A last heat maximum courtesy of captain Luke Bowen and man of the meeting Ben Hopwood secured the narrowest of first leg play off victories over Eastbourne Eagles on the night for Kent, leaving the SLYDE Kings with it all to do in the second leg of this semi final on Saturday.
It was a meeting which perhaps hinged on a very early incident in heat two when Anders Rowe having brilliantly passed both of his opponents on the inside in breathtaking racing maneuvers, suddenly picked up too much drive and looped over leading to a race stoppage and a maximum to the Eagles’ pairing of the inexperienced Jason Edwards and partner Matt Bates. That gave the undoubtedly determined Sussex septet the impetus they wanted and an early lead and despite Kent rallying, it was an uphill struggle to build the wanted significant first leg lead from that point onwards.
Hopwood, who had one of the best nights of his long racing career, did his level best to get the hosts back into it – storming from behind in the next race and being partnered home by Dan Greenwood for a 5-1 of Kent’s own to retake the lead; and then when George Hunter (who continued his splendid Central Park form) and the skipper Bowen combined for another maximum in heat six it seemed a mid-meeting surge might turn the tie firmly in Kent’s direction.
However, with Jack Thomas missing the gate and failing to get back on terms in the very next race and the off the pace debutant Macauley Leek making no impression, the scores were level at the de facto half way stage. Heat eight was always likely to be pivotal but Rowe got a second warning for moving at the start and controversially the referee called that a ‘red card’. Hunter took the chequered flag first in the rerun but the enforced 15 metres handicap proved too much for the 15-year-old Rowe and a 3-3 saw the sides still locked together at 24-24.
Hopwood’s second race win of the evening in heat 12 ensured the Kings recovered equality after the crippling disappointment of Thomas losing the lead in the previous race due to a misfiring machine and so with three heats to go it was dead level again.
Heat 13 saw Thomas trap brilliantly this time but his skipper Bowen was trailing. Kent’s ‘Captain Marvel’ did all he could to get back on terms but overcooked it tumbling off on the second lap. Remounting in hope of a slip up giving him points, Bowen trailed in last but his young team mate Thomas had the three points: still level at 39-39.
Heat 14 saw a further set back: Tom Brennan (having a better night on a track where he’s sometimes struggled) held off Greenwood and suddenly Kent faced the excruciating possibility of not being able to take any lead into the deciding leg.
Cue Bowen & Hopwood (the latter brilliantly passing the Eagles number one Josh Bailey) to come to the rescue in the last race; and so Kent travel to the home of their bitter rivals on Saturday (7/10) holding a two point lead. Though having gone to Arlington just 16 days ago and won by 10 points there’s no way that the unbowed Kings are giving up on this tie.
Next up at Central Park on Monday 9th. October is the annual Kent Laurels individual championship for the WJ Cearns Trophy – 6.30pm start time
Kent SLYDE Kings 46
L.Bowen 3 2* 2 0 3 10+1
G.Hunter 1 3 3 0 7
G.Hunter 1 3 3 0 7
B.Hopwood 3 2 2 3 2* 12+1
D.Greenwood 2* 0 1* 2 5+2
J.Thomas 2 1 1* 3 7+1
M.Leek 1 0 0 1
A.Rowe X 1* 0✝ 2 1 4+1
D.Greenwood 2* 0 1* 2 5+2
J.Thomas 2 1 1* 3 7+1
M.Leek 1 0 0 1
A.Rowe X 1* 0✝ 2 1 4+1
Eastbourne 44
J.Bailey 2 3 3 1* 0 9+1
C.Powell 0 1 2 0 3
G.Wood R 3 3 2 8
T.Brennan 1 2* 1 3 7+1
J.Knight 3 1 3 2 1✝ 10
J.Edwards 3 0 0 0 3
M.Bates 2* 0 1* 1 4+2
Heat details
1. (re-run) Bowen, Bailey, Hunter, Powell, 59.4 (4-2)
2. (awarded) Edwards, Bates, Leek, Rowe (f.exc) , no time (5-7)
3. Hopwood, Greenwood, Brennan, Wood (ret), 61.3 (10-8)
4. (re-run) Knight, Thomas, Rowe, Bates, 59.6 (13-11)
5. Bailey, Hopwood, Powell, Greenwood, 60.9 (15-15)
6. (re-run) Hunter, Bowen, Knight, Edwards, 60.4 (20-16)
7. Wood, Brennan, Thomas, Leek, 61.3 (21-21)
8. (re-run) Hunter, Powell, Bates, Rowe✝, 63.0 (24-24)
9. Knight, Hopwood, Greenwood, Edwards, 60.2 (27-27)
10. Wood, Bowen, Brennan, Hunter, 60.5 (29-31)
11. Bailey, Rowe, Thomas, Powell (f.rem) 60.6 (32-34)
12. Hopwood, Wood, Rowe, Edwards, 60.3 (36-36)
13. Thomas, Knight, Bailey, Bowen (f.rem), 61.2 (39-39)
14. Brennan, Greenwood, Bates, Leek, 61.8 (41-43)
15. (re-run) Bowen, Hopwood, Knight✝, Bailey, 59.5 (46-44)
TAGS: Kent Kings