The three heat leaders were all in outstanding form for Chris Hunt’s charges. Jack Thomas, bouncing back to peak form, top scored with paid 14 dropping just one point to an opposition rider (the Warriors’ Guest, Danny Ayres in heat six); whilst Nathan Stoneman reeled off four majestic race wins before an unfortunate tumble in his final outing denied the Welsh Dragon the maximum his roaring performance deserved. Skipper Luke Bowen was also robbed of a maximum by a fall – in his case in his first ride, rolling out three straight wins after that.
Unlike recent matches, on this occasion there was really never any doubt that the SLYDE-sponsored Kings were going to prevail, taking the lead in heat one and never looking back. The hero of the early heats was another rider relishing his visit to the large IOW circuit in Ryde: Anders Rowe winning heat one and anchoring his skipper to a 5-1 in heat five.
By the time that fifth heat was completed the score was a truly remarkable 5-24 in favour of the visitors. Nick Laurence and Alex Spooner had combined for a maximum in the reserves battle of heat two; heat three was a 5-0 courtesy of Chris Widman retiring and a match-ending fall by Scott Campos behind the dominant Stoneman and racing partner Taylor Hampshire; and then when Thomas and Spooner delivered yet another maximum in heat four – well, the travelling Kings’ fans still smarting before from the events at the Island last season were this time in dream land.
As early as this first third of the proceedings the result was surely settled and remarkably every Kings’ man had a least a paid win to their name. Hampshire went on to record an individual race win with a now trademark storming performance in heat 14; before Thomas got revenge over Ayres to win that final heat only spoiled by Stoneman’s fall. But the highlight of the whole match had been in heat seven when the super-fast Stoneman (relishing the conditions on the wide open spaces of his one-time home circuit) stormed past his former Kings’ team mate Ben Hopwood on the final lap to record the fastest time of the season at Smallbrook.
The Warriors were left to kick their considerable wounds with fitness doubts now over the injured Campos from this match and news coming in that intended reserve pick for Monday’s return, Jamie Sealey was hurt in a Development League match at Birmingham and number one Ben Morley (whose racing return to Central Park had been so anticipated) is out having suffered a broken wrist in a horror spill up at Redcar riding for his Championship side, Lakeside.
That return fixture Kent SLYDE Kings vs. Isle of Wight Warriors is at Central Park Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday, 28th. May at 3.30pm (gates 2pm).
Isle of Wight Warriors 32
Danny Ayres (G) R 3 2 R 2 7
Danno Verge 2 1 3 1′ 1′ 8+2
Scott Campos F withdrawn inj. 0
Chris Widman R R 2 2 4
Ben Hopwood X 2 2 1 5
Josh Embleton 1 1 1′ 0 1′ 4+2
Shaun Tedham F 1 X 0 2 1′ 4+1
Kent SLYDE Kings 56
Luke Bowen 1 3 3 3 10
Anders Rowe 3 2′ 2 1 8+1
Nathan Stoneman 3 3 3 3 X 12
Taylor Hampshire 2′ 0 0 3 5+1
Jack Thomas 3 2 3 2′ 3 13+1
Nick Laurence 3 0 1 0 0 4
Alex Spooner 2′ 2′ R 0 4+2
Heat Results
1 Rowe, Verge, Bowen (fell rem.), Ayres (ret) 74.4 (2-4)
2 Laurence, Spooner, Embleton, Tedham (fell) 77.4 (3-9)
3 Stoneman, Hampshire, Widman (ret,), Campos (fell) 74.1 (3-14)
4 (awarded) Thomas, Spooner, Tedham, Hopwood (fell exc.) no time (4-19)
5 Bowen, Rowe, Embleton, Widman (ret.) 72.7 (5-24)
6 Ayres, Thomas, Verge, Laurence 70.2 (9-26)
7 Stoneman, Hopwood, Embleton, Hampshire 69.8 (12-29)
8 (rerun) Verge, Rowe, Spooner (ret.), Tedham (fell exc.) 72.9 (15-31)
9 Thomas, Widman, Laurence, Embleton 71.2 (17-35)
10 Stoneman, Ayres, Verge, Hampshire 70.1 (20-38)
11 Bowen, Hopwood, Rowe, Tedham 71.1 (22-42)
12 Stoneman, Tedham, Embleton, Laurence 72.4 (25-45)
13 Bowen, Thomas, Hopwood, Ayres (ret.) 71.3 (26-50)
14 Hampshire, Widman, Tedham, Spooner 73.6 (29-53)
15 (awarded) Thomas, Ayres, Verge, Stoneman (fell exc.) no time (32-56)