Kent Iwade Garage Royals get their National League [NL] campaign back on track by taking on the outgoing champions, Leicester Lion Cubs at Central Park on Tuesday (12th. October).
Re-arranged after falling foul of the rainy weather of last week, this is the first of the four remaining matches the Royals need to take maximum points from to stand a chance of topping the NL table at the end of the month.
And cancelled meetings at the weekend in the SGB Championship have had an affect on the fixture, with Leicester’s senior team having had to rearrange their home SGBC Play Off Quarter Final on Tuesday meaning their teenaged twins Dan & Joe Thompson will be at Beaumont Park instead of Central Park; and the Royals are likely to be without their skipper Ryan Kinsley too, as his SGBC team Redcar Bears are due at a rearranged match away to Edinburgh (also a Play Off Q/F) on the same evening.
Ryan’s slot will be left open for him as long as possible should the meeting up in West Lothian somehow not be able to go ahead – but if, as seems likely, Kinsley is away on SGBC duty then his place in the Royals’ line up will be taken by club legend, Ben Morley. Kent’s record NL points scorer Ben will be appearing in his first home Royals match this term.
Josh Warren returns from injury and Vinnie Foord moves up into the main body of the team for the first time.
For the visitors there’s a distinctly Kent flavour to their stop-gap replacements – with ex-Kings riders Danno Verge and former GB Youth champion Luke Harris stepping in. The London-born pairing Verge & Harris replace, respectively, Joe Thompson and the recently retired Joe Lawlor. The East Midlanders will utilise Rider Replacement for their missing number one, Dan Thompson. Tom Spencer will captain the Lion Cubs.
Teams (in alphabetical order)
Kent Iwade Garage Royals Jacob Clouting; Vinnie Foord; Dan Gilkes; Ryan Kinsley; Ben Morley *; Jake Mulford; Alex Spooner; Josh Warren * if Edinburgh vs. Redcar (SGBC) off, then Ryan Kinsley will ride
Leicester Lion Cubs Luke Harris; Mickie Simpson; Tom Spencer; Ben Trigger; Danno Verge; Kai Ward; R/R for Dan Thompson
The club want to express their sincerest thanks to the Leicester promotion who has very generously agreed to host as part of a double header (possibly on a Sunday afternoon – details to be confirmed) the outstanding Kent ‘home’ fixture which can’t be held at Central Park due to lack of remaining dates), vs Armadale Devils.
Len Silver, Kent co-promoter said, “We are extremely grateful to all at Leicester for this. It is a wonderful gesture from the Midland club and one which I very much appreciate."
REMAINING FIXTURES:
Tuesday 12th. Oct. Kent Iwade Garage Royals vs. Leicester Lion Cubs [NL] Tuesday 19th. Oct. Kent Iwade Garage Royals vs. Mildenhall Fen Tigers [NL] Tuesday 26th. Oct. Kent Iwade Garage Royals vs. Belle Vue Colts [NL] Date to be arranged (at a Paul Chapman Arena, Leicester) Kent Iwade Garage Royals vs. Armadale Devils [NL]
