STOKE turned on their best performance of the season as they defeated the Plymouth Gladiators 54-36 in the National League at Loomer Road on Saturday night.

The A.R. Richards Potters took the lead early on with a 4-2 from Joe Alcock and Kieran Douglas over Jamie Bursill and this was followed up with a 5-1 from Joe Lawlor and Luke Priest over Richard Andrews to open up a 12-6 lead after three heats.

The Potters continued to pile on the pressure with a further couple of 4-2 advantages Lawlor and Priest over Ben Wilson and then Tom Perry and Shelby Rutherford over Nathan Stoneman as the Potters opened up a 23-13 lead after six heats.

The Gladiators gained a 4-2 in heat seven as Richard Andrews took victory over Priest with Tom Young taking third.

The Potters responded with a 5-1 in the next race as Rutherford and Alcock struck back with Alcock being pushed all the way by Young who couldn’t find a way past.

Gladiators team manager Mattie Bates introduced Ben Wilson as a tactical ride in heat nine and he and team mate Stoneman took a maximum 5-1 to leave the Potters leading 31-23.

Perry and Rutherford took a 4-2 in heat ten, but the Gladiators were not beaten still as Wilson and Bursill gained a 4-2 to reduce the Potters lead to 8-points.

Lawlor and Alcock took a 4-2 advantage in the next race over Richard Andrews and the Potters sealed victory in style as they rounded off the meeting with two successive 5-1 race wins firstly from Priest and Alcock and then Lawlor and Perry to record the Potters biggest win of the season.

Stoke team boss Adam Isherwood commented “All the team clicked tonight but, for me it’s a little to late for my liking, it was good to get a victory and send supporters home happy but when we built this team at the beginning of the season this was the sort of performance that we had been expecting on a regular basis and for one reason or another we have come up short and unfortunately it’s a little to late in the season to do any damage although it’s always good to get a good win.”

STOKE 54: Joe Lawlor 16, Joe Alcock 11+3, Tom Perry 10+1, Shelby Rutherford 8+1, Luke Priest 8+1, Kieran Douglas 1, Connor Coles r/r
PLYMOUTH 36: Ben Wilson 13, Nathan Stoneman 9+2, Richard Andrews 8, Jamie Bursill 4, Tom Young 2, Kris Andrews 0, William O’Keefe (No8) 0, Adam Sheppard r/r