STOKE dropped to the bottom of the National League table after being defeated 48-41 by the Plymouth Gladiators at the Coliseum on Friday night.

In an entertaining meeting the Gladiators had just kept their noses in front throughout the meeting until the Potters took the lead with two maximum 5-1 heat advantages in heat 11 from Tom Perry and Shelby Rutherford and then in heat 12 to put the Potters in front with three races remaining.

The Gladiators then romped to three successive 5-1 maximum heat advantages to seal victory and leap frog the Potters in the league table and virtually end any hopes of the Potters making the end of season play-offs.

Team manager Adam Isherwood commented “I’m furious because once again we were in the meeting and we completely capitulated in the final three heats and it’s happened time and again in our away matches this season. We should have got at least a point if not the win but to come away with nothing once again is devastating.”

PLYMOUTH 48: Nathan Stoneman 16+1, Ben Wilson 13+1, Adam Sheppard 8+2, Richard Andrews 6+1, David Wallinger 5+1, Danny Woodward 0, Adam Extance r/r
STOKE 41: Joe Lawlor 11, Tom Perry 10, Luke Priest 7+1, Shelby Rutherford 6+3, Kieran Douglas 4+1, Joe Alcock 3+1, Connor Coles r/r