STOKE Easy Rider Potters went down to a 50-43 defeat in the National League at the Eddie Wright Raceway where the Scunthorpe Saints gained all three points despite a late effort from the Potters.
The Potters went behind from the start as they suffered an opening heat 5-1 before the Potters struck back in heat three with maximum points from skipper Tony Atkin and Ben Reade. The same combination gained a further heat advantage in heat ten with a 4-2, but the Scorpions had the strength in depth in the early part of the meeting and had pulled out a considerable lead.
Potters team manager Malcolm Vasey introduced Ashley Birks as a tactical ride in heat eleven and he promptly took victory with Richard Andrews taking third for a 7-2 heat advantage to give the Potters a chance of a point from the meeting but Scunthorpe again pulled away the Potters had to wait until heat fourteen for their next heat advantage as they required to maximum 5-1’s from the final two heats.
Ben Reade and Liam Carr combined for a 4-2 in heat fourteen leaving the Potters needing both Saints riders not to finish in the final heat and Birks and Atkin played their part for the Potters but it was not quite enough as they took a 5-1 but the Scorpion riders managed to take the point needed to gain all three points and send the Potters back to Loomer Road empty handed.
Stoke team manager Malcolm Vasey said “I’m extremely disappointed that we have come away with nothing from tonight’s meeting and have made it quite clear that I’m also disappointed with some parts of the team who are not scoring the points that I’d have expected from them. We did have some bad luck with Ash (Birks) falling in the opening heat and he also suffered a puncture in another ride as did Tony Atkin and then both Liam’s (Carr and Rumsey) both blew their engines and I really do feel Liam Carr may well have scored more than he did had he not done that. We are now up against it in the race for the play offs and that makes Saturday against Mildenhall extremely important for us and I hope the supporters will get behind the lads as we look to secure a top four spot.”
SCUNTHORPE 50: Gary Irving 10+1, Tommy Fenwick 9+1, Byron Bekker 9, Oliver Greenwood 8+3, Max Clegg 7+1, Tom Young 6, Danny Phillips 1+1. STOKE 43: Ashley Birks 13, Tony Atkin 10+2, Ben Reade 8+1, Liam Carr 6, James Cockle 4, Richard Andrews 2, Liam Rumsey 0.
