Bryn shares this latest news from the Island Speedway team, Wightlink Warriors. Ed
Following on from last Thursday’s incredible last race National Trophy victory over Mildenhall the Wightlink Warriors return to league action tonight (Thursday) at the Andrew Younie Smallbrook Stadium with the tapes rising on the first race at 7pm.
Their opponents are the Belle Vue Colts from Manchester who currently lie third in the National League standings having amassed 11 points from the six matches they’ve had so far including an away win at Rye House, and have made a shrewd move in booking in Kent Kings’ James Shanes as a guest for David Holt who’s riding for his Premier League club Redcar.
Not the best start to the season
It’s fair to say that Holt hasn’t made the best of starts to the 2016 season whereas King James has been flying as evidenced by the fact that he was unbeaten by a Warrior when his parent club came to the Isle of Wight in the National Trophy back in April.
Boosted though by that win over Mildenhall last week despite losing both Tyler Govier and Lee Smart after crashes in the first five heats, and the news that both are set to return to the saddle, our septet are determined to make it two home league wins out of two and are urging their fans from both the island and mainland to really get behind them once again as they did against Mildenhall.
16 year old sensation
Looking at our opponents in a little more detail, we’ve already focused on their guest rider Shanes, who obviously poses a big threat to our victory aspirations and another we must most certainly be wary of is the 16 year old sensation that speedway followers up and down the country are raving about, Dan Bewley.
Following the publication of new Belle Vue averages yesterday, incredulous as it may sound, he’s jumped straight from No.7 in those to No.1!
We’ve already made use of his services this season and his eleven point return riding at No.2 for the Warriors was instrumental in helping us return home from Cradley Heath with a league point. He’s keeping very busy as he’s also riding for the Edinburgh Monarchs in this year’s Premier League and is definitely one to watch out for in the years ahead.
Oldest rider at 23
Lancastrian Matt Williamson, aged just 23, finds himself dubbed as the Colts’ oldest rider, but we doubt that his team mates dare to call him Grandad! Mind you speedway riders are a rare breed so you never know! Matt was the first rider signed as Belle Vue looked to assemble their side having previously ridden for Cradley in 2014/5 with whom he won the League, KO Cup, and National Shield in his first year with them having ridden for Buxton in 2013. He’s also in his second year of Premier League action this season with Workington.
If he’s the oldest, don’t think for a moment that 16 year old Dan Bewley is the youngest in the Colts septet! No that plaudit goes to Joe Lawlor born in Manchester on The 29th of June 2000! Yes he’s just fifteen years of age and is into one of the two reserve spots for the Colts having begun his association with Belle Vue when he was their Elite League side’s mascot some years ago.
And the duo completing their septet are firstly 22 year old ex-motorcross rider Rob Shuttleworth who first started riding speedway at the Northside training track near Workington then in the Northern Junior League before moving into Stoke’s National League side two years ago, achieving a 3.75 average by the end of 2014. Switched to Coventry last year before Belle Vue captured his signature during the winter.
And finally Tom Woolley, aged 22, who hails from Derbyshire and was signed during the close season after a three year stint with the Buxton Hitmen. Naturally talented in terms of riding motor bikes, he enjoyed success in grasstrack racing being crowned as UK Junior Grasstrack Champion for three consecutive years from 2006 to 2008 as well doing very well indeed in both short track and flat track forms of racing and finished second in the 2012 FIM Flat Track Cup before switching to speedway.
No doubting our opponents commitment to youth and with James Shanes now in their line up, it promises to be another battle royale at our stadium in Ashey Road!
On Friday we’re off to where the cider apples grow
Indeed on Friday Wightlink Warriors travel to Somerset for a challenge fixture against the Exeter Falcons and it’s another challenge clash at the Andrew Younie Stadium on Thursday of next week with the Weymouth Wildcats providing the opposition.
Could it be that both Exeter and Weymouth, who currently find themselves homeless, return to the speedway fold in the not too distant future if they can find suitable sites to stage the sport? Time will tell and we wish them well in their endeavours BUT we intend beating both of them on track!
