Thanks to Bryn for this Speedway update. Ed
After heavy rain led to the postponement of last Tuesday’s scheduled speedway action at Smallbrook, the hope is that the sun will be shining brightly tomorrow night (Tuesday) and that the Wightlink Islanders continue their winning ways in their march towards the 2013 National Trophy when the action gets underway at 7pm.
Of the five matches they’ve ridden so far in the competition, we’ve won four of them and lost one, that being the away match at Suffolk club Mildenhall where we were edged out by 47 points to 42.
Heading the table
Despite that, we head the table four points clear of Mildenhall who are our closest challengers as things stand but we still have a match in hand over them and skipper Ben Hopwood and his young Wightlink Islanders team are aiming to move seven points clear by taking all three points at the expense of tomorrow night’s opponents, the Stoke Easy Rider Potters.
And whilst Ben and crew will go into the meeting without Danny Stoneman who is currently sidelined through injury, having already defeated the Potteries side back in April when the two sides met in an early season challenge match, they won’t be taking matters lightly and certainly will afford the Stoke all necessary respect.
But, having said that, the Wightlink Islanders will most certainly be making every effort to maintain their current unbeaten home 2013 record and send the Easy Riders Potters home well and truly beaten.
Stoke’s dangermen
Looking at the main dangermen in Stoke’s side, that starts with 23 years old KYLE HUGHES who we know only too well on the Isle of Wight as he spent most of last season with us although it ended in heartbreak for him, or rather some very expensive repair bills as he went through a spate of engine blow ups that culminated in him taking a break from the sport. He’s back this year though riding for Stoke and top scored for them with 12pts when they here in that earlier match back in April.
And the Potters No.1, also 23 years old LUKE CHESSELL, who hails from Swindon and rode for Rye House last year before joining the Potters, will be keen to make up for missing out on that match when injury prevented him from taking part in it
Up and coming
Those two plus their skipper LUKE PRIEST, who has rejoined them this season for his third stint at the club having riding for Buxton last year, another somewhat experienced campaigner in the shape of former National League Riders Champion LEE SMART who, like Hughes, is another who rode for ourselves previously – in he case back in 2006, give the Stoke side a very strong looking top four on paper.
And their septet is completed by three up-and-coming young Brits in Ben Reade, Shaun Tedham and Lee Payne and whilst they will be coming here looking for a win, we feel confident they won’t achieve that!
Danny looks to be back for Kent match
Popular Wightlink Islander Danny Stoneman, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in a crash during our win over Mildenhall on May 21st, misses tomorrow night’s match against Stoke but intends to be back for our next home match against Kent.
We’ll be operating the rider-replacement regulations to cover his four programmed races tomorrow and that means one can be taken by Darryl Ritchings whose average is the one immediately above that of Danny’s, and our two reserves Adam Ellis and Brandon Freemantle can share the others or all four if necessary.
Image: Lee Jordan under CC BY 2.0
