It’s local Derby time in the Travel Plus National League [TPNL] Play Offs for a second year running, with the Kent SLYDE Kings facing up to fierce local rivals, Eastbourne Eagles for a place in the title-deciding final.
Again for a second year running, it’s the Kings who have had the ascendency in terms of league position, having leap-frogged the Sussex seasiders for a first time all season in the breathless finish to the ‘qualifying’ matches at the weekend: Kent laying second in the table level on points with Belle Vue Colts with the Eagles knocked off their perch and having to settle with third. A salutary note though, as last season Kent also finished second to Eastbourne’s third but went down on aggregate to the Eagles in the Play Off semi then; so they’ll certainly be no complacency whatsoever in the SLYDE Kings’ camp.
The semi-final draw that the Kent management wanted (only two weeks ago having ended Eastbourne’s long unbeaten run at home with an emphatic win at their local rivals’ home circuit) came about in a slightly more circuitous route, with Belle Vue Colts having finished top of the pile and thus having the ‘honour’ of selecting their semi-final opponents and selecting the other south-easterners in the Play Off berths: fourth-placed Lakeside Hammers. The Manchester side having selected the Essex based Hammers, it was Eastbourne again for the SLYDE Kings.
The dates have been set. The first leg will be at Central Park Stadium on Monday 2nd October with the hosts then intent on building a big as lead as possible to take in their kit bag for the short cross-county border crossing the following weekend: with the second leg scheduled for Saturday 7th. at the Arlington Raceway.
The semi-final draw that the Kent management wanted (only two weeks ago having ended Eastbourne’s long unbeaten run at home with an emphatic win at their local rivals’ home circuit) came about in a slightly more circuitous route, with Belle Vue Colts having finished top of the pile and thus having the ‘honour’ of selecting their semi-final opponents and selecting the other south-easterners in the Play Off berths: fourth-placed Lakeside Hammers. The Manchester side having selected the Essex based Hammers, it was Eastbourne again for the SLYDE Kings.
The dates have been set. The first leg will be at Central Park Stadium on Monday 2nd October with the hosts then intent on building a big as lead as possible to take in their kit bag for the short cross-county border crossing the following weekend: with the second leg scheduled for Saturday 7th. at the Arlington Raceway.
Play Off Semi-Finals:
First Leg: Kent SLYDE Kings vs. Eastbourne Monday 2nd. October – @ Central Park Stadium 6.30pm
Second Leg: Eastbourne vs. Kent SLYDE Kings Saturday 7th. October – @ Arlington Raceway 7.30pm
First Leg: Kent SLYDE Kings vs. Eastbourne Monday 2nd. October – @ Central Park Stadium 6.30pm
Second Leg: Eastbourne vs. Kent SLYDE Kings Saturday 7th. October – @ Arlington Raceway 7.30pm
Picture supplied by Elizabeth Leslie.
TAGS: Kent Kings