BIRMINGHAM boss Chris Adams had sympathy with the club’s supporters after admitting their huge defeat at Oxford was ‘painful to watch’.
The Curtis Sport Brummies were thrashed 62-28 by Oxford – a team who have failed to beat any other side in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership this year.
They held the Spires for the opening four races on Thursday, with the scores tied 12-12 heading into the first track grading break.
But a dismal display would see them register no further race winners all night as they managed just 16 points throughout the rest of the contest.
It was Birmingham’s heaviest defeat since the opening night of the 2022 season, and the efforts of Paco Castagna and Ben Barker apart, team manager Adams was left baffled and angered by his side’s performance.
He said: “I don’t really know what went on.
“If you’d have told me that this was going to be the final score after those four races, I’d never have believed you in a million years.
“It was painful to watch and simply just not good enough.
“I feel sorry for all the travelling supporters and anyone who watched the live stream and we know we’re better than that and we expect better.
“Our Championship riders (Paco Castagna and Ben Barker) were our top scorers; Ben battled away all night and answered the critics, just like Paco has since he came to the club.
“They deserved Heat 15 and I made a point of putting them in the same as I did when I put Paco in as a tac sub as well.
“I’ve got a lot of thinking to do.”
• The Brummies are back at Perry Barr on Monday (June 30, 7.30pm) when they host King’s Lynn.
OXFORD 62: Erik Riss 11+3, Rohan Tungate 11+2, Maciej Janowski 11+1, Peter Kildemand 9, Charles Wright 8+1, Dan Thompson 8+1, Luke Killeen 4.
BIRMINGHAM 28: Paco Castagna 8, Ben Barker 7+1, Keynan Rew 5, Tobiasz Musielak 4+1, Matej Zagar 3, Sam Hagon 1, Jonas Jeppesen 0.
