Thanks to Bryn for this update from last night’s race. Racing at Smallbrook starts at 7pm tonight. Ed
The Wightlink Islanders further extended their unbeaten start to the new season by producing a simply stunning performance last night in a rain-curtailed National Trophy match away to the Kent CTA Fire Kings, the National League’s newest club.
Just eleven of the fifteen scheduled heats had been completed when a very heavy shower left the new Central Park circuit in Sittingbourne in no fit condition for racing to continue and few present, if any, disagreed with referee Dale Entwistle’s ruling that it would almost certainly be too dangerous for the riders to continue and with the agreement of both captains, the match was abandoned at that point.
22 to 44
The somewhat amazing scoreline at the time of the abandonment stood at Kent CTA Fire Kings 22 The IW Wightlink Islanders 44! And under current UK speedway regulations, that scoreline will stand as the match result,
It has to be said that the twenty-two point difference between the sides at that stage is fully reflective of the Wightlink Islanders almost total dominance of proceedings from start to finish as they provided no less than seven of the 11 heat winners.
Only once did one of Ben Hopwood’s young team fail to record at least a point in any race, that one occasion coming when Tom Young fell in his opening heat four ride. But the 21 year old Welshman didn’t let that minor setback faze him going on to score points in his other two outings including winning heat nine.
Tumble for Kingston and Freemantle
The one moment that spoilt a nigh on perfect night for us was the heavy tumble taken by Kent teenage No.7 Jack Kingston in heat eight when he clipped our own No.7 Brandon Freemantle’s back wheel bringing both down in the process. Thankfully Brandon was soon on his feet but the home rider after treatment was taken from the track in the ambulance, although the latest information we’ve received indicates that his injuries are not thought to be serious.
This was a match in which our joint team managers Chris Hunt and Kevin Shepherd had precious little to do throughout other than stand back and admire each of their Wightlink Islanders pairings as they went about their business in each and every heat and the latter commented afterwards,
“Chris and I together with the seven riders we tracked came here determined to do our best to secure the win but I don’t think any of us would have thought we’d win by THAT big a margin!
“Win we did though although I’m sure that the Kent side will improve once they’ve all had further rides on what is, at this stage, effectively still an away track to them just as much as it was tonight to our riders.
“Our big win here has really put all of us in the Wightlink Islanders camp from top to bottom into the right frame of mind to see off Mildenhall in tonight’s home match in the National Trophy at Smallbrook and hopefully our fans will turn out in force to cheer our exciting side on.”
Match details from Central Park Sittingbourne
Monday, May 13th (National Trophy)
Referee: Dale Entwistle
Kent 22 WIGHTLINK ISLANDERS 44
(Meeting abandoned after 11 heats — result stands)
Scorers:
KENT CTA FIRE KINGS 22: Steve Boxall 6, Ben Morley 6, David Mason 4, Adam Kirby 3, Sam Woods 2, Jack Kingston 1, Connor Coles 0.
WIGHTLINK ISLANDERS 44: Ben Hopwood 9, Danny Stoneman 7+3, Brandon Freemantle 7+1, Tom Perry 7, Adam Ellis 6+2, Darryl Ritchings 4+1, Tom Young 4+1.
Image: Lee Jordan under CC BY 2.0
