STOKE Easy Rider Potters managed to gain all three points against a determined Somerset Rebels side in the Premier League at Loomer Road on Saturday night as they gained a 49-40 victory over the Rebels . 

The Potters went in front with a 4-2 in heat one after Jason Bunyan had stalked Rebels number one Emil Kramer for three laps before Kramer went to wide allowing Bunyan to dive up the inside to take a superb victory, with Phil Morris holding Simon Walker at bay for third place.

The Potters extended their lead in heat three as Lee Complin took the chequered flag from Somerset’s Cory Gathercole with Klaus Jakobsen third. Gathercole made a superb start but Complin managed to go outside the Rebels rider at the end of the first lap. 

Somerset struck back to take the lead themselves in heat four as the Rebels were awarded a 5-0 heat advantage. The rebels pairing of Steve Johnston and Jay Herne made the start, Johnston comfortably took the victory but Stoke’s Morris overcooks the last turn and runs into Rebels reserve Jay Herne causing both riders to fall heavily and the red light came on with Morris being disqualified as the primary cause, then referee Margaret Vardy rules that Mark Burrows was not racing and therefore disqualifies Burrows for not racing as he was coasting around having visibility problems due to being filled in during the first couple of laps and then suffering from the sun on his goggles. Somerset lead 12-11 after four heats. 

Stoke skipper Complin collect his second win of the night defeating Kramer who managed to take second place after diving up the inside of Klaus Jakobsen on the second lap for a Potters 4-2 heat win and Stoke were back in front by a point at 15-14.

 The Potters extend their lead to five points after heat ten as they gain to 4-2 heat advantages on the bounce. Klaus Jakobsen out gating Austrailian veteran Steve Johnston in heat nine with Complin finishing third and then Bunyan and Kristiansen teaming up in heat ten as the Potters lead 32-27.

 Stoke piled on the pressure and gain an impressive 5-1 from Klaus Jakobsen and Burrows in heat twelve as the Potters extend their lead to nine points, leaving the Rebels frustrated as they are unable to make a tactical move as they were not ten points in arrears.

 Heat thirteen turned out to be a terrific race as Somerset’s pairing of Steve Johnston and Emil Kramer make the start, Potters number one Jason Bunyan then set about chasing them down as the Rebels pair put in some superb team riding to hold off the Potters rider before Bunyan managed to split the Rebels pairing on the line as he took second place from Kramer to the delight of the home supporters.

 The Potters sealed the win in heat fourteen as Lee Complin and Jesper Kristiansen gained a 4-2 heat advantage over Cory Gathercole to restore Stoke’s nine point lead, this coming after Tom Brown had been disqualified for falling at the first time of asking Lee Complin taking evasive action after Brown had fallen in front of him leaving the Potters skipper no where to go Complin getting up after some treatment on the track.

 Somerset were still in with a chance of taking a point from the meeting going into the final heat and Johnston and Kramer made the start but Bunyan dived between the Rebels pairing to take a superb victory and gain all three points for the Easy Rider Potters.

 Stoke team manager John Woolridge said “It was a good victory over a decent Somerset team. “They pushed us all the way but we managed to edge ahead at the right time and gain all three points which keeps us in contention at the top of the Premier League.”

 Mark Burrows was also a delighted man and said “It’s a good win over a very capable Rebels side and shows we can beat anyone around our own track.”

Burrows then commented on his disappointment with the referees’ decision to disqualify him in heat four he said “I was pushing hard for a couple of laps but got filled in with shale and visibility with the sun was also poor so I simply could not see, I kept going and then although I was quite away behind saw Phil and Jay come down and the red lights come on but then found out that the referee had awarded a 5-0 to Somerset even though I was still under power and had not left the track to retire from the race, I really do think she got the decision wrong.  “I spend a lot of time in the workshop preparing bikes for meetings and the sport is not a cheap sport to compete in and I feel that I have been robbed of a point.”  

    Scorers:

 Stoke 49: Jason Bunyan 13, Klaus Jakobsen 11, Lee Complin 10, Jesper Kristiansen 7+1, Mark Burrows 4+3, Phil Morris 4+1, Tom P Madsen (Rider Replacement)

 Somerset 40: Steve Johnston 13, Emil Kramer 9+1, Cory Gathercole 9, Tom Brown 4+1, Simon Walker 3, Jay Herne 2+1, Justin Sedgmen (Rider Replacement)