An afternoon of celebration at Iwade on Sunday as the Kent Kings swept to an emphatic aggregate success over the Isle of Wight Warriors to claim their first major piece of silverware of the season: the NORA League Cup.

Going into the second leg of the Cup Final two points ahead after Thursday’s truncated first leg, the Kings made a decisive start opening that aggregate lead into double figures in quick order and were never in any danger of surrendering their lead, ending up 53-36 winners on the day, an aggregate winning margin of 19 points.

In utterly imperious mood, number one Ben Morley swept to another maximum with newcomer to UK Speedway, Patrick Hamilton looking like he’s going to be the latest Aussie import to really make an impression in the Old World – the rider from Victoria State also unbeaten by an opponent all afternoon.  With returnees in the Kings’ side Jack Kingston and club captain Rhys Naylor also delivering double points scores there was no room for the visitors from over the Solent to get back into contention.

With the visitors adding hot teen prospect Jamie Etherington to fellow 15-year-old Sonny Springer in their ranks and former Kings rider Jacob Clouting and their own Aussie Matt Marson bolstering the Warriors side from Thursday’s reverse, there was some concern that this second leg would represent a significant challenge.  But the hosts blew their opponents away in the opening stanza: three race wins a piece from Morley & Hamilton and a brace from skipper Naylor in the first eight heats.

Clouting looked the Warrior most likely and indeed had the notable distinction of heading Morley for three and three-quarter laps until the Kings’ main man swept around the boards on the final bend to snatch the narrowest of race wins in heat six.

Morley’s previous outing (in heat four) had been a close run affair too – with the action this time happening behind him, the battle for second seeing positions change on each bend before Springer crashed out trying to regain the advantage over the rejuvenated Kingston.

This was the first blow of an afternoon to forget for Springer – suffering not one but two shredded primary drive belts and having to bow out prematurely with no functioning machinery.  A similar fate befell the German, Henning Loof whose clutch failure saw him having to step away early.  The extra rides allowed Etherington to finish top scorer ahead of Clouting – the pair recording the visitors’ only heat wins.

Going into the final stages the main question was could Hamilton (who’d never set a wheel on the Iwade track before) complete a hugely notable debut maximum for the Kings – he did so, partnering Morley to the hosts’ fourth 5-1 of the afternoon in heat 15 and was a fully-deserving winner of the Rider of the Meeting award.

The 21-year-old from Mildura was very happy with his first outing at the Old Gun Site, “It’s been a very good afternoon for me and for the team.  Both on Thursday and today I’ve had a great time riding for the Kings.  It’s been a really positive experience and Kent is a great club and I’ve very grateful for the opportunity.  To get a maximum today on my home debut has been absolutely fantastic”.

Hamilton (along with compatriot Dayle Wood, who was very grateful to receive a generous collection from Kings’ fans after his crash in the away leg, which totalled his bike as well as leaving him battered and bruised) are going to be back for the next meeting at the Old Gun Site which is the London Four Team Tournament on Sunday 4th. August.

Kent Kings                                                      53

Ben Morley                  3  3  3  3  3                  15 [M]
Sam Woods                1  0  1  1  X                 3
Jack Kingston             1  2′ 2′ FX  3                8+2
Rhys Naylor                3  3  2  3  2′                 13+1
Patrick Hamilton          3  3  3  3  2′                 14+1 [PM]
Nathan Hargrave        0  0  F  0  FX               0

Isle of Wight Warriors             36

Arran Butcher              0  1  1  1′  2′                5+2
Sonny Springer           2  FX  EF  2 FX           4
Matt Marson                0  1′ 2  2  0  1              6+1
Henning Loof              2  2  0  – withd’n          4
Jacob Clouting            1′ 2  3  2  R                 8+1
Jamie Etherington       2  1′ 1  1′ 3  1              9+2

Heat details

1. Morley, Springer, Woods, Butcher 59.4  [4-2]  {aggregate: 32-28}
2. Naylor, Loof, Kinston, Marson 61.4  [8-4]  {36-30}
3. Hamilton, Etherington, Clouting, Hargrave 61.4  [11-7]  {39-33}
4. (rerun) Morley, Kingston, Butcher, Springer (fell exc.) 60.5  [16-8]  {44-34}
5. Hamilton, Loof, Marson, Hargrave (fell rem.) 63.8  [19-11]  {47-37}
6. Morley, Clouting, Etherington, Woods 60.6  [22-14]  {50-40}
7. Naylor, Kingston, Butcher, Springer (EF) 61.0  [27-15]  {55-41}
8. Hamilton, Marson, Woods, Loof 60.3  [31-17]  {59-43}
9. (stpd/awarded) Clouting, Naylor, Etherington, Kingston (fell. rem, fell exc.) no time 
   [33-21] {61-47}
10. Hamilton, Springer, Butcher, Hargrave (fell) 61.0  [36-24]  {64-50}
11. (rerun) Morley, Marson, Woods, Springer (fell exc.) 60.5  [40-26]  {68-52}
12. (rerun) Naylor, Clouting, Etherington, Hargrave 60.6  [43-29]  {71-55}
13. (stpd/awarded) Etherington, Butcher, Hargrave (fell exc.), Woods (exc. NUP) no time
    [43-34]  {71-60}
14. Kingston, Naylor, Etherington, Marson 64.4  [48-35]  {76-61}
15. Morley, Hamilton, Marson, Clouting (ret.) 61.9  [53-36]  {81-62}

Picture supplied by Mike Pearce.