Lighthouse Trial: Round 6 of the S.E Centre Championship held at: Robertsbridge on the 20/6/04 Club hosting event: Eastbourne & District MCC Ashley Newbery reminded his rivals who's boss when he took an emphatic win on this the 6th round of the South East Centre Championship. This time his victory margin was 8 marks over the second placed man laying now third in the overall order, Richard Ely. Indeed the top six in the championship juggled their overall positions, with Stephen Foord staying fifth and Rowan Puttock remaining second - but Ely moved up two places to grab third with his cracking ride. Adam Farley and Rowan Puttock's results were within 10 marks of each other, but the overall gap between them is gradually getting bigger as Farley is relegated to fourth in the championship standings. Newbery's day was not perfect though. At section 5, driving hard, he rolled his throttle off to early, lost traction and resulted in some lusty footing. He lost considerable chunks of marks on this section on all four laps, which landed him in the grasp of the Gas Gas legend Richard Ely and a massive battle commenced on the second lap. Ely, riding well tested Newbery for weakness seeking a good performance from his Gas Gas was unmistakeably on the ball, but it was not to be, when section 5 reared its ugly head to snatch 5 marks ending Ely's challenge. Sherco rider Foord, riding like a 'six-shooter' (position, aim, fire), nearly bought about a three way battle for the lead when he cleaned section 5 - but three chief's spoil the broff. Foord was left at the wayside after he fived section 10. There seemed to be no stopping Newbery. The Beta star reeled off a convincing win in a row of big named challengers, and now has a relatively comfortable lead of just over 10 marks in the championship - a mighty impressive result. Foord may have lost the chance of a strong finish, when he fived section 10 after hitting a large tree stump punching the bike off-line, but it will be only a matter of time before the results come good and Newbery feels the pressure once again. Newbery is confident and his skirmish with Ely was short-lived ending in Newbery's favour. One man that can mix-it with Newbery is Gavin Cooper, absent from the trial, but this side of Graham Jarvis and Sam Connor who else could challenge the Beta star? Ely's performance under the pressure of close competition from Puttock should be particularly praised. We saw an incredible ride from Ely, he kept his cool, as he has done so for the whole event, but lady luck was just not on his side. But for round 7 Ely's the man and my money's on him to take the win. Puttock will of course be there and if anyone's going to throw a spanner in the works its the ace on the Sherco Stephen Foord. Ben Ely (Richard's younger brother) is another class act with a vast array of national trials experience, which in this company left him in 6th place on the day, and with time will soon be mixing with his older brother. How long will Richard Ely remain third in the championship is anyone's guess, but today I witnessed a glimpse of his excellence and before long Newbery could be playing second fiddle to Ely. Foord, arguably the leading Sherco rider lays just two points behind fellow Sherco rider Farley, but this may change as the thumbscrews tighten and Foord makes his charge on both Newbery and Ely. Puttock and Cooper need to find a quick solution to Newbery dominance also, as they are losing ground quickly on the Beta star and before long they will be out of the frame. Although Beta has yet to officially back Newbery, the fact that he's even being considered as the third member of the Inter Trials Team Squad this year show's he's one hell of a rider. MRS and Sherco could have another 'massive' win in the UK if Newbery rides in the team and on a Sherco because Newbery, if picked, will have team mates Graham Jarvis and Sam Connor if this goes to plan - I might be as bold to call it the 'Sherco Inter Team Squad'. I can hear Sherco popping open the champagne before the trial even commences, come-on the South East squad. Steve Jones winged his Scorpa through the Intermediate course marginal better than Beta rider Dave Burroughs and yours truly, beating us both by only one mark. Jones kept his head down concentrating hard to produce the win. Tim Douglas was out of salts finishing in a lonely 8th on the day, but still managed to hold on to his second place in the championship. Roy Beatty closed the gap between himself and Douglas to one mark and Andrew Ely absent from the trial has had his lead clipped to just one mark over Douglas - so round 7 looks set to be a nail biter with Ely, Douglas and Beatty all in a three way scrap. Colin Mote was sixth, behind the Sherco rider Adam Bird and although he took sixth, he now holds up in fifth in the championship a little way off Mark Lockhard. Robert Curd set the Novice class on fire with just 2 marks lost to take the win. Frank Puttock, second on 12, was being hounded by Peter Southern on 18 and Tom Cousins and Derek Baker were also in the mix, with Cousins losing out to Southern on the cleans and Baker just one mark off the pair with a 19 mark lose. Baker still holds the lead in the Novice championship, but Puttock is now within striking distance with a difference of only 8 marks things are starting to hot up. A big thumb's up to the landowner and the all observers for your support and help in making this a very successful sixth round of the South Eastern Championship - thanks, by: cliff barnett