Another last heat decider, a remarkable fourth in five matches, saw the Kent TouchTec Kings take victory on a dramatic night of thrills and predominately spills down in Devon on Friday night.
To say the track at the St, Boniface Arena home of the Plymouth Gladiators was challenging was an understatement – and 11 falls (mostly on the tricky bends one and two) tells the tale of a difficult evening. To be fair, it was probably the home riders more ill at ease with conditions than the ever-resilient Kings, whose plucky showing saw them forge into a lead and hang on at the death to keep a late Gladiators’ charge back into contention, at bay.
That Drew Kemp was one of the fallers is headline stuff alone as he is as smooth and safe a competitor as any in this league and his opening win in heat one over the impressive number one for the homesters Ben Wilson set the Kings on their way; by splitting the from then on unbeaten Wilson and Adam Extance (who rode splendidly for the Gladiators) in the final heat, victory was confirmed on the night.
In between a lot of the time it was a match bedevilled by fallers – and the most notable casualty being the hosts’ Nathan Stoneman. Already struggling with a knee injury, the former Kent man crashed out in both of his opening rides and when stretchered off after the second one in heat seven, it was clear his evening was over. Home skipper Richard Andrews was also twice a faller and but for Wilson’s brilliance and outstanding efforts from Extance and reserve (and also a former King) Adam Sheppard, the beleaguered hosts would surely have capitulated far earlier.
Rob Ledwith put his previous troubled visit to Plymouth behind him with two heat wins and a solid paid double figures score this time; and Anders Rowe would have bettered his seven points (which also comprised of two heat wins) but for an also highly uncharacteristic fall in his final outing – no blame on the track for his one as Anders looped at the gate hurting his elbow.
After Andrews’ fell in heat nine (following on from Sheppard getting unusually excluded for both wheels over the white line the race before) it put the Kings into what seemed likely to be a decisive eight points ahead - but Wilson & Extance hit back with a 5-1 in heat 10 and then it was a case of holding their nerve to keep ahead with Jordan Jenkins taking a vital win over home track expert Andrews in heat 14 and take the match points (though not an additional bonus) for Chris Hunt’s men.
A word about stand-in debutant Saul Bulley’s whose paid five was an excellent effort and reserve partner Jacob Clouting importantly also matched that return. Alex Spooner’s first race win since his return from shoulder injury in heat five after Kemp had been excluded, was of vital importance in handing the initiative to the Kings in those particularly difficult early heats..
Next up for the TouchTec Kings are current NL leaders, Isle of Wight Warriors who come to Central Park on Monday 8th. July – 6.30pm start time.
Plymouth Gladiators 44 Ben Wilson 2 3 3 3 3 14 Adam Extance 1' 1 3 2' 2 3 1 13+2 Rider Replacement - David Wallinger Richard Andrews 0, 2, FX, 2 4 Nathan Stoneman FX, FX – withdrawn 0 Adam Sheppard 3 2 X 2 0, 1' 8+1 Jamie Bursill 0 2 1' 1 1 0 5+1
Kent TouchTec Kings 46 Drew Kemp 3 FX 3 2 2 10 Alex Spooner 0 3 2 1 6 Anders Rowe 3 3 1 FX 7 Jordan Jenkins 1 2' 0 3 6+1 Rob Ledwith 3 2 3 1' 0 9+1 Jacob Clouting 1' 0 1 2 4+1 Saul Bulley 2 1 1' 0 4+1
