The Kent SLYDE Kings got their City Gearboxes National League [CGNL] campaign off the mark with two hard-won match points in a thrilling encounter against the Rye House Restart Raiders in Hoddesdon on Saturday night (2/5).
The meeting (a first-ever competitive fixture between the two clubs) ebbed one way and then the other, in what was a classic advert for CGNL Speedway - with a heat advantage in the final race courtesy of the two star Kings’ men of the evening, skipper Ben Morley and Danny Ayres gaining a draw 45-45 on the night.
For Ayres it was a triumphant return to action after being out with a broken bone in his hand – an absence that severely hampered the Central Park-based side in their opening CGNL matches away to Mildenhall and at home to reigning champions, Cradley – meaning both had ended pointless for Kent. Ayres’ return made a huge difference but the injury voodoo struck again for Chris Hunt’s men, for certain denying the SLYDE-backed Kings a win on this first-ever trip for the side to the famous Rye House circuit in Herts: with the in-form James Shanes crashing out in his second ride and having to withdraw from proceedings on medical advice, suffering from an injured shoulder.
The visitors built a handy lead in the opening half of the match – moving to a six points advantage come the end of heat 7. The captain Morley (back on a track he knows so well, having started his league career as a Raider) got things off to a great start beating the home side’s marquee signing, 2013 GB Under 21 Champion Rob Branford in a very quick heat 1. With former Kent man Sam Woods tumbling off, the point for third place went to the steady Danno Verge and the visitors had their first of an eventual six heat advantages of the evening. Heat 2 was to be the first of four heats which had to be stopped and points awarded on what was without question an uncharacteristically heavy track and one which caused a lot of difficulties to the riders. To be fair, especially early on the track surface seemed to be causing the homesters more problems than the visiting Kings; and in heat 2 their inexperienced reserve Danyon Hume suffered the first of what was to be FIVE falls in four rides for the youngster. This was the most painful to both body and bike as he fell into the path of the SLYDE Kings no. 6 Jamie Couzins, who couldn’t avoid ploughing into him. Thankfully both emerged unscathed and the resultant disqualification for Hume while his team-mate, the impressive Alfie Bowtell was leading, meant a shared heat: Adam Sheppard in second grabbing what were to be his only points on a frustrating night for the Surrey-based Kings’ reserve.
Heat 3 was a race that will long remain in the memory of the large travelling Kent contingent of fans. The hugely popular Danny Ayres was back on track but there were anxieties about whether his hand would stand up to the particular rigours of the track. The Raiders’ Brendan Johnson made the start and for four thrilling laps Ayres tried everything to get past the one-time GB Under 18 champ. A magnificent effort around the last bend saw Ayres pass Johnson just inches from the line. With the other former Kent man Luke Chessell suffering the first of two falls in his opening couple of rides (the Raiders’ skipper looking especially unhappy with the state of his new home circuit) it meant another 4-2 and the SLYDE Kings were four ahead. Heat 4 saw that margin pinned back with the experienced Kyle Hughes keeping the ever-lively Shanes behind him and Sheppard again unable to get past Bowtell; but then in heat 5, Chessell fell when leading Morley and the Morley and Verge pairing had another 4-2 under their belt.
Heat 6 was ultimately to be a decisive point of the evening with the outcome destined to lose the SLYDE Kings the full set of points their fantastic endeavours deserved. Branford made a terrific gate with Couzins and Shanes left in his wake. On the second lap Shanes passed his team-mate at speed down the back straight and set out in direct pursuit of the rider from Adelaide. It was a kamikaze effort, though and Shanes hit the fence heavily on the exit from the fourth bend just after the padded protection of the air barrier. Remarkably he bounced up but – holding his shoulder – it was clear the badly shaken teenager was not going to take any further part in the meeting and that medical prognosis was confirmed soon after. Shanes’ disqualification changed a nailed-on shared heat to a 4-2 to the home side.
Cue the returning hero Ayres again out in heat 7, gating superbly to storm ahead. The chasing Hughes overcooked it looping up and over and with the ever-steady Aaron Baseby already leading the hapless Hume, who’d fallen and remounted, the award was a maximum to the Kings and a 24-18 lead at the mid-point.
Heat 8 this season has been Chris Hunt’s side’s Achilles Heel and so it proved again with Bowtell and a happy Woods returning the 5-1 compliment immediately. Worse was to follow in heat 9 with Sheppard in to replace the stricken Shanes, partnering Couzins the two SLYDE Kings’ reserves couldn’t make any impression on Chessell (finally getting his heat win) and Johnson; and suddenly in the blink of an eye from six up, the visitors were two down and destined not ever to regain the lead.
Heat 10 pitched the unbeaten Ayres up against Branford and again Danny was super quick out of the traps. However, on the now notorious fourth bend he hit a bump, reared up badly and the Raiders’ number one went past him – with Baseby tucking in, the points were shared. Heat 11 though saw parity restored, as Morley did protect his unbeaten record (against Hughes this time) and Verge continued his good evening’s work holding off Hume (who’d fallen and remounted again!) and the scores were tied at 33 each.
That situation stayed with Baseby & Couzins combining in heat 12 to share the race and as often is the case much then rested, it seemed, on heat 13. With Shanes confirmed as out of the meeting, this effectively meant Morley had to hold off both of the Raiders’ top men to keep the overall match score level. Branford gated superbly again and this time despite a Herculean effort to catch the South Australian it was to no avail: Ben’s unbeaten record was gone and the Raiders led by two with just two heats to go.
Heat 14 was a hugely dramatic race. The super-fast starting Ayres gated first again but Chessell passed him on lap one. At the back Hume fell once more and remounted but with his team mate and Ayres very speedy, the Raiders reserve was three quarters of a lap behind as they leaders entered the final lap. Hume fell yet again and the red exclusion lights came, thus on denying Danny a final chance of bends three and four of lap 4 to try and repeat the dose he’s served out to Johnson in his first ride. Frustratingly the award then was a 3-3 and the SLYDE Kings went into the final heat 41-43 behind.
A no brainer for who was going to be picked to represent Kent in the ‘Nominated Riders’ final heat with Morley and Ayres lining up (in Danny’s case for a first-ever time in an away League match); but the Raiders’ team boss Andrew Silver had more difficulties when the referee put a stop on his plan to bring Chessell out again. The ref incorrectly invoked a rule used in the Premier League about the riders in heat 15 having to be top scorers (such a rule does NOT apply in the CGNL) - and so instead it was Johnson lining up alongside Branford.
So in heat 15 it was clear what was needed. A 4-2 and the Kings would level the match score and pocket the two match points a draw gains in an away match; a 5-1 and the victory would be secured. But anything less than that and the efforts of the night would be no avail. The tension was huge at the line but this time Ben Morley made the start from the rider who’d defeated him just two races earlier, Branford. Danny Ayres crucially was ahead of Johnson who began to tail off. Danny made a terrific effort to pass the Raiders number one who himself never gave a quarter in his pursuit of Morley, determined to get past his counterpart in the SLYDE Kings side to gain the victory for his team. But the positions ultimately stayed like that: the 4-2 secured for the visitors and honours even; a fair result on an exciting evening when all was said and done and the dust (there was no dust!) had settled.
For Danny Ayres it was a big moment in his career: back from injury in a season when so much is expected and he is demanding so much of himself – this was the performance of a heat leader for sure. “The hand is sore but the adrenalin is pumping. I’ve got a double figure score in my first meeting back and I’m still buzzing. I went out and got a Heat 15 tonight so the hand didn’t affect me too much, although I know it will be hurting in an hour’s time.” Ayres is certainly focused on the challenges ahead,
“I’m still new to the game and I want to win every race I go out in. I don’t do second and I don’t do third! I’m a racer but sometimes it pays to sit tight. It was great to get an outing in a Heat 15 in such a vital match. I was bit gutted because I tried to clamp him [Branford] but it didn’t come off so in the end, I just had to sit tight and get the point that got us a draw.
“We did really well to get two points against a very good side with a bit of luck we could have won it. There’s a lot of positives to take from it to honest. At the beginning we all just wanted to come out of the meeting in one piece as the track wasn’t good. I can’t wait to get back to Central Park on Monday and to see all the fans down there.”
That match is a National Trophy encounter with the Mildenhall Fen Tigers and being a Bank Holiday tomorrow (4/5) is a 3pm start time at Central Park
Rye House Raiders = 45 1. Rob Branford 2 3 3 3 2 13 2. Sam Woods F 1 2' 0 3+1 3. Brendan Johnson 2 2 2' 3 0 9+1 4. Luke Chessell 0 0 3 3 6 5. Kyle Hughes 3 X 3 1 7 6. Danyon Hume X 1 0 X 1 7. Alfie Bowtell 3 1 3 0 7
Kent Kings = 45 1. Ben Morley 3 3 3 2 3 14 2. Danno Verge 1 1 1 1 4 3. Aaron Baseby 1 2' 1' 2 6+2 4. Danny Ayres 3 3 2 2 1 11 5. James Shanes 2 X (withdrawn – inj.) 2 6. Jamie Couzins 1' 2 1 1' 1' 6+3 7. Adam Sheppard 2 0 0 0 R 2