STOKE’S Travel Plus National League meeting against Plymouth at the St. Boniface Arena was abandoned after eight heats with the result NOT standing.

The Potters were trailing the Devils 29-18 when the meeting was abandoned after Potters asset Tim Webster who was returning to the sport after a four-year absence from the sport was still in the dressing room after he had fallen in his opening ride in heat three and the medical officer deciding that Webster needed to be got to hospital not leaving enough medical cover to continue.

The Potters were behind after the opening heat with a 5-1 from Ellis Perks and Ryan Terry-Daley over Jon Armstrong with the Devils gaining a 3-2 advantage in the third heat after Richard Andrews fell and was then followed by Webster falling. Webster was excluded from the race, but Potters rider Tim Colley was excluded also with Andrews then getting the better of Rob Shuttleworth in the rerun leaving Stoke trailing 11-6 after three heats.

Three 4-2 heat advantages saw the Potters fall further behind over the next five races leaving the home side leading 29-18 and the track medical team were then required to take the stricken Webster to hospital bringing proceedings to a halt.

Potters team manager Malcolm Vasey commented “It was the right decision to abandon the meeting in the end with a rider injured and needing to go to hospital, riders’ safety is important at the end of the day and no one likes to see a rider from any team getting hurt. All of us at Stoke Speedway would like to wish Tim (Webster) a speedy recovery.”

A new date for the fixture will be arranged in due course.

PLYMOUTH 29: Ellis Perks 6, Richard Andrews 6, Henry Atkins 6, Kelsey Dugard 6, Adam Sheppard 3+1, Ryan Terry-Daley 2+1, Tim Webster 0
STOKE 18: Rob Shuttleworth 4, Connor Coles 4, Adam Extance 3+1, Paul Burnett 3+1, Jon Armstrong 3, Arran Butcher 1+1, Tim Colley 0
Abandoned after 8 heats due to lack of medical cover – Result does NOT stand.