Kent TouchTec Kings surrendered leadership of the National League [NL] table to their bête noire of this season, Leicester Lion Cubs on a disappointing evening up in the East Midlands on Saturday (31/8).
Tumbling to a 12 points defeat meant no bonus point either and the Kings now have one final NL match left before the top four positions are decided. The bonus point was though still up for grabs going into the final heat and the visitors fell just short and will feel that a 12 point losing margin doesn’t reward properly a plucky performance – particularly from Anders Rowe and – riding in a match at Leicester for a first ever time – Dan Gilkes who both recorded scores of 13 points.
It started promisingly enough for the visitors with another first timer around the Leicester circuit, Jacob Clouting winning heat two to keep the initial reverse in the opening race down to just a two points gap. Gilkes and new signing David Wallinger combined to hold the Cubs’ ‘guest’ Matt Marson at the back for another 3-3; but the first appearance of the evening of Ellis Perks was a portent of things to come – the maximum man from last weekend’s NL Pairs breaking the NL track record at his home track in seeing off Drew Kemp to extend the homesters’ lead. Rowe was in the winning groove in heat five and then a shock 5-1 for the hosts with rookie Josh Emberton combining with Danyon Hume to put the visitors very much on the back foot.
An uncharacteristic fall from the otherwise flawless Perks in heat seven left a chink of light of a comeback and when the NL Pairs champs Rowe & Kemp combined for a 5-1 for the Kings in heat nine the deficit was done to just six points. Gilkes was twice a race winner in heats 12 & 4 winner and in between Rowe & Kemp kept things in their hands in terms of getting the bonus point in heat 13 by keeping Hume at the back in a reprise of their Pairs winning effort of last Sunday.
So, eight down going into the final heat equalled having to lower Perks’ colours to stand a chance of the bonus but instead a 5-1 went against them took the losing margin to a dozen.
Next up for the Kings is a home challenge match vs. GB Young Lions U23s at Central Park Stadium on Monday 2nd. September – with some huge title-chasing challenges to come in September, the visit of Hume and fellow young Brits will be the perfect limbering up exercise.
