STOKE Easy Rider Potters put in a spirited performance despite going down 50-40 to Mildenhall Fen Tigers in the National League at the West Row Stadium yesterday.
The meeting started reasonably well for the Potters with the opening three heats being drawn but Mildenhall edged in front in heat four as Daniel Haley and Aaron Baseby gained a 4-2 heat advantage over Lee Payne after Kyle Hughes fell on the final bend as he was challenging Halsey for the lead leaving the Potters trailing by just two points after the opening four heats 13-11.
The Tigers gained a further 4-2 in heat five from former Potters Jon Armstrong and Liam Rumsey over Lewis Rose for extend their lead to four points but the Potters continued to put up plenty of resistance as they packed in the minor placings for the next couple of heats and were trailing 23-19 at the midway point of the meeting.
The Potters gained their first heat winner and heat advantage in heat eight as Payne and Hughes combined for a 4-2 over Baseby to reduce the deficit to two points, but the Tigers hit back immediately with a maximum heat 5-1 from Halsey and Armstrong over Hughes to open up a six point lead.
The Potters got themselves right back into the meeting after home skipper Halsey fell and was disqualified as the primary cause of the stoppage and the Potters made no mistake as they gained a maximum 5-1 from Rose and Payne over Rumsey who suffered a seized engine and had to push home for a solitary point as the Potters trail after eleven heats 34-32.
The Potters then went into the lead with their second maximum on the bounce as Steve Worrall and Payne gained a 5-1 over Baseby to lead 37-35 with three heats remaining. The lead was short lived though as Halsey and Nielsen struck back with a 5-1 for the Tigers over Hughes and Rose to leave the Potters trailing by two points once again. Mildenhall made sure of victory with a second consecutive 5-1 from Armstrong and Baseby over Payne and Priest who fell and was disqualified.
The Potters were still in with a chance of a point going into the final heat and things looked good for a time as Lewis Rose made a good start but Armstrong and then Stefan Nielsen passed the Potters rider to gain a 5-1 in the final heat in one of the best races seen at West Row this season giving Mildenhall all three points on offer with a 50-40 victory for the Tigers.
Potters team manager Malcolm Vasey said “I thought we were good value for a point but they just had the edge in the end and I’m sure they are relieved to have got all three points from us in the end. Lee (Payne) was exceptional this afternoon having taken seven rides and there was a great team spirit something that has been lacking recently and the whole we have done well against a that is currently sitting second in the National League table.”
Mildenhall 50: Jon Armstrong 14+1, Stefan Nielsen 13+2, Daniel Halsey 12, Aaron Baseby 9+1, Liam Rumsey 2, Nathan Stoneman 0, Connor Mountain 0 (No.8), Josh Bates R/R Stoke 40: Lee Payne 14+2, Steve Worrall 8+1, Lewis Rose 7+1, Luke Priest 5+3, Kyle Hughes 5, Shaun Tedham 1+1, Luke Chessell R/R