The Kent SLYDE Kings stormed to an emphatic 61-29 win to open their 2017 Travel Plus National League [TPNL] campaign to delight a large Bank Holiday crowd at Central Park on Monday (1st. May).
Solid scoring throughout the team simply blew away the challenge of the visiting Buxton Hitmen.
It was who didn’t travel from the Derbyshire Dales which was as significant for the seriously depleted visitors who, in truth, put on a plucky show. Buxton had absences in their heat leader ranks and rulings on facilities available to cover going against them and it was more mayhem than May Day for their beleaguered team boss Jason Pipe. When one considers that GB U-21 finalist Ellis Perks’ absence on SGB Premiership top division duty with Rye House was covered by rookie William O’Keefe and Lee Dicken’s by junior Sam Woolley (technically the Hitmen used the Rider Replacement facility for the missing veteran but the younger of the Woolley siblings took all the allotted four rides) – it shows how weakened the side from the Peak District were.
There was no sympathy out there on track by a formidable looking SLYDE Kings’ side for whom skipper Luke Bowen went through the card unbeaten for a third meeting running and Nathan Stoneman shrugged off potentially debilitating rib injuries to star. The Welshman’s incredible maneuver to slice right between James Cockle (guesting for the also injured Matt Williamson at no. 1 for the visitors) and Shelby Rutherford in heat 11 was unquestionably the best racing moment so far this season for the home crowd to appreciate. By then the far stronger hosts were moving inexorably towards the 60 points mark, duly achieved as Bowen completed his maximum in heat 15 – making it 15 wins now from 15 races home and away for the skipper since the last Bank Holiday!
Kiwi Bradley Andrews will be content that another solid showing pushed his total into paid double figures; getting extra rides to cover when his reserve colleague Alex Spooner aggravated an already injured ankle. Also in the wars initially was Luke Clifton – sent flying on the very first bend of the very first race, he missed two rides with resultant mechanical woes but stormed back once running repairs were completed, with a win and a paid win.
For the visitors, their captain Tom Woolley will never graft more manfully for just six points – he deserved more -; and Cockle delivered an admirable five second places which was the sheer epitome of consistency from an always to be relied upon third tier stalwart. Consistency and trusted middle order scoring may once have been terms to describe another rider with a long list of TPNL appearances, Ben Hopwood. But since his arrival at Central Park the 26 year old has been a transformed person – five matches now and delivered five scores in double figures with some truly dominating riding. He looks like the steal of the season on a starting average of under six points. The Salford speedster (whose partnership with Jack Thomas is proving especially potent) was quite exceptional again, delivering 13 points to make it an unlucky afternoon for the Hitmen.
Kent SLYDE Kings 61 Luke Bowen 3 3 3 3 3 15 Luke Clifton M M 3 2' 5+1 Ben Hopwood 3 3 3 3 1 13 Jack Thomas 1 1 2' 3 7+1 Nathan Stoneman 3 3 3 1 10 Bradley Andrews 3 2' 1 0 2' 1 9+2 Alex Spooner 1 1 R 2
Buxton Hitmen 29 James Cockle 2 2 2 2 2 10 Shelby Rutherford 0 R 1' 1' 2 William O’Keefe 0 0 1 1 2 Tom Woolley 2 2 F 2 0 6 Rider replacement – Lee Dicken Lee Geary 2 2 1 X 5 Carl Basford 0 1 2 0 3 Sam Woolley 0 1' 0 0 1+1
