The sight of captain Luke Bowen in the pits (visiting for the first time since his shoulder injury) roused the Kent SLYDE Kings in what was one of the best team displays they have put in since their inception in 2013.

Without any of their original heat leader trio, the Kings pulled out a 51-39 victory in the National Trophy over local rivals Eastbourne. – eliminating the Eagles from the competition.

The meeting started with the Kings’ guest Ben Morley partnered by Bradley Andrews taking a maximum heat advantage. The lead was extended in the reserves race when George Hunter took a win from Matt Bates after Anders Rowe who incurred a penalty for breaking the tapes in the original staging, made light work of the 15 metre handicap to overcome Eagles’ debutant Matt Saul.

The in-form Jack Thomas made a sublime start win a restarted heat three and with Charley Powell taking a tumble and being excluded it took the SLYDE-sponsored Kings lead to eight points after the opening three races.
A brilliant display of team riding in heat five from stand-in captain Thomas and Morley took the lead to 10 points which then became 12 after heat six.

Kent weathered a mini Eastbourne revival in heats seven and eight when the visitors took a 5-1 followed by a 4-2 which reduced the hosts lead to six points; but that was as good as it got for the Sussex seasiders who were hampered by captain Georgie Wood having an off night beset by engine problems restricting his scoring to just a single point and reserve Saul failing to score from his three rides.

Kent led 34-26 at the interval and after the break it was really a case of wrapping up what had been an excellent night’s work. An eventful 11th race saw a share of the spoils. Tom Brennan took the lead and led tapes to flag with Kent’s other guest Connor Coles in second. Wood and George Hunter were battling for third when the Kings’ number six came down, he remounted and rode around at the back which proved to be a wise decision when the hapless Wood fell on the last bend and was unable to get up before Hunter came by for third place.

The meeting was sealed up in Heat 14 when teenaged pairing Thomas and Rowe rode with the maturity of riders nearer their combined age of 33 to take a 5-1, giving the Kings a 12 point lead going into the last race which denied the visitors the chance of even a bonus point.

The meeting finished as it began with the hugely impressive Morley taking the victory in a quick time and with the win it means that Kent’s next National Trophy fixture becomes decisive, Mildenhall will need to register a point or better to confirm their place in the final against Plymouth in what is Mildenhall’s last fixture in the group stage. If they fail to do so they will have to await the result of Kent’s visit to Arlington on a date yet to be confirmed.

Kent SLYDE Kings 51

Ben Morley (G) 3 2* 3 3 2 3 16+1
Bradley Andrews 2* 1 0 1 4+1
Rider Replacement – Ben Hopwood
Jack Thomas 3 3 2 3 3 R 14
Connor Coles (G) 1 0 1 2 0 4
George Hunter 3 0 1* 4+1
Anders Rowe 1✝ 2 2 1* 1 2* 9+2

Eastbourne Eagles 39

George Wood 0 R F 1 1
Tom Brennan 1 1 1 3 6
Mark Baseby 2 2* 2 2 1* 9+2
Charley Powell X 3 0 0 3
Jake Knight 3 2 3 3 2 13
Matt Saul 0 0 0 0
Matt Bates 2 1 3 0 1 7

1.Morley, Andrews, Brennan, Wood (ret) 58.9 (5-1)
2. (re-run) Hunter, Bates, Rowe✝, Saul 61.9 (9-3)
3. (re-run) Thomas, Baseby, Coles, Powell (f.exc), 60.4 (13-5)
4. Knight, Rowe, Bates, Coles, 60.3 (15-9)
5. Thomas, Morley, Brennan, Wood (ret), 60.5 (20-10)
6. Morley, Knight, Andrews, Saul, 60.6 (24-12)
7. Powell, Baseby, Coles, Hunter, 62.6 (25-17)
8. Bates, Rowe, Brennan, Andrews (f.rem) 62.5 (27-21)
9. Knight, Thomas, Rowe, Saul, 59.8 (30-24)
10. Morley, Baseby, Andrews, Powell, 59.6 (34-26)
11.Brennan, Coles, Hunter (f.rem), Wood (f), 61.4 (37-29)
12. Thomas, Baseby, Rowe, Bates, 60.3 (41-31)
13. Knight, Morley, Wood, Coles, 60.8 (43-35)
14. Thomas, Rowe, Bates, Powell (f.rem), 61.0 (48-36)
15. Morley, Knight, Baseby, Thomas (ret), 59.8 (51-39)

The next action at Central Park is the annual event the John Cearns Cup when the Kent SLYDE Kings take on a side representing the famous London club, the Wimbledon Dons.

Riders appearing for the Dons include two one-time Kings and both also former Divisional Riders Champions, Steve Boxall and David Mason. The meeting is on Monday 23th. July – 6.30pm start time.

Pictures supplied by Elizabeth Leslie.