Rob shares this latest news from Island Speedway. Ed
The Isle of Wight ‘Wightlink’ Warriors are now scheduled to travel to take on the Stoke Potters on Friday evening (19.30) in a meeting that will see Buxton open the evening’s important National League action at 18.00.
The Warriors fixture, which has been rearranged several times due to various issues, sees the visitors again badly depleted with work commitments preventing five regulars from riding. Only Connor Coles and Chris Widman of the usual septet will be able to take to the track this time. The constant changing of dates has been unhelpful in trying to field a team truly representative of the Warriors and for this fixture rely on guest riders Ben Hopwood (Kent) and Joe Lawlor (Cradley) to cover for James Cockle and Scott Campos respectively.
The rider replacement facility will operate for the missing Ben Wilson. With Adam Portwood working and Jamie Sealey unable to take more time off after Tuesdays rain off (he will miss his first official Warriors fixture of 2017), local rider Joe Alcock and Geordie Josh Embleton come in at reserve for their first rides for the Warriors.
Co-promoter Martin Widman commented,
“Tomorrow we’ll try for the fifth time to fulfil our away match at Stoke, but again we have to go without our usual line-up.
“It’s been a hectic, not to mention frustrating, week behind the scenes as we have tried to piece together a side and my thanks go to the riders who have stepped in as well as Jackie Vatcher and Kev Shepherd who have re-arranged commitments to make time for Warrior business.”
Warriors line up: Ben Hopwood, Chris Widman, Connor Coles, Joe Lawlor, Rider Replacement for Ben Wilson, Joe Alcock and Josh Embleton.
Sunday match
Once the Stoke fixture has been completed, Warriors move on to Mildenhall on Sunday for what should be the final fixture anywhere in the UK in 2017.
With the destination of the wooden spoon unlikely to be known for sure, Warriors fans will be pleased to hear that early indications are that it will be a full strength Warriors team who take on the Fen Tigers in a double-header meeting after the home side first try to claw back a 28 point deficit following a pounding at Eastbourne in the first leg of the National League Knock Out Cup Final last weekend.
Image: © Ian Groves
