Two successful south coast forays in a week have moved the Kent ‘Crayford’ Kestrels to the top of the Southern Development League [SDL] table – with a 100% record after four matches.
And 100% was the way to describe the win at the Isle Of Wight on Thursday (5/7) – a league record 30-6 victory : John Sampford’s charges reeling off six untroubled 5-1s to cast a spell of total dominance over the Wizards. With Andrew Palmer unable to travel, there were two changes in the Kestrels’ line up: Nick Laurence combining main side Kings’ duties alongside Alex Spooner and Jamie Couzins travelling to the Island to continue the relaunch of his career after an early season period of inactivity.
With three riders with fairly considerable National League experience it was clear the rookie outfit representing the home club would be no real match for the high-flying Kestrels. Still, it takes the most solid of showings to go through the card and for the Crayford Supporters who back the Kent junior side in the SDL this term there was perfect symmetry too. The original Crayford club hold the all-time record wins in two previous racing formats (13 and 16 heats) and now do so in the six-heat format too, courtesy of the new Kestrels side.
Alex Spooner is a record breaker now also – with this being an unprecedented fourth match in a row where he has won every one of his races: 12 rides and 12 wins. That run, and the Kestrels’ unbeaten start had continued the previous Friday (29/6) at Plymouth, taking on the Exeter Falcons. It was a far closer affair this – going to a last heat decider where the Kestrels held onto their lead despite falling to a heat 6 reverse – coming out victors by 18 to 17.
Regarding the Kent ‘Crayford’ Kestrels’ home campaign, both Exeter and IOW will visit along with Weymouth Wildcats in a ‘treble header’ at the Old Gun Site track in Iwade on Sunday August 12th.
Match one: 29/6/18
Exeter Falcons 17 Adam Sheppard FX 1 3 4 Saul Bulley 2 R 2 4 Max Pankhurst 0 2* 1 3+1 Macauley Leek 2 3 1* 6+1
Kent ‘Crayford’ Kestrels 18 Andrew Palmer FX 1 F 1 Jacob Clouting 3 F NS 3 James Laker 1 2* 2 5+1 Alex Spooner 3 3 3 9 [M]
Match two: 5/7/18
Isle of Wight Wizards 6 Chris Watts 1 1 1 3 Morgan Williams Fx 0 0 0 Ben Isley 1 0 0 1 James Luckman 0 1 1 2
Kent ‘Crayford’ Kestrels 30 Nick Laurence 3 3 2* 8+1 [PM] James Laker 2* 2* 2* 6+3 [PM] Alex Spooner 3 3 3 9 [M] Jamie Couzins 2* 2* 3 7+2 [PM]