First up on Good Friday (25/3) there’s the second leg of a challenge match with local rivals Eastbourne Eagles – the second leg at Central Park (6.30pm start time) following on in quick fire fashion after the SLYDE-sponsored Kings go into their first competitive action of 2016 at the Arlington Raceway just outside the Sussex seaside town at noon earlier that same day.

For new signings, the two Lukes, skipper and number one Bowen and Canterbury-born Clifton, the fixture at Eastbourne sees their Kent debuts; for Jack Thomas, also a new signing, it’s a debut in senior team Speedway. And it could scarcely be a bigger challenge for the Sittingbourne-based side as the Eagles were last year very much their Achilles Heel, beating the SLYDE Kings six times home and away, winning each time they met in National League, Knock-out Cup and National Trophy.

Eastbourne ended the campaign with the latter pieces of silverware (Cup & Trophy) safely stored in their trophy cabinet, along with the end of season play-off event, the Gold Cup. But the treble winners have lost three vital riders from that successful campaign and certainly the two local rivals seem very much evenly matched in 2016.

Eastbourne have brought in two new heat leaders in the experienced Kyle Hughes (who showed his liking for the Central Park circuit when starring for the Rye House Raiders last term) and former Premier league rider, Jake Knight. At reserve the Eagles have two newcomers in Orpington-based grass tracker Charley Powell (who got a brief look at the Central Park circuit last year when he guested in The Laurels) and a convertee from Moto-cross, Nick Phillips.

That leaves three returnees from last year’s triumphant side: Richard Andrews, who was a revelation in his performances against the Kings last term, doing what no other second string rider managed around Central Park and twice heading home the then homesters’ number one Ben Morley; Maidstone-based grasstracker Georgie Wood; and the experienced Mancunian, Ben Hopwood.

Matching up to the Eagles is a perfect season-opening challenge for team boss Chris Hunt’s charges, who have as strong a top four as any in the Travel Plus National League [TPNL] with National League Riders Championship runner up from 2015, Danny Ayres back for a third season in the Invicta colours and British Grasstrack Masters Champion James Shanes joined by the hugely experience pairing of Bowen and the returning David Mason.

‘Magic’ Mason as he’s known, spent last season with Eastbourne but now returns to his spiritual home and is an invaluable addition not just points-scoring wise (and every point he does score extends his status as the all-time record points scorer in this division) but in terms of mechanical and tactical acumen – so crucial in a team sport like Speedway..

And the team will be back in action just three days later when they take on the King’s Lynn Young Stars on Easter Monday (28/3) : this time with an afternoon start time: tapes up at 3pm. The competition is the Easter Trophy, last won against the same opponents in 2014. The side from Norfolk has bolstered their ranks with a significant signing in the form of Nathan Greaves, who though still in his teens (indeed only turning 18 last month) has remarkably twice been a member of a side that’s won the league and cup double, with Cradley and Dudley in 2013 and 2014.

The four times British Youth champion will also be sizing up the Central Park circuit on Easter Monday with an eye on the fact that he returns (as do two of his Young Stars’ colleagues) just a week later in the GB Under 21 championship. Those other two competing in the GB semi-final at the SLYDE Kings’ Sittingbourne Greyhound Stadium home on April 4th. are Ryan Kinsley and Josh Bailey.

Kinsley & Bailey are two of a remarkable six riders who appeared for the side from Norfolk in 2015 who are back again this year in what is the TPNL’s most settled outfit team selection-wise: they’re joined by the experienced trio of Tom Stokes, Shane Hazelden and Scott Campos plus, still something of a rookie, the reserve Layne Cupitt.

Teams (in alphabetical order)

Kent SLYDE Kings [for both fixtures]
Danny Ayres; Luke Bowen; Luke Clifton; David Mason; James Shanes; Jack Thomas; Danno Verge

Eastbourne Eagles [opponents on Good Friday]
Richard Andrews; Ben Hopwood; Kyle Hughes; Jake Knight; Nick Phillips; Charley Powell; Georgie Wood

King’s Lynn Young Stars [opponents on Easter Monday]
Josh Bailey; Scott Campos; Layne Cupitt; Nathan Greaves; Shane Hazelden; Ryan Kinsley; Tom Stokes

Image courtesy of Elizabeth Leslie