Entering the Lions’ den has always been fraught with danger, from the days of the eponymous Daniel and Androcles to the present time; and so it proved for the Kent CTA Fire Kings Speedway side on a first-ever trip to Leicester to take on the local Lion Cubs septet.
The opening salvoes delivered by the previously undefeated Kent side in this first National Trophy encounter of the new campaign offered little in the way of portent of the travails to come – with the imperious-looking Simon Lambert continuing his Captain Fantastic form of the opening two fixtures, storming to victory in heat one. However the difficulties of racing partner, Luke Chessell in tumbling off after losing shape on the first lap was to be something of a recurring theme for those in the Kings’ ranks for whom this was a first visit to the rather unusually configured Beaumont Park circuit.
Daniel Blake looked equally ill-at-ease in heat two pulling off the track to begin what was to be a disappointing and pointless afternoon for Kent’s Harlow-based reserve. His partner in the reserve berth was Luke Harris – stepping in after the unlucky Brandon Freemantle found himself in no position to race having lost two whole bikes through calamitous crashes in both of the Central Pak side’s opening matches. The former Grasstrack junior champ did well in heat two to see off the more experienced Tom Woolley but then failed really to recover from misfortune when a faulty cut-off as he went to the tapes in his next ride saw him fall foul of the two minute warning.
Before then though, the Kings had forced themselves back into contention when former League Riders’ Champion, Benji Compton - who’d started this season in the sort of form which makes achieving at that high level seem a distinct possibility again -, produced what was to be the ride of the evening when he stormed past the Lion Cubs’ Max Clegg to retain his unbeaten start to the season. Sadly neither Benji’s proud record or parity in the match was to last much longer and though Lambert saw off the dangerous Tom Perry in heat five, it was too little to prevent the East Midlanders building what was to be an ultimately decisive lead of 14 by just past the halfway mark.
Team boss John Sampford (backed in the pits by assistant Chris Hunt) made a double tactical move in heats 10 and 11 and double points efforts by the ever-battling Ben Morley and Lambert (the latter a full six pointer) brought the score back to a potentially catchable nine with three heats remaining. However the previously unbeaten Lambert was then to find himself twice in three heats staring at the exhausts of both Leicester opponents and suddenly at the denouncement it was a damaging 57-38 defeat. Vice captain David Mason had started well enough but tired badly suffering from the after effects of the influenza which had laid him low and forced him to miss last Sunday’s victory at Scunthorpe.
Only Lambert, his 14 points actually bettering last week’s total, was in any position to be truly happy with his performance and that personal happiness was boosted no end by a storming ride to hold off the attack of the Lions’ James Sarjeant in the all-important Bronze Helmet match race to ensure that title remains in his possession until next month at the earliest.
Next up for the CTA Fire Kings is the open-to-the-public Press Day and Time Trial event at Central Park on Monday 14th. April – gates open at 5.30pm, admission free. A fans forum will follow in the Central Bar at 8pm.
Result & scorers:
LEICESTER 57: James Sarjeant 14, Oliver Greenwood 12+2, Max Clegg 8+2, Tom Perry 7, Dan Greenwood 6+2, James Shanes 6+1, Tom Woolley 4+1.
KENT 38: Simon Lambert 14, Ben Morley 10, Benji Compton 6, David Mason 4, Luke Chessell 2, Luke Harris 2, Dan Blake 0.
