STOKE entertain Cradley in the National Trophy on Saturday night at Loomer Road, 7pm, looking to put one over their local rivals after a 59-29 defeat at Monmore Green against the Heathens.

The Black Country outfit are only competing in the National Trophy this year after a turbulent winter which saw them withdraw from the Travel Plus National League due to lack of availability for all their fixtures at the clubs adopted home of Monmore Green and rather than close bosses took the decision to continue in the trophy while the search continues for a new home in the Dudley area. The Heathens management have put together a strong team led by Adam Roynon and he will be well supported by Kyle Bickley who rode well at Loomer Road for Belle Vue Colts last week with Conor Dwyer and Bradley Andrews providing support. The Heathens will use rider replacement for Jordan Jenkins who was injured in a meeting for Mildenhall at Birmingham on Wednesday night with Carmarthen Dragons rider Luke Whitehead coming into replace Jason Edwards who is on duty with Eastbourne with Drew Kemp who is just fifteen years old completing the line-up for the Heathens. Kemp has been in good form for his club Isle of Wight and rode well for the Heathens at Monmore on Monday and is expected to be a major factor in the meeting at Loomer Road.

The A.R. Richards Potters welcome back number one and former Heathens rider Max Clegg who missed Monday’s defeat due to being on Premiership duty with Rye House in what is an otherwise unchanged line-up for the Chesterton based side.

Co-team manager Adam Isherwood commented “I am sure we will be running them a lot closer at Loomer Road on Saturday night and we will be looking for a victory over them. We gave a few silly points away on Monday and William O’Keefe blew a second engine in the meeting also having already blown one against Belle Vue on Saturday so hopefully our luck will change. We also welcome back Max (Clegg) which gives the side a boost and they are without Jason Edwards and are having to use rider replacement to cover for Jordan Jenkins who has scored well against us in past meetings and we will have to take advantage of these factors and if we do and don’t make any mistakes then hopefully we will take the points.”

STOKE: Max Clegg, Paul Burnett, Tony Atkin (Captain), Adam Extance, Rob Shuttleworth, Joe Alcock, William O’Keefe
CRADLEY: Adam Roynon (Captain), Conor Dwyer, Kyle Bickley, Bradley Andrews, Jordan Jenkins (Rider Replacement), Drew Kemp, Luke Whitehead