Wightlink Warriors looking to keep race for crown alive with home win against Kent Kings

The Isle of Wight Wightlink Warriors speedway team return to National Trophy action on Thursday when the Kent Kings visit the Smallbrook Stadium in Ryde and following recent results elsewhere in the competition, the Warriors are still in with a shot of taking the title.
By Dave Brawn
Published 29th May 2019, 11:58 BST
Wightlink Warriors will be aiming for a good home success against Kent Kings. Picture: Ian Groves/SportographyWightlink Warriors will be aiming for a good home success against Kent Kings. Picture: Ian Groves/Sportography
Wightlink Warriors will be aiming for a good home success against Kent Kings. Picture: Ian Groves/Sportography

This week’s meeting is crucial in determining the destination of the silverware.

With Mildenhall and Plymouth now mathematically out of the running, it’s a shoot out between the Warriors and the Kings.

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A win for the Warriors on Thursday by seven points or more would take the outcome to the final meeting at Kent next Monday, while an away draw or better for the Kings on Thursday will bag them the crown.

Some shrewd winter team building has seen many observers tipping the Kings as the team to beat in 2019.

With bags of potential packed youngsters in the side, this season promises to be an exciting one at Central Park in Sittingbourne and despite two early injury setbacks for Alex Spooner and Daniel Gilkes, the trio of teenage tearaways Drew Kemp, Anders Rowe and Jordan Jenkins are already proving the pundits right with some top draw scores.

Ready to face a really tough fixture will be the Wightlink Warriors coming to track following a solid set of three encouraging results last week. The unexpected but very welcome away draw at Plymouth last Friday has been key to the fixtures against Kent taking on such important significance and there is quiet optimism amongst the home faithful that a surprise may be on the cards against a slightly under strength visiting outfit.

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Co-promoter Barry Bishop said: ‘We come into this fixture on the back of a really positive week which culminated in an excellent result down at Plymouth.

‘The boy’s application on the night in tricky conditions was superb and we will have to keep that level of intensity and teamwork up against a very strong Kings side that are brimming with future stars.

‘Make no mistake we can win this meeting and take it to a decider in Kent next week so I urge everyone to come along and give the boys all the backing you possibly can. It’s half-term week so we’ll have all the usual extras for the kids and I’m sure it will be a terrific night both on and off the track.’

Warriors: Georgie Wood, Chris Widman, Ryan Terry-Daley, Danno Verge, Ben Morley, Connor King and Chad Wirtzfeld.

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Kings: Drew Kemp, Rider Replacement for Alex Spooner, Anders Rowe, Jordan Jenkins, Rob Ledwith, Jacob Clouting and Nathan Ablitt.

The age promotion this week will see anyone who is 22 admitted free of charge on production of proof of age otherwise the usual pricing and admission arrangements apply with gates opening at 5.30pm ahead of the first race at 7pm. 

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