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WHERE'S VESPRINI: UP FOR THE CUP
Wednesday July 24, 2013
Cup fever hits Hoddesdon on Saturday night can the Rockets tame the Bears and can I break my KO Cup curse?
It pains me to say it but in October 1979 I was totally unaware of the momentous occasion that was about to happen in East Hertfordshire I was living in North London and concentrating on my first year at college. 20 miles up the road the KO Cup made its one and only appearance In Hoddesdon as The Rockets beat Berwick 92-64 on aggregate. Well I say beat but with that score it sounds like a bit of a thumping to me. Understandably I've always looked at those who were present that year with just a hint of jealousy. Yes by the time we lifted the League Championship in 2005 I was on the inside writing for speedway star and revelling in the glory with everyone else. The KO Cup though has remained an elusive quarry ever since I suffered one of my greatest sporting disappointments.
The year was 1992 and those of you who were about at the time know what's coming, I'm afraid though unlike one of those self help groups where a problem shared is a problem halved the knowledge that you witnessed it too is of no consolation whatsoever. The story starts on the 11th October and the visit of Peterborough. For what seemed like years we'd been used as cannon fodder by the superior Panthers no more than bit part players as they roared away with the points at home or away but finally it seemed the boot was on the other foot. It was a scorching hot Sunday and that summed up our magnificent seven. Martin Goodwin and Sean Courtney got things off the perfect start with a 5-1 in Heat 1 Jens Rasmussen was only beaten once by Stephen Davies in Heat 4 and Mikael Teurnberg added paid 13 from reserve. Strangely three years ago at the Czech Grand Prix we got talking to a friendly Swedish gent who it turned out was Mikaels mechanic when he was in Scandinavia. The great man is now evidently teaching riders at training schools in Finland. Small world speedway.
Anyway back to the plot 62-28 it ended up one of our biggest ever wins against the Panthers who included a certain Jason Crump in their line-up and grounds for much KO Cup optimism as Peterborough were to be our opponents in the final in a mere 11 days. So it was we drove to the East of England Showground in buoyant mood wondering where Ronnie Russell would put the Cup which was surely ours by right. To say we came back down to earth with a bump 2 hours later was an understatement and a half. How could our invincible septet from 11 days earlier turn into a seven man shambles? we only managed two heat wins and looking at the programme now is still a painful experience! That though was only half the story as the weather took over. A monsoon like downpour meant there was no chance of racing out the last rights on the coming Sunday at Rye House so with the season curfew looming we were left with the embarrassing prospect of having to fulfil our part of the two legged bargain on someone else's track. Ronnie quickly hired Arena Essex (as it was then) and we were left to watch the Panthers so comprehensively thumped just 19 days earlier get the last laugh before we struggled home in the traffic. So people that is why this Saturday means as much to me as anybody it's finally a chance to heal some deep wounds and exorcise the ghosts of 92!
Up the Rockets!!!
Pete
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