STOKE Easy Rider Potters opened their season with a win over the Rye House Raiders in the first round, first leg of the knock out cup at Hoddesdon on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon gaining a 42-45 victory.

The Potters went ahead in heat two after Shaun Tedham was the last man standing after there were three fallers resulting in a 3-0 heat advantage and they extended their lead in heat four with a 4-2 from Lee Payne and Tedham over former Potter Kyle Hughes.

Stoke’s lead was short lived as the Raiders struck back with maximum points in heat five from former Potters Luke Chessell and Luke Priest over Jon Armstrong and then a 4-2 in heat six from Rob Branford and Sam Woods over Lee Payne to give the Raiders a 17-16 lead.

The Potters gained a 5-1 in heat eight with Chris Widman and Tedham taking the honours over Alfie Bowtell to put the Potters three clear at the half way point of the meeting. Stoke packed in the minor placings in the next few heats before Armstrong and Widman combined for a 4-2 in heat eleven to open up a five point lead.

The Raiders pulled a couple of points back in the next race with Priest and Bowtell gaining a 4-2 over Tedham to leave the Potters leading 36-33.

Stoke sealed victory in heat fourteen with maximum points from Danny Phillips and Shaun Tedham over the previously unbeaten Luke Chessell who lost control off the final turn causing him to fall.

The Raiders gained some consolation with a maximum heat win in the final heat from Branford and Priest over Payne but it is the Potters that will take a 3 point advantage into the second leg at Loomer Road on April 19th.

A delighted team manager Malcolm Vasey said “The lads rode superbly this afternoon and each and every one of them contributed points to our cause which means that we have a 3 point advantage going into the second leg at Loomer Road later this month. We managed to edge in front early on before they came back at us mid meeting to take the lead, but we all battled hard and managed to get our noses in front in the second half of the meeting and got over the finish line for the victory. I’m absolutely thrilled for the team and most of all the supporters who travelled a long way to support us today, they made plenty of noise throughout the meeting and at the end of the match all of the riders insisted that we went out onto the terraces too thank them and have some photos taken.

We know it’s only half time in the match with the second leg to come and they have riders that know our place well and we will not be taking anything for granted. It’s been a good weekend for the club with the victory here today and both Ryan (Terry-Daley) and Danny (Phillips) going through to the British under-21 final and it shows that we have a team that could do things this season.”

RYE HOUSE 42: Rob Branford 15, Luke Chessell 9, Kyle Hughes 7, Luke Priest 6+1, Danyon Hume 2, Alfie Bowtell 2, Sam Woods 1.
STOKE 45: Lee Payne 11, Shaun Tedham 10+2, Danny Phillips 8+1, Jon Armstrong 7+1, Chris Widman 5+1, Ryan Terry-Daley 3, Ryan MacDonald 1+1.