STOKE’S hopes of catching Belle Vue cold quickly evaporated as the Colts took a comfortable 63-27 victory at the National Speedway Stadium on Friday afternoon.

The Colts quickly showed that the National Stadium will be a fortress for the season as they opened a 17-7 lead after only four races as Tom Perry suffered an engine failure in the opening heat to give the home side a 5-1. Potters reserve Joe Alcock took victory in the second heat but then a 4-2 and a 5-1 gave the home side a ten- point lead.

Heath five saw the Potters take a 4-2 advantage, the colts pairing gated Ben Rathbone dropped back to last after an error while Perry managed to then overhaul former Potter Danny Phillips to take victory with Shelby Rutherford taking third place. The Colts hit back with a 4-2 and a 5-1 before Alcock and Rutherford took the minor placings in heat eight behind Jordan Palin after a fierce tussle on the opening lap between Alcock and Palin before the Colt edged ahead to take victory leaving the Potters trailing 31-17.

A couple of 4-2’s and a 5-1 in the next three races gave the Colts victory with four heats remaining, Perry was excluded for touching the tapes in heat eleven and went off a 15 metre handicap while home rider Kyle Bickley was warned to remain still at the start, Perry battling into second place by the end of the second place but home skipper Bickley was well gone leaving the Colts leading 44-22.

Three further maximum heats wins and a 4-2 left the Potters reeling as the Colts took all three points.

Potters team manager Adam Isherwood commented “The score line didn’t really do us justice as there was quite a few good races especially with Tom Perry, Connor Coles and Joe Alcock and they may well have scored more points especially Tom who had an engine failure in his first ride and then suffered a tapes exclusion and then Connor was leading heat thirteen and picked off towards the end of the race with the Colts lads just getting by. There were plenty of positives to be taken from the meeting especially the performance of Joe Alcock who was my man of the match today and young Corban (Pavitt) also improved as the meeting went on. When you think that we have three riders coming back after serious injuries there were signs of improvement every ride and Belle Vue will be a difficult place to come for any side this season so we now look forward and move onto the next meeting.”

NATIONAL LEAGUE
BELLE VUE 63: Leon Flint 14+1, Kyle Bickley 13, Jordan Palin 11+4, Danny Phillips 11, Ben Rathbone 8+1, Ben Woodhull 6+2, Paul Bowen r/r
STOKE 27: Tom Perry 8, Joe Alcock 6, Connor Coles 5, Shelby Rutherford 3+1, Luke Priest 2, Luke Chessell 2, Corban Pavitt 1
National League points: Belle Vue 3 Stoke 0