With the results at Plymouth & at table toppers Leicester over the last couple of days, any lingering concerns about non-qualification for the title-deciding National League [NL] Play Offs have been ended and it’s possible to confirm that mathematically the Kent TouchTec Kings are definitely confirmed in the top four (indeed now impossible to finish lower than third).
The last match then in the normal NL fixtures away at Wolverhampton’s Monmore Green track, the rented home of the Cradley Heathens, can take place on Monday (9th. September – 7.30pm start time) without any pressure on the Kings who, though, getting very close back to full strength will be very keen to demonstrate their title credentials with a win. For the hosts there’s an entirely different level of pressure on them as with this being their final match too and fter an impressive away win at Plymouth moved up to in fifth place in the table – they are desperate for three points (or even at the worse scenario one point) to keep their Play Off hopes alive.
For Kent, Jordan Jenkins is back and with Alex Spooner re-declared into the side, this sees stand-in skipper David Wallinger move down into the reserve berths alongside Jake Mulford.
For the Heathens, they’re led from the number one berth by one of their most loyal racing sons, Max Clegg – the former National League Riders’ Champion [NLRC] being joined in the heat leader berths by former Kent Kings man, Luke Harris and a rider who actually made his NL racing debut for the Kings but has gone on to have something of a stormy relationship with the Central Park faithful, Jack Smith. The West Midlanders’ other one-time NLRC winner Dan Halsey is out injured so the Rider Replacement facility is used for him – with James Chattin who Kent fans saw in action in the Invicta race jacket at Leicester recently takes the reserve race jacket alongside teenager Harry McGurk.
Teams [in alphabetical order]:
Cradley Heathens: James Chattin; Max Clegg; Luke Harris; Harry McGurk; Tom Spencer; Jack Smith; Rider Replacement for Dan Halsey; no. 8 tbc
Kent TouchTec Kings: Dan Gilkes; Jordan Jenkins; Drew Kemp; Jake Mulford; Anders Rowe,; Alex Spooner; David Wallinger
With the home amateur meeting, the Rob Racing Futurama due at Central Park called off due to rain, all roads lead to the Black Country on Monday evening for Kent fans – the address of the venue is Ladbroke Stadium, Monmore Green, Wolverhampton, WV2 2JJ and tapes are up at 7.30pm