STOKE Easy rider Potters duo Jon Armstrong and Lee Payne failed to make the semi-finals of the National League Pairs at the Adrian Flux Arena on Saturday night finishing fourth in their group.

Potters skipper Armstrong gained a third place before reeling off three straight victories to score 14 point while Payne suffered mechanical gremlins throughout the evening and also suffered a fall in his second ride. The group was won by Ray House pairing Rob Branford and former Potter Kyle Hughes who went through the group unbeaten by an opponent while home club King’s Lynn finished second also qualifying for the semi-finals.

Group B was won by Kent Kings with Cradley just edging out Birmingham by a point to qualify for the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals Cradley’s Max Clegg and Ellis Perks beat Hughes and Branford to go through to the final while Kent’s Danny Ayres and Ben Morley defeated King’s Lynn’s pairing of Tom Stokes and Josh Bailey.

Hughes and Branford took third place for Rye House after defeating Stokes and Bailey.

In the Grand-Final Cradley’s Max Clegg took the chequered flag but Kent’s Ben morley and Danny Ayres filled the minor placings to take a 5-4 heat victory and the National League Pairs title.

1. Kent: Ben Morley and Danny Ayres
2. Cradley: Max Clegg and Ellis Perks
3. Rye House: Rob Branford and Kyle Hughes
4. King’s Lynn: Tom Stokes and Josh Bailey

GROUP A
RYE HOUSE 28: Robert Branford 14/Kyle Hughes 14
KING’S LYNN 20: Tom Stokes 13/ Josh Bailey 7
EASTBOURNE 15: Bradley Wilson-Dean 9/Marc Owen 6
STOKE 14: Jon Armstrong 14/Lee Payne 0
COVENTRY 13: Martin Knuckey 11/Mark Baseby 2.

GROUP B:
KENT 23: Ben Morley 12/Danny Ayres 11
CRADLEY 21: Max Clegg 12/Ellis Perks 9
BIRMINGHAM 20: Zach Wajtknecht 12/Tom Perry 8
MILDENHALL 14: Dan Halsey 11/Connor Mountain 3
BUXTON 12: Liam Carr 7/Ryan Blacklock 5

SEMI-FINAL 1: Cradley 6 Rye House 3
SEMI-FINAL 2: Kent 7 King’s Lynn 2
THIRD PLACE RACE-OFF: Rye House 7 King’s Lynn 2
FINAL: Kent 5 Cradley 4