STOKE were thrashed 63-27 by Birmingham in the Travel Plus National League at Perry Barr on Wednesday night.

The Potters trailed by 21-9 after the opening five heats as the Brummies’ gained a couple of 4-2 advantages and 5-1’s despite some excellent efforts from the Potters top two Connor Coles and Max Clegg and reserve Arran Butcher who gained second place I heat two after he was eventually overhauled by Sheldon Davies.

Max Clegg touched the tapes in heat six and went off the 15-metre handicap and promptly stormed off the start past Butcher before passing home rider Callum Walker, but was unable to catch home skipper Tom Bacon giving the home side a 4-2 heat advantage. Birmingham extended their lead with a further 4-1 and a 5-1 from Walker and Josh Embleton over Adam Extance and Paul Burnett leaving the Potters trailing 34-14 after eight heats. The Brummies’ continued to pile on the pressure a couple of 5-1’s and a 4-2 to lead 51-21 after twelve heats before Connor Coles rode the race of the night to hold off Birmingham pairing Tom Bacon and James Shanes to take the Potters first race win of the night.

Leon Flint took victory in heat fourteen while David Wallinger came off the 15-metre handicap and took second place while Sheldon Davies grabbed third on the line taking third from Burnett who had mechanical issues and just couldn’t hold on. Clegg is excluded for failing to beat the two minutes time allowance and goes of 15-metres for a second time. The Brummies’ completed the victory with a 5-1 to round off the meeting.

Potters team manager Adam Isherwood commented “We were simply beaten by the better side on the day. Connor Coles, David Wallinger and Max Clegg did their best against a team who are currently on fire and have come into form and we have to accept that we well beaten in the end and now have to dust ourselves down and get ready for our next meeting.”

BIRMINGHAM 63: James Shanes 14, Danyon Hume 12, Tom Bacon 10+1, Leon Flint 9+3, Callum Walker 9+2, Sheldon Davies 5, Josh Embleton 4+1
STOKE 27: Connor Coles 9, David Wallinger 8, Max Clegg 5, Adam Extance 2+1, Arran Butcher 2, Paul Burnett 1+1, Rob Shuttleworth r/r