STOKE put up a spirited display despite losing out 53-37 to the Belle Vue Colts at the National Speedway Stadium in the Travel Plus National Trophy on Friday night.
The A. R. Richards Potters were 13-5 down after the opening three heats with Potters skipper Tony Atkin slowing up in his first ride after he saw a red light on the first turn.
The Potters were further hit for two successive 4-2 heat advantages in heats five and six to leave the Colts leading 24-12 despite some tenacious riding from Ben Wilson who pushed home number one Joe Jacobs all the way to the chequered flag.
Stoke gained a maximum 5-1 heat advantage in heat seven from Danny Phillips and Atkin over former Potter Jon Armstrong, but again the Colts struck back with a couple of 4-2 advantages themselves to leave the Potters trailing 33-21 after nine races.
Phillips was again in the thick of the action as he again pushed the unbeaten Jacobs all the way in heat ten with Atkin holding out Tom Woolley. A 4-2 for the Colts from Armstrong and Joe Lawlor over Ben Hopwood who was involved in a good battle with Armstrong for the lead as the Colts extending their lead to 14 points after eleven heats with a further 4-2 in heat fourteen giving the Colts a comfortable victory on the night as the Potters trailed 50-34 going into the final heat.
Jacobs showed his class as he again got the better of Potters pairing Ben Hopwood and Wilson to complete a 15-point maximum but Matt Williamson’s hopes of completing a paid maximum ended in the final heat with the Potters pairing getting the better of him.
Potters boss Malcolm Vasey commented “I thought we gave a sound performance this evening apart from one rider. There was some excellent racing and one or two of our riders were outstanding in particular Ben Wilson in the early part of the meeting and Danny Phillips got better as the match went on and both had some tremendous races especially against Joe Jacobs and Matt Williamson. I thought that apart from Belle Vue’s top two we coped to a reasonable with all of their riders and when I see Ben Hopwood passing our former captain Jon Armstrong it’s pleasing to know that Ben is getting near to his best form once again. David Morgan and Paul Burnett also chipped in with paid four points each and if only we could have got to grips with their top two Jacobs and Williamson then I’m sure we may have got something out of the meeting.”
BELLE VUE 53: Joe Jacobs 15, Matt Williamson 12, Rob Shuttleworth 7+1, Tom Woolley 6+1, Jon Armstrong 6, Joe Lawlor 5, David Holt 2+1. STOKE 37: Danny Phillips 10, Ben Wilson 9+2, Ben Hopwood 7, Tony Atkin 5+2, David Morgan 3+1, Paul Burnett 3+1, Shaun Tedham 0.
