TEAM Manager Sam Ermolenko has called for a bigger all-round effort in the pits as Birmingham’s wait for a win goes on.
After some early encouraging signs against reigning champions Sheffield and last year’s runners-up Ipswich, many had high hopes heading into Monday night’s home contest with Oxford.
But the Curtis Sport Brummies carried too many passengers with Tom Brennan and outgoing team member Scott Nicholls scoring more than half of their points as they were beaten 48-42.
“I’m disappointed but my seven riders are equally disappointed, it got away from us,” Ermolenko said.
“When you rely on a team to come together on a night, when they’re relying on their own team mechanically wise to do their jobs, some things kind of get overlooked a little bit.
“When your guys are losing big points at the beginning, you have to ask ‘what’s different to last week?’
“Last week we were making starts, this week we weren’t.
“With Oxford, the size of the tracks we’ve got are similar and Oxford probably had a little bit of a closer set-up than Sheffield.
“Some of my riders don’t need me to tell them that we need more from them so I explained to the guys, keep your heads up, think about it and we’ll see what we can do next.”
The Brummies are back in action this Thursday (April 4, 7.30) when they travel to King’s Lynn in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1
BIRMINGHAM 42: Scott Nicholls 15+1, Tom Brennan 13+1, Vaclav Milik 4, Leon Flint 3+2, Zach Cook 3+1, Steve Worrall 2, Wiktor Lampart 2.
OXFORD 48: Rohan Tungate 14+1, Charles Wright 11+2, Chris Harris 10+1, Lewis Kerr 6+3, Nicolai Klindt 6+1, Ashton Boughen 1+1, Maciej Janowski R/R.
Oxford win the aggregate point 95-85.
Words and Image by Birmingham Speedway
