Kent SLYDE Kings face their most important match of the 2018 Speedway season so far up in the Potteries on Saturday – taking on Stoke in the second leg of their National Knock-out Cup [NKOC] first round tie.

The SLYDE Kings take a hard won 22 points lead up to the Loomer Rd. base of their opponents – having won the first leg earlier this month by 56 to 34.

The second leg sees Chris Hunt’s charges with plenty to prove after a record defeat away to Eastbourne in the National Trophy [NT] and the pressure is intensified by the Central Park-based outfit doing into this vital cup tie without two of their riders. Teen titan Jack Thomas misses the trip to the Potteries as he’s otherwise engaged at an outpost even further north-west – representing his SGB Championship side Glasgow away at Workington.

Meanwhile, after a heavy crash in the Kings’ last home match (on that moccasin a win over Eastbourne) which led to his knee balloon up to twice its normal size and aggravating that injury by bravely carrying in the match at Arlington, Nathan Stoneman has been ordered by the medics to sit out this weekend’s cup tie. The Welsh-born racer had a CT scan on his injured knee and doctors have ordered to rest to allow the partially torn ligaments and surrounding tissue damage to settle down.

Further tests are listed and it may be that an operation will be necessary – though this is considered unlikely. The upshot though is that Stoneman will miss Saturday’s trip to Stoke and also next Monday’s (25/6) Travel Plus National League [TPNL] match at Central Park Stadium against Coventry Bees.

Team manager, Chris Hunt, is philosophical about the loss of his toughest rider, “Nathan is pivotal to our success or otherwise and we will miss him sorely. But I expect the rest of the Kings to rally round the flag and up their scoring. Having finished our NT campaign now and seeing the route to silverware closed off to us, it’s absolutely vital that we progress through this NKOC tie”.

Hunt has opted for the Rider Replacement facility for the missing Thomas – this will mean any of the Kings’ septet can take a ride each to cover for the missing heat leader – including of course skipper Luke Bowen. The SLYDE Kings’ number one scored paid 13 on his side’s last trip to Chesterton last September. That was a 47-43 win for the visitors when, by coincidence, R/R was used for the missing Thomas. Anders Rowe’s three heat wins and nine points then would be hugely welcomed if it could be repeated.

By coincidence too the ‘Guest’ used in September was Taylor Hampshire – now a full time Kings’ man, Hampshire also really needs a repeat of his scoring prowess in that match – when he posted paid nine onto the scorechart.

There’s a ‘Guest’ this time as well – coming in to cover for the stricken Stoneman is appropriately enough, Leon Flint . The teenager from the north-east is a three-times GB junior champion and it would certainly be good if Flint could chalk up the match winning paid maximum he scored for this 2018 TPNL side Birmingham when they won at Loomer Rd. earlier this campaign.

The Potters have no injury doubts and their concerns before the meeting will perhaps be concentrated mainly on track preparation – after their hosting of the Isle of Wight last Saturday having to be abandoned due to deteriorating track conditions,

The match is on Saturday 23rd June, 7pm start time at Loomer Road Stadium, Chesterton,Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire.ST5 7LB