IT was a night to forget for the Stoke A.R. Richards Potters as they were thrashed 66-24 by the Belle Vue Colts at the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester on Friday night taking the Colts to the top of the Travel Plus National League table.
The Colts provided all fifteen race winners with Dan Bewley, Rob Shuttleworth and Jack Smith all gaining either full or paid maximums, with Lee Payne missing out after being defeated by Jon amrstrong in the final heat.
The Potters were 15-3 down after the opening three races before David Wallinger and Luke Priest took the minor placings in heat four behind former Potter Lee Payne. A further drawn heat in heat six from the same pairing who finished well behind Colts number one Dan Bewley as he broke the National League track record at the Manchester venue as the Potters pairing were the only riders to beat a Colts rider in the opening six races.
Belle Vue showed why they are amongst the title favourites as they continued to dominate proceedings as they piled on the pressure with only guest Jon Armstrong defeating an opposition rider in the next five races finishing behind Payne after passing Andy Mellish for second place as the Potters trail 50-16 after eleven heats.
Wallinger and Tony Atkin gained a drawn heat in heat fourteen leaving the Potters with just three drawn heats all evening with the Colts completing the demolition of the Potters with a final heat 4-2.
Potters team manager Malcolm Vasey commented “This performance was totally unacceptable and I think we have to look at ways and means of improving the team to avoid this type of score line. It was simply not good enough and with respect to Belle Vue they are a very good team and I did not think it would be very easy to come here and get something, but it was a very poor display apart from one or two exceptions especially David Wallinger who was heroic for us tonight and we have to do better.”
BELLE VUE 66: Dan Bewley 15, Lee Payne 12+1, Jack Smith 10+2, Kyle Bickley 7+2, Andy Mellish 6+1, Luke Woodhull 5+1 STOKE 24: David Wallinger 10, Jon Armstrong 7, Tony Atkin 4+1, Luke Priest 3+2, Shaun Tedham 0, David Speight 0, Ryan Terry-Daley 0
