There may have been some Kent supporters anxious that this visit to Coventry in the National Knock-Out Cup [NKOC] Quarter Final First Leg might prove unlucky.

After all, it was the 13^th. match of a record-setting unbeaten run and it was a Friday night – with its traditionally unlucky connotations to the number 13..

But there was no need for even the slightest bit of anxiety as they witnessed instead a performance of such assurance and dominance that even if the metaphorical Storm had called down a meteorological odds-defying double lightning strike they still couldn’t have halted the Kings in their tracks!

Leading the way from the front again was skipper Luke Bowen who reeled off four wins including three defeats of his opposing number one and the SLYDE Kings renowned adversary, Dan Greenwood.  But the headlines were stolen by another brilliant showing by the other Luke in the Sittingbourne-based side, the Canterbury-born Clifton who is in a rich vein of form and recorded his best away score since his return to the sport: paid 11.

Kent had to go into the match without Danny Ayres who was on Premier League duty with his side in that division the Glasgow Tigers and Chris Hunt’s choice of ‘Guest’ proved to be completely inspired with Stoke’s Ben Wilson going through the card unbeaten: scoring a maximum 12 points courtesy of four wins.

So all in all the result never looked in doubt after a storming start by the visitors saw them open up a tie-defining 12 point lead in the opening first five heats: Bowen twice, Clifton, the guest Wilson and James Shanes making it a clean sweep of heat wins in the first third of the match.

Greenwood steadied the ship for the hapless hosts in heat six and there was a surprise defeat for the up to that point unbeaten Clifton by the Storm’s Dwyer two races later to keep the gap to 12.

Heat 9 was not without incident – Danno Verge found himself the unfortunate victim of a misunderstanding when an overzealous referring decision saw him disqualified under the two minutes rule despite being clearly on the way to the start and under power.  Clifton came in to replace his reserve partner and led the chase to catch the fast riding Liam Carr.  James Shanes struggled to keep on terms as the bracket broke on his seat mid-race.

Remarkably the same misfortune with another bracket was to occur in Shanes’ next ride in heat 13 – few riders spend less time on their seat than Kent’s Boy Wizard of Balance but nevertheless it hardly helps when that seat is hanging off the machine!

Heat 11 was to be Bowen’s only reverse when Carr kept him at bay but the night of glory for the visitors was cemented by yet another trademark David Mason victory in heat 14 followed by Bowen completing his 14 points haul by a win over Greenwood in the final heat.

A 22 points winning margin on the night – and the SLYDE Kings surely have one steel-clad boot in the semi-finals.

The second leg is at Central Park on June 20^th. with Belle Vue or Birmingham awaiting the victors in the last four.

Coventry Storm                                                 34
1. Dan Greenwood         2,3,1,2,2                     10
2. Connor Dwyer            1′,0,1,3,0,0                   5+1
3. Ryan Terry-Daley        2,1,0,1′,2                    6+1
4. Rider Replacement – M. Knuckey
5. Liam Carr                   R, 2,3,3,0                   8
6. Callum Walker            2,0,0,0,2,0                     4
7. Henry Atkins               0,1,0                            1
8. Mitchell Beckett          0                                0

Kent SLYDE Kings                                             56
1. Luke Bowen                3,3,2,3,3                     14
2. Jack Thomas              0,2′,1′,1′                       4+3
3. Ben Wilson [G]           3,3,3,3                         12 [M]
4. David Mason              1,1,2′,3                         7+1
5. James Shanes            3,2,1′,1,1                      8+1
6. Danno Verge              1,0,X,0                         1
7. Luke Clifton                3,2′,2,2,1                      10+1

Heat Results
Heat 1  Bowen Greenwood Dwyer Thomas  (3-3)
Heat 2  Clifton Walker Verge Atkins   (5-7)
Heat 3  Wilson Terry-Daley Mason Dwyer   (7-11)
Heat 4  (rerun) Shanes Clifton Atkins, Carr (EF)   (8-16)
Heat 5  Bowen Thomas Terry-Daley Walker   (9-21)
Heat 6  Greenwood Shanes Dwyer Verge   (13-23)
Heat 7  Wilson Carr Mason Walker   (15-27)
Heat 8  Dwyer Clifton Thomas Walker   (18-30)
Heat 9  Carr Clifton Shanes Terry-Daley, Verge (exc 2M)   (21-33)
Heat 10  Wilson Mason Greenwood Dwyer   (22-38)
Heat 11  Carr Bowen Thomas Atkins    (25-41)
Heat 12  Wilson Walker Terry-Daley Verge     (28-44)
Heat 13 Bowen Greenwood Shanes Carr     (30-48)
Heat 14: Mason, Terry-Daley, Clifton, Walker   (32-52)
Heat 15: Bowen Greenwood Shanes Dwyer   (34-56)