STOKE look to return to winning ways when they entertain the Plymouth Gladiators in the National League at Loomer Road on Saturday night, 7pm.
Potters team manager Adam Isherwood said “It’s a must win meeting for us as we need to start putting points on the board. We are currently 7-points adrift of fourth place Cradley, but we have only rode three home league matches this season and providing we can win those meetings it will put us into contention and we still have to go to Plymouth in the reverse fixture to this so hopefully we can get something out of that meeting also.”
Stoke have drafted in 15-year old Dan Thompson who scored well for Leicester in the Potters home defeat to the Lion Cubs last Saturday as a guest for Joe Lawlor who is on Championship duty with Leicester against Scunthorpe while at reserve Joe Alcock returns to the side after injury and Kieran Douglas gets the nod to continue in the other reserve berth place.
Isherwood commented “Joe (Lawlor) is a big miss for the side both on and off the track, but I feel we have a solid replacement in Dan Thompson who has been riding superbly for the Lion Cubs this season and showed his maturity despite being just 15-years old when he team rode a more senior rider in Matt Marson home last week, and I’m sure he will do us a job on Saturday.”
The Gladiators will be without former Potters rider Adam Extance who broke his shoulder and some ribs in Plymouth’s meeting at Kent on Monday night and the Gladiators will use rider replacement to cover for his absence.
The Gladiators still have two ex-Potters in their line-up though with Ben Wilson and David Wallinger leading their side into action along with skipper Richard Andrews and Nathan Stoneman while at reserve Jamie Bursill and Adam Sheppard complete the Devon sides team.
The Potters have already beaten the Gladiators when the Potters ran out 50-39 victors in the KO Cup earlier in the season.
STOKE: Tom Perry (Captain), Shelby Rutherford, Dan Thompson, Luke Priest, Connor Coles, Kieran Douglas, Joe Alcock PLYMOUTH: Ben Wilson, Adam Extance R/R, David Wallinger, Nathan Stoneman, Richard Andrews (Captain), Adam Sheppard, Jamie Bursill
