A tense and incident-ridden night’s racing at Central Park saw the Kent SLYDE Kings retain their 100% record in the Travel Plus National League [TPNL] – but victory came at a cost, losing Luke Clifton to injury.
Clifton had been Kent’s hero of the hour in heat six when a storming ride to keep namesake Luke Priest at bay had brought the SLYDE Kings right back into contention after a decidedly difficult opening stanza to the match.
But in his next ride, up against Stoke’s hugely impressive David Wallinger, a coming together on the first bend saw Clifton and his machine bump down and against the air barrier.
No harm had surely befallen the Kent number two but following behind, Stoke’s Shaun Tedham wasn’t to lay his machine down and instead crashed heavily into the prone Kent man.
Lengthy on track treatment followed and though eventually Clifton was able to be helped into the ambulance on his feet it was clear his evening was over and indeed it ended in hospital being examined for possible rib and internal injuries.
At that halfway stage in proceedings the scores were locked at 24-24 with the plucky visitors having delivered the lion’s share of heat winners. Central Park debutants Wallinger (winning heats 2 & 8 and anchoring a 5-1 for his side in his second outing) and Aussie Mitchell Davey proving that unfamiliarity is no barrier to success.
Indeed Davey’s heat one victory over his counterpart Luke Bowen (ending an extraordinary run of 25 race wins on the spin for the Kent skipper) was as good an opening ride as ever seen by a first time visitor to Central Park.
He went on to record an unbeaten full house 12 points from four rides. And those who’d thought Stoke didn’t have a prayer hadn’t reckoned on the intervention of Priest – combining with Wallinger for that 5-1 in heat four which put the north-westerners into an early lead.
A change in riding order by Kent team boss, Chris Hunt had seen Nathan Stoneman partnered with Jack Thomas and the two combined superbly in heat nine (after the long medical delay) to put the hosts into the lead for the first time on the evening – it was to be a lead never then to be surrendered.
Heat 11 was the race of the night. Davey again stormed to the front but Kent’s Ben Hopwood reeled the Aussie in and completed a superb passing maneuvre to take the lead. Going down the back straight on lap four it was a certain three points for Hopwood and a defeat at last for Davey; but then last second calamity, as Hopwood ground to as sudden a halt as possible on a 500cc Speedway machine.
The one thing guaranteed to stop a Speedway bike in its tracks is the cut-off triggering and in a fault it had – thus allowing maximum man Davey through and leaving Hopwood bereft.
What turned out to be the remaining three (as opposed to four heats – heat 15 failing to be held due to the curfew being reached) were bedeviled by falls. Heat 12 had to be staged three times after Wallinger came down after coming under pressure by Stoneman and then Ryan Terry-Daley breaking the tapes in the rerun.
The 5-1 delivered by Kent here established a five points lead. Heat 13 was unluckier still – three times stopped. At the first time of asking Priest was a faller just exiting the second bend. Next time up and a lap further in, Bowen came to grief in the near exact same spot trying to make it past his nemesis Davey.
It was left then to the teenaged Thomas to ensure the match points went the home side’s way and he duly delivered in heat 14 with Wallinger who was flagging somewhat by this juncture a faller again.
Next up for Kent is the First Round Knock Out Cup battle with cup holders Eastbourne – the first leg being held at Central Park on Bank Holiday Monday 29th. May – 3.00pm start time (gates at 1.30pm).
Pictures supplied by Elizabeth Leslie.