KENT piled on the misery for home supporters as the Kings defeated Stoke 46-43 in the Travel Plus National League at Loomer Road on Sunday afternoon, the Potters last home win being back in June.
The Potters got off to a poor start with Kent taking five 4-2 heat advantages in the opening eight heats to lead 29-19 at the midway point of the meeting. The Potters were a little unlucky in heat seven as Ben Hopwood suffered an engine failure while leading resulting in David Mason taking the chequered flag ahead of Chris Hay and Hopwood after Jack Thomas took a heavy fall and being disqualified at the first time of asking.
The A.R. Richards Potters gained their first heat advantage in heat ten as Ben Wilson and Shaun Tedham teamed together for a 4-2 over Mason and then skipper Tony Atkin combined with partner Paul Burnett over Mason for a maximum 5-1 race win as the Potters fought back strongly to reduce the Kings lead to just four points with three heats remaining the King’s lead 38-34.
Heat thirteen saw James Shanes disqualified as the primary cause of the stoppage as Ben Wilson seemed to have been left with no room exiting the second turn resulting in Wilson coming off. In the rerun Kings number one Luke Bowen took the flag over Wilson after Hopwood retired with a mechanical issue resulting in a 3-2 to the Kings.
Ryan Blacklock gained a superb victory in heat 14 as he came from third to first on the final lap taking victory from Thomas and Luke Clifton and in the final race Blacklock again took victory despite being pushed all the way to the chequered flag after Shanes who had managed to get passed Atkin.
The result means the Potters have not won in their last nine outings with their last win being back in July at Buxton, leaving the Potters firmly rooted in 11th place in the table.
STOKE 43: Tony Atkin 11, Ben Wilson 9, Ryan Blacklock 7+1, Ben Hopwood 7+1, Paul Burnett 4+1, Shaun Tedham 3, Chris Hay 2. KENT 46: James Shanes 13, Luke Bowen 10+1, David Mason 9, Luke Clifton 8+2, Jack Thomas 4+1, Danno Verge 2, Danny Ayres R/R.
