  SCORERS: Ron How (11), Ronnie Genz (10) 21; Ronnie Moore (7), Cyril Brine (11) 18; Peter Craven (8), Gerry Jackson (7) 15; Cyril Maidment (11), Bob Andrews (4) 15; Ove Fundin (11), Reg Trott (0) 11; Bjorn Knutsson (2), Barry Briggs(7) 9.
FIRST SEMI-FINAL: Genz, How, Moore, Brine
  SECOND SEMI-FINAL: Maidment, Craven, Jackson, Andrews
  FINAL: Maidment, Andrews, Genz, How

Wednesday, May 31

NATIONAL LEAGUE

NEW CROSS 34  WIMBLEDON 44

Wimbledon came, they saw and they conquered the Old Kent Road with a wonderful display of teamwork that took them to a 44-34 victory over New Cross.
  Bobby Andrews was Wimbledon's top pointsman, with Ron How also recording double figures. The rest of the  Wimbledon team , with the noticeable exception of Gerry Jackson, were more than a match for the homesters. Jackson's riding was a big disappointment, for he always manages to do well at Wimbledon.
  Eric Williams, Jimmy Gooch and Doug Davies were the best men for New Cross, but had little support from the rest of the side.
  This was a good win for the visiting side, lending further emphasis to the fact that they are, without doubt, the greatest club side in the world.
  NEW CROSS : Jimmy Gooch 9, Eric Williams 7, Split Waterman 6, Doug Davies 6 Reg Luckhurst 4, Leo McAuliffe 1, Johnnie Fitzpatrick 1.
  WIMBLEDON :  Bob Andrews 11, Ron How 10, Ronnie Moore 9, Cyril Brine 8, Cyril Maidment 4, Gil Goldfinch 3, Gerald Jackson 0.

June 1961

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