Bryn shares this latest update, Ed
Tomorrow night’s action, yes it’s Tuesday evening action at the Andrew Younie Smallbrook Stadium this week, is the second leg of our KO Cup clash with the Kent S.L.Y.D.E. Kings getting underway with the riders parade at 6.45pm and the first race at 7pm. And the Warriors, fresh from thumping Weymouth 63-27 in last Thursday’s challenge match will be doing all they can to overcome the substantial 24 point deficit they face from the away leg at the beginning of last month.
As was evident last week by virtue of the highest attendance so far this year cheering them on, support for the most exciting sports team on the Isle of Wight continues to grow match by match especially among the younger generations.
Indeed kids love speedway racing on the Isle of Wight and the Warriors love having them in the crowd giving them their support and ahead of tomorrow’s match co-promoter Barry Bishop message was loud and clear when he said,
“We need your support kids so come on down to the Andrew Younie Smallbrook Stadium and join in supporting your Warriors and make as much noise as you like — the riders can hear you and it makes a huge difference to them!”
Adult admission is just £11 and kids admitted free with the Warriors (see the club’s Website for the full range of prices), there’s a great bar, a balanced food menu, covered seating, the pits are open between 17.45 – 18.15 to meet and talk with your favourite rider and a brilliant family fun-filled atmosphere and with the riders parade at 18.45, the first race at 19.00 and matches usually finished by 21.00, it’s a great night out for young and old and, in particular your mini Warrior(s). Plus, of course, there’s Wilbur!
As to tomorrow’s match itself, well the Men of Kent will be hard to beat let alone pull back the 24 point they gained from the first leg of the tie at Central Park, Sittingbourne on May 2nd which they won 57-33 especially as they are unbeaten so far this year but rest assured the Island’s Warriors intend to change that tomorrow so don’t miss out and get down to our stadium in Ashey Road to support the Warriors and cheer them on to victory!
Looking back to last Thursday’s taming of the Wildcats
Warriors 63 Weymouth Wildcats 27 (Challenge Match)
And whilst pleased to see a Weymouth side back on track the home riders were in no mood to extend their warm welcome when racing got underway and, roared on by the biggest crowd of the season so far, they easily tamed the Wildcats.
The visiting side were hit hard by the withdrawal of Danny Ayres from their line up, reportedly through illness, and the operation of the rider replacement regulations to cover for his absence, sharing his four programmed rides amongst other members of their side, proved inadequate producing just three points.
Not that it would have made much difference to the outcome of the match if he had have ridden for the rampant Warriors took control with a maximum 5-1 win in the second heat and secured heat advantages in no less than eleven of the fifteen heats.
Joe Jacobs and skipper James Cockle led the way with a paid and full maximum respectively, the latter thus celebrating his birthday in style, and both Lee Smart and Mark Baseby only dropped one point to a visiting rider.
That came when Weymouth’s No.1 Ben Hopwood got the verdict on the line in the re-run heat 5 after a superb four lap battle between him and Baseby whilst Smart had easily overcome being handicapped for demolishing the tapes at the first attempt, passing David Mason before the latter retired on the last lap.
Mason and Luke Priest offered a modicum of support to Hopwood whose battles with the Warriors in heat 5 and six races later when he and Cockle seemingly passed and re-passed each other at will but those apart, it was mainly one way traffic in the Warriors favour.
Scorers:
Warriors: Joe Jacobs 14+1, Lee Smart 12+2, James Cockle 12, Mark Baseby 9+2, Georgie Wood (deputising for Kelsey Dugard) 7+2, Tyler Govier 6, Matt Saul 3+1.
Wildcats: Ben Hopwood 9, David Mason 6+2, Luke Priest 6, Shaun Tedham 4+1, James Purchase 1, Layne Cupitt 1.
Warriors complete trophy matches tonight
Whilst they cannot qualify for the final of the early season National Trophy competition, the Warriors travel to Central Park in Sittingbourne for their final Southern section qualifying match determined to sew seeds of doubt in the minds of the Kent King’s management and riders ahead of tomorrow night’s KO Cup match at the Andrew Younie Smallbrook stadium.
A club spokesman said,
“They caught us cold at the beginning of the season but we’ve now got into our stride and all seven of our Warriors are now riding very well indeed.
“With us unable to qualify to meet the winners of the Northern section is this restricted entry competition, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose and we are going down the A2 to spring a surprise or two!”
Images: © Mike Thomas
