The Kent SLYDE Kings missed the opportunity to go top as they slipped to a 47-43 defeat at Buxton. The Kings still claim a consolation point for losing by less than 7 points.

Kings reserve George Hunter continued his fine run of form by top scoring with 12. Though there were several instances of misfortune that Kent could point too that denied them the opportunity of winning.

The first of these occurred in the very opening race when captain Luke Bowen suffered an engine failure whilst clear in front. His misfortune let Buxton rider Shelby Rutherford through for the win.

In the second race George Hunter gated in front but carried too much speed into the third bend and fell, though he remounted to complete the race it handed a maximum 5-1 heat advantage to the home side.

The Kings reversed this in the very next race with a 5-1 of their own from Dan Greenwood and guest Kyle Bickley which levelled the scores. However Buxton retook the lead in the Heat 4 with a 4-2 heat advantage after Jack Thomas suffered an engine failure on the first turn.

Luke Bowen got his first win of the meeting under his in a shared Heat 5 before Buxton extended their lead in the sixth with another 4-2 heat advantage.

The Kings cut the deficit to two points in Heat 8 with a 4-2 heat advantage with George Hunter and Anders Rowe finishing either side of Jamie Halder. There were two further shared heats before the Kings took the lead in Heat 11.

Max Clegg was originally leading but appeared to slow up, this allowed the Kings duo of Luke Bowen and Anders Rowe past. The 5-1 to Kent put them into a two point lead. This was maintained with the a shared heat in the 12th race though this could easily have been a 5-1 to the Kings until Kyle Bickley saw his cut out come out. George Hunter took the win to continue his impressive afternoon’s work.

Heat 13 was another dramatic affair. After being warned for moving in the first attempt to stage the race, Jack Thomas charged through the tapes earning himself an exclusion. In the third attempt, Luke Bowen was leading when on the last bend of the second lap he lifted and came down, this turned a shared race into a 5-1 heat advantage to Buxton and once again the doggedly determined home side were in front.

Heat 14 saw the Kings squander another 5-1, when Dan Greenwood and George Hunter gated together, but Greenwood came off on bend 4 and was excluded from the re-run. A re-run that was won by George Hunter, his third win of the day.

Heat 15 saw Buxton take a 4-2 heat advantage which sealed their 47-43 victory, which leaves Kent in third place tied on points with Belle Vue and two points behind leaders Eastbourne. Kent now have just one league match to complete away to Stoke next Saturday.