STOKE put up a spirited display but lost out to the new look Plymouth Devils 52-38 in the Travel Plus National League at the St. Boniface Arena on Friday night.

The Potters kept it close until the closing heats when they were hit for two maximum heat advantages in heats thirteen and fifteen as devils’ newcomer Adam Roynon took a full maximum and Steve Boxall gained a paid maximum, while Potters guest Tom Bacon and Luke Priest scored ten points apiece and they were well supported by David Wallinger with the Devils having the better all-round team performance.

The Devils opened up an eight-point lead in the opening four heats with a couple of 4-2’s from Steve Boxall and Richard Andrews and then Adam Roynon and Callum Walker with a 5-1 from Benji Compton and Henry Atkins in between to lead 16-8.

The A.R. Richards Potters go back into the meeting with a maximum 5-1 of their own as guest Tom Bacon became the first Potters rider to take the chequered flag with partner David Wallinger following him home ahead of Compton and Atkins to reduce the deficit to just four points. There were a series of drawn heats before the Potters reduced the deficit to just two points as Luke Priest and William O’Keefe gained a 4-2 over Compton and Atkins with the latter falling with the Devils leading 28-26 after nine heats.

Plymouth though struck back with a maximum 5-1 from Boxall and Andrews over Wallinger and Ryan Terry-Daley after Wallinger locked up coming out of the second turn allowing Andrews to go between the Potters pairing to open a six-point lead. Plymouth extend their lead to eight-points with a 4-2 from Compton and Walker over Terry-Daley with rain now falling on the St. Boniface Arena circuit.

The Devils seal victory with two heats left as Roynon and Boxall take a 5-1 in heat thirteen over Bacon and Priest giving the Devon side a 45-33 lead.

David Wallinger takes victory in heat fourteen from Atkins with Shaun Tedham third for a consolation 4-2 for the Potters as the Devils finish the meeting with the same result as heat thirteen with Roynon and Boxall both completing maximums as they take a 5-1 against Priest and Bacon to complete the Devil victory.

Potters boss Malcolm Vasey commented “It was a battling display but in the end we just could not cope in the final few heats with Adam Roynon who rode extremely well and Steve Boxall who went unbeaten all evening. For us Tom Bacon, Luke Priest and David Wallinger all rode well but we could not live with Plymouth’s top two riders on the night.”

PLYMOUTH 52: Adam Roynon 15, Steve Boxall 13+2, Benji Compton 9, Callum Walker 6+1, Richard Andrews 5+1, Henry Atkins 4+1, Rob Parker 0
STOKE: Tom Bacon 10+1, Luke Priest 10, David Wallinger 8+2, Ryan Terry-Daley 4, William O’Keefe 3+2, Shaun Tedham 3, Tony Atkin r/r