Fen Tigers v Centurions – Meeting Abandoned
The Plymouth SWTR Centurions endured a difficult and ultimately frustrating long distance trip out East to Mildenhall yesterday afternoon.
With Jordan Jenkins booked to Guest for the injured Dan Gilkes and Midlander Tin Colley a last minute replacement for Henry Atkins who has now left the Club, the task of defeating the reigning NDL Champions was always going to be a very difficult one.
Calamity was to strike the Meeting in Heat 1 when both home riders Ryan Kinsley and Sam Beebee, joined Centurions Jordan Jenkins and Tim Colley on the deck on a slippery third Bend. Unfortunately both Kinsley and Beebee had to withdraw from the rest of the Meeting injured although both Centurions were shaken but not stirred enough to prevent them from continuing. We wish both Fen Tigers the best of luck with their recovery, especially Sam Beebee who has had desperate luck throughout his career with unfortunate accidents.
The Tigers reserves Luke Muff and Josh Warren roared to a 5-1 heat win over Colley in the re-run with Jenkins excluded as the primary cause of the initial stoppage.
The same pair used that track acclimatisation in tricky conditions to repeat the 5-1 heat win over a disappointing Ben Trigger and Eli Meadows in Heat 2 and with Richard Andrews falling after a valiant effort in Heat 3 to pass the fast starting Jack Kingston and Alex Spooner in Heat 3, the reigning champions were already 15 to 3 points to the good.
Jason Edwards romped to victory in Heat 4 with comfortably the fastest time of the day and despite a great effort Connor KIng couldn’t find a way past Luke Muff with Ben Trigger able to halt the flow of 5-1 race results with a gallant second place. Jordan Jenkins gave the Centurions their first race win in a shared Heat 5 before the mercurial Edwards and Luke Muff scored a 5-0 Heat success over King and Meadows in Heat 6 when both Centurions fell on an increasingly difficult track surface.
With self preservation now perhaps foremost in the minds of all riders, Heat 7 was won by Jason Edwards in a canter but most tellingly in a time some 6 seconds slower than his Heat 4 romp, Richard Andrews beat Josh Warren for a well deserved second place though, with Adam Extance falling and being excluded in the original start.
At this point the rain that had been falling got a lot heavier and with Track Conditions already difficult on a Circuit that also stages Stock Car Racing on Saturday nights, experienced Referee Mick Bates was left with no alternative but to Abandon the rest of the Fixture.
With the obligatory 10 Heats not being reached to ensure a Result, the SWTR Centurions will have to rearrange the Fixture and return to Sufflolk later in the season when they will hope for kinder weather and a Track more conducive to Racing and hopefully strengthened by a long term replacement for Henry Atkins.
The SWTR Centurions return to action a week tomorrow at The Coliseum in a Fixture against the 2019 NDL Champions the Leicester Lion Cubs and Tickets will go ON SALE on Thursday 19th May (note a day later than usual) with Cash and Card payment facilities also available on the night.
The WESTCOLOUR Gladiators are at Home tomorrow night at the Coliseum, Tickets are ON SALE now on the website at and are also available on the night via CASH and CARD payments.
A FULL Meeting preview with latest Team News will be available later today on the Club Website and Social Media Channels
Mildenhall Fen Tigers = 31
1. Ryan Kinsley – = WITHDRAWN
2. Sam Bebee – = WITHDRAWN
3. Jack Kingston 3,2 = 5
4. Alex Spooner 2′,1′ = 3+2
5. Jason Edwards 3,3,3 = 9 MAX
6. Josh Warren 3,2′,2′,1 = 8+2
7. Luke Muff 2′,3,1 = 6+1
Plymouth Centurions = 10
1. Jordan Jenkins (Guest) Ex,3 = 3
2. Tim Colley 1,0 = 1
3. Richard Andrews F,2 = 2
4. Adam Extance 1,Fx = 1
5. Connor King 0,R = 0
6. Eli Meadows 0,Ex = 0
7. Ben Trigger 1,2 = 3
Heat Results
Heat 01: Warren, Muff, Colley 5-1 54.3
Heat 02: Muff, Warren, Trigger, Meadows 5-1 (10-2) 53.6
Heat 03: Kingston, Spooner, Extance, Andrews (F) 5-1 (15-3) 52.9
Heat 04: Edwards, Trigger, Muff, King 4-2 (19-5) 51.4
Heat 05: Jenkins, Kingston, Spooner, Colley 3-3 (22-8) 52.1
Heat 06: Edwards, Muff, King (R), Meadows (Ex) 5-0 (27-8) 53.4
Heat 07: Edwards, Andrews, Warren 4-2 (31-10) 57.1
Courtesy of Speedway Updates
Image Credit Jon Sproad