STOKE lost their fourth home league meeting of the season losing out to the Kent Kings 36-53 in the Travel Plus National League at Loomer Road on Saturday night.
The A.R. Richards Potters were behind throughout the meeting against a fast gating Kings side who saw four of their riders hit double figures while the Potters relied heavily on guest Tom Perry and Max Clegg who produced all of the Potters six race winners out of the fifteen heats.
Stoke went behind early on as the Kings gained a 4-2 and a maximum 5-1 in the opening three heats before Clegg took victory from Taylor Hampshire with Paul Burnett third for a Potters 4-2 to give the away side a 14-10 lead.
Kent gained a 3-2 in the next race as Hampshire and David Wallinger passed each other a couple of times before Hampshire got the better of the home rider who then fell and was disqualified leaving Rob Shuttleworth taking second and with James Couzins already having retired left two finishers. The Kings then struck with two 5-1 heat advantages followed by a 4-2 leaving the Potters trailing 20-33 after nine races. Two further 5-1 heat wins for the visitors in the heats twelve and fourteen left the Potters trailing 31-52 going into the final race.
Stoke finished on a high as Perry and Clegg combined for a 5-1 over Hampshire after Nathan Stoneman had been disqualified from falling, giving the Kings a comfortable win and the maximum 4 points from the meeting.
Potters boss Malcolm Vasey commented “I’m very disappointed to have lost, but can have no complaints as Kent rode very well on the night. We had a few bike issues which didn’t help us and a couple of falls while in points scoring positions as well which also doesn’t help but you cannot fault the riders for trying to win races. Our guest Tom Perry again did a great job for us only dropping a point tonight and got a three ride maximum last week and he was supported well by Max (Clegg) but we simply are not winning enough races and it’s costing us.”
STOKE 36: Tom Perry 14, Max Clegg 9+2, Paul Burnett 6, Rob Shuttleworth 4, David Wallinger 2, Arran Butcher 1, Adam Extance r/r KENT 53: Anders Rowe 13+1, Alex Spooner 12+4, Nathan Stoneman 12+3, Taylor Hampshire 11, William O’Keefe 2, Jamie Couzins 1+1, Jack Thomas r/r National League points: Stoke 0 Kent 4
