STOKE 48 WORKINGTON 42

 STOKE Easy Rider Potters opened their Premier League campaign with a hard fought 48-42 victory over the Workington Comets at Loomer Road on Saturday night.

 The Potters who were already without Klaus Jakobsen and the suspended Glen Phillips then lost Phil Morris after he fell awkwardly in heat three and was then taken to hospital.

 In heat one Tom P Madsen was brought down by Comets skipper Kevin Doolan who was chasing the Dane hard but clipped his back wheel bringing both riders down. Referee Craig Ackroyd disqualified Doolan and in the rerun the Stoke pairing of Lee Complin and Madsen made no mistake as they took a 5-1 to put the Potters in front.

The Potters extended their lead in heat three with a 4-2 from Jason Bunyan and Tom P Madsen the Comets Richard Lawson holding Madsen off to take second place.

 Workington struck back with a 5-1 of their own in heat four as Andre Compton and Richard Lawson teamed up and looked comfortable, unfortunately at the back Phil Morris straightened up which caused him to fall awkwardly. Referee Ackroyd had no alternative but to stop the race and award the heat to the Comets, disqualifying Morris as the primary cause of the stoppage.  Morris was taken to hospital with suspected broken ribs leaving the Potters with five riders.

 Workington’s Andre Compton managed to split the Potters pairing of Complin and Madsen as the Potters extended their lead back up to four points with a 4-2 heat advantage to leave the scores at 20-16 after six heats.

 Potters reserve Jesper Kristiansen was leading top Comet Kevin Doolan in heat seven only to see the race stopped after Workington’s Charles Wright hit the fell leaving the referee with no alternative but to stop the race and disqualify Wright who left the track in an ambulance, although Wright did walk into the ambulance. In the rerun Doolan took a comfortable victory ahead of Jesper Kristiansen and Smart for a drawn heat. The Comet were also reduced to five men at this point as Wright was withdrawn from the meeting by the paramedic team on duty.

 The Comets reduced the deficit back to two points in heat eight as former Stoke Spitfires rider John Branney took victory from Madsen with Lawson taking third place for a Workington 4-2 but the Potters remain in front 25-23.

 Jason Bunyan takes victory in heat nine from Andre Compton who overhauls Kristiansen on the first lap as Stoke gain a 4-2 advantage.

 Workington level the scores in heat eleven as Doolan and Branney team up for a 5-1. Stoke immediately return the compliment as they strike back with a 5-1 from Jason Bunyan and Potters guest Lee Smart over Luke Priest and Lawson, Bunyan coming from last to first to put the Potters 38-34 in front.

 Kevin Doolan and Andre Compton levelled the scores in heat thirteen with a 5-1 over Kristiansen and Complin, but the Potters were not to be out done as Bunyan and Kristiansen struck back for the Potters with a 5-1 over Priest and Lawson to give Stoke a four point cushion going into the final heat at 44-40.

 In heat fifteen Tom P Madsen made the start and held off a stern challenge from Kevin Doolan before settling in front while Jason Bunyan fought his way past Andre Compton to take third place to give the Potters a 4-2 heat win and a 48-42 victory on the night.

 Team boss John Woolridge said “It was always going to be a difficult meeting being without Klaus (Jakobsen) and Glen (Phillips) but then we lost Phil Morris through injury and a couple of times when we got our noses in front in a couple of heats they were unfortunately stopped and in the reruns things went against and you then wonder if it’s going to be one of those nights. “Thankfully it was our night though and the boys pulled off a magnificent win. “All of them chipped in with vital points at vital times and Jason and Lee Smart’s 5-1 in twelve was vital.”

He continued “Workington then hit us with a 5-1 in heat thirteen and we knew we had to get maximum points in heat fourteen and Jason and Jesper thankfully delivered. “Then Tom made the gate in heat fifteen and held off Doolan with Jason winning the tussle with Andre Compton to give us the victory.”  

Scorers: Stoke 48: Jason Bunyan 15, Tom P Madsen 11+1, Jesper Kristiansen 9+3, Lee Complin 7+1, Lee Smart 6+2, Phil Morris 0, Glen Phillips (Rider Replacement) 

Workington 42: Kevin Doolan 14, Andre Compton 12+1, Richard Lawson 8+1, John Branney 6+1, Luke Priest 2, Charles Wright 0, Adrian Rymel (Rider Replacement)