Simon Lambert beat James Shanes in a dramatic run-off to wrest the Phoenix Challenge trophy for the resurrected Norwich Stars from the Kent Eagles at Iwade’s Old Gun Site on Sunday afternoon.

The sun shone, the crowds came and a tense, closely fought encounter unfolded with no more than two-points separating the teams throughout the fifteen heats. Fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout the contest, Kent taking an early lead, one that was overturned following a Stars 4-2 in heat seven.

This they maintained as the match moved to its latter stages but the afternoon’s singular 5-1 as Eagles Nathan Hargrave and Alex Chadd combined for maximum points in race thirteen was richly celebrated by the home supporters as it put their side in sight of the prize with only two heats remaining.

The Stars pulled level once more with a 4-2  in the penultimate race before visiting skipper Lambert proved to be the hero for his side as he took the win ahead of the previously unbeaten Edward Kennett, his first success in three encounters with the Eagles Captain, and Shanes in heat fifteen to keep the teams deadlocked and send the contest into a final four laps.

Though the fair weather had presented challenges regarding the racing surface, regular watering and track grading being required in an attempt to keep the dust down. Nevertheless, the match was peppered with fine races, Kennett’s pass of Jake Mulford in heat eight being a notable example of this.

Indeed, it was Kennett, Shanes and Jack Kingston who provided the bulk of scoring for the hosts though a trio of falls afflicting the latter pair inevitably hampered their points prowess. Hargrave, Chadd and Connor King each weighed in with valuable contributions, however, ensuring that the Eagles carried no passengers. 

Likewise, Lambert and Mulford proved the leading lights for Norwich, with solid support coming from Mickie Simpson and Ollie Binns.

It was Kennett who hit the ground running, making a superb gate from trap four in heat one though the race was immediately halted as both Norwich riders, first Kenzie Cossey then Lambert came to grief on the first turn.

Another fine gate in the rerun and an assured win for Kennett got them off on the right foot however, credit also going to Hargrave who stormed through Cossey’s inside to secure third place and an opening 4-2.

Mulford proved an all the way winner ahead of King in the second, Dylan Huthwaite taking third place for the 4-2 that levelled the scores at 6 apiece but he had to look lively to keep Kingston at bay, another first bend faller who remounted and was closing hard by the race end. time

Shanes eased between Simpson and Binns down the first lap back straight for an untroubled win in the third, the Norwich pair remaining in the minor places for a share of the spoils.

Further 3-3’s followed in heats four, five and six Lambert and Mulford taking the honours in the first of these before Kennett stopped the rot in the sixth.

The scores stood at 18 points apiece, but Shanes suffered a fall in heat seven, the resultant 4-2 for Lambert and Cossey at the expense of Chadd seeing the visitors seize the initiative once more, 22-20 now the difference.

The teams traded 4-2’s in eight and nine, Kennett’s pass of Mulford being the feature of the first of these. With Simpson and Binns responding in kind at the expense of King, Shanes suffering a fall, it was the Stars that still led (28-26) as the match moved past the mid-way stage.

Kennett was a comfortable winner of heat ten, posting his second victory over Lambert but it took a further home 4-2 as Kingston and Hargrave combined in the eleventh that drew the team’s level again, the scores now standing at 33-33.

Still the Stars applied the pressure, however, Mulford withstanding a titanic effort from Shanes to pass in the twelfth, and with Simpson getting the better of King the 4-2 saw them lead 37-35 with just three races left to run.

Hargrave and Chadd delighted the home support with a 5-1 over Cossey and Huthwaite, to overturn the 2-point disparity into an advantage of their own and with 40-38 now the score hopes were high in the home camp this might just see the Eagles over the lined.

The Stars were not to be denied however and with Binns recording an impressive win over Kingston and Simpson seeing off King the two teams entered the final heat all square at 42-points apiece.

With Lambert reigning supreme in both heat fifteen and also the all-important run-off, it would prove sufficient to win them the day but there were few arguments that both teams had played their part in producing a superb speedway meeting.

Though honours even might have seemed a fair reflection, it proved a delighted Norwich supremo Jason Pipe who reflected on the Stars run off victory and trophy in his team’s first on track appearance in more than six decades “Everybody enjoyed themselves, we love coming here and another trophy. So, all good”

Final word to Kent team manager David Graveling, “What an amazing meeting, we have witnessed all the effort from all of the volunteers. I couldn’t have wished for more from our first meeting of the season and a great effort from all the riders. It means so much to see a big crowd enjoying the racing and supporting what we are doing”. 

Scorers:

Eagles: Edward Kennett 14(5), James Shanes 8+1(5), Jack Kingston 7(5), Nathan Hargrave 6(5), Alex Chadd 5+2(5), Connor King 5+1(5). – 45

Stars: Simon Lambert 13(5) Jake Mulford 11(5), Micki Simpson 9(5), Ollie Binns 7+3(5), Kenzie Cossey 4(5), Dylan Huthwaite 1(5) – 45

Pictures supplied by Niall Strudwick Photography.