In their final league match of the regular season Kent suffered a 16 point defeat at Monmore Green as the Cradley Heathens ran out 53-37 winners.

Kent kept it close and were pushing the home side only trailing 34-32 after Heat 11, but the home side used there home track advantage to perfection in the final 3 heats with three 5-1 heat advantages in those races.

For Kent it was a case of won and lost at reserve berths, the only point scored at reserve was by Danno Verge finishing third in the reserve race. That reserve race reverse was the only break in the scoring in the first 4 heats. With the Kings Luke Bowen and David Mason and James Shanes and Jack Thomas packing the minor places in Heats 1 and 3. In Heat 4 Danny Ayres made a start and went off for victory over Max Clegg.

Heat 5 Kent got there first heat advantage when Luke Bowen won from Tom Perry and David Mason took there third place point over Joe Lawlor. This cut the deficit to 2 points. Cradley’s 4 point lead was established in Heat 6 when Ashley Morris won from Danny Ayres and Richard Andrews headed Danno Verge.

The gap remained at 4 points through a succession of shared heats. Then in Heat 10 Kent took another 4-2 to cut the deficit to 2 points once again as the Heathens led 31-29. James Shanes took a very impressive victory over Ashley Morris and Jack Thomas picked up the third place point. Heat 11 was once again a shared race as Luke Bowen and David Mason packed the minor places behind Max Clegg.

In Heat 12 there was a 4-2 heat advantage to the home side as Tom Perry made a good start and James Shanes couldn’t quite catch him.

The Final three races were all 5-1’s to the home side, as Max Clegg and Ashley Morris twice in Heats 13 and 15 and the two Andrews’ Richard and Bradley in Heat 14.

It was announced after the meeting that Birmingham had picked Cradley in the Play Off Semi Finals meaning Kent will face local rivals Eastbourne.

Image courtesy of Elizabeth Leslie