A thoroughly satisfactory afternoon all round for the Mildenhall DJS Fen Tigers – proudly sponsored by Manchetts Rescue and Recovery – as they got the 2023 National Development League [NDL] season up and running on Sunday (2/4), winning 53-37.

Under, at last, seasonal clear blue skies and with a crowd significantly larger than those of last term, the track was immaculate, the racing keenly contested (with a couple of classic races that’ll long stay in the memory in particular) and there was a comfortable enough home win for the newly-invigorated West Row faithful to cheer.

The match opened with an absolute thrilling battle between two riders who last season (and indeed in a number of previous campaigns too) were team mates, the hosts’ new number one Alfie Bowtell and his counterpart on the visiting Royals’ side, Ben Morley.

Kent’s Morley holds the record for the most appearances at Mildenhall Speedway as a visiting rider and his familiarity with the circuit showed as he perfected a thrilling pass of Bowtell on the second bend of lap two; and then there wasn’t the proverbial cigarette paper between the two rival number ones as they threw their 500cc machines into the tight bends with Alfie finally getting past Morley on the back straight of the final lap, only for the Kent number one to just prevail exiting the final bend and on the run in to the chequered flag. A race to warm up even the chilliest on a fresh Spring afternoon.

Bowtell was unlucky to have to settle for second in such a titanic scrap but he wasn’t to be bested again, going through the rest of the card undefeated to finish his first match since returning to the Fen Tigers’ fold on 14 points, including two revenge victories over Morley in heats 13 & 15.

Both those heats were to be maximums for the home side, with new skipper Lee Complin combining with Bowtell to put the stamp on an excellent win. Complin also finished on paid 14 and he too was only headed home by an opposing rider the once, in another epic clash with Morley where the Mildenhall captain was locked together with Morley, neither rider giving an inch for four breath-taking laps. Complin was at his barnstorming best all match – the thrills one can always expect from the hugely popular Yorkshireman.

But this was also an all round team showing with Josh Warren carrying on from where he left off in 2022, with a storming burst from the tapes to win his opening heat; Arran Butcher doing likewise to mark his own return to the Fen Tigers’ ranks with a first ride win too; and Kiwi George Congreve getting dialled in quickly in just his second competitive ride on the West Row circuit to partner Bowtell for a 5-1 (one of a decisive six the homesters put on the board) in heat six. And the long-travelling Ben Trigger recorded his first win in the Fen Tigers’ race jacket in heat 12; the Devonian holding at bay the visitors’ captain Tom Woolley and their top scoring reserve Connor King.

Not a fruitful afternoon points wise for NDL debutant, William Richardson – but the experience gained was invaluable and he came very close to a first point in competitive Speedway in his second ride being held off narrowly by the far more experienced Joe Alcock.

Team boss Jason Gardner was quick to point out the significance of the all-round nature of his charges’ showing,

“It was a very solid performance, all but in a shift and it’s very pleasing to have six out of the seven riders score at least one paid win. It was also marvellous after the winter of uncertainty and all the efforts made by supporters, sponsors and the management to keep us on track, to see such a brilliant turn out.”

Turning to next week, when the same two sides reconvene down in the Garden of England for the first of a two-legged Knock-Out Cup semi-final on Easter Day, Gardner was bullish,

“I can’t see any reason why we can’t go to Iwade [Kent’s home track] and get a result there too”.

His skipper Complin was typically phlegmatic,

“It was a good opener for us – it’s what you need from an opening meeting, get the points on the card and now we move on”.

The next home meeting at West Row is on Sunday 16th. April, Kent Royals the visitors again with this time a place in the Knock Out Cup Final at stake.

Mildenhall DJS Fen Tigers 53

Alfie Bowtell           2, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 14
George Congreve    0, 2’, 2, 2’ = 6+2
Ben Trigger            2’, 2, 2, 3  = 9+1
Josh Warren           3, 0, 1’, 1  = 5+1
Lee Complin           3, 3, 2, 2’, 2’ = 12+2
William Richardson  F, 0, 0, 0  = 0
Arran Butcher         3, 2’, 1’, 1 = 7+2

Kent Royals 37
Ben Morley            3, 3, 3, 1, 1 = 11
Rhys Naylor           1, 1, 0, 1 = 3
Tom Woolley          1, 2, 1, 2 = 6
Joe Alcock             0, 1’, FX, 2’ = 3+2
James Laker          0, 1, 0 = 1
Sam Woolley         1’, 0, 0 = 1+1
Connor King          2, 1, 3, 3, 0, 3, 0 = 12

Heat details
1 Morley, Bowtell, Naylor, Congreve  54.8  [2-4]
2 (rerun) Butcher, King (B/T 15 metres handicap), S. Woolley, Richardson (fell)  56.9 [5-7]
3 Warren, Trigger, T. Woolley, Alcock 56.2  [10-8]
4 Complin, Butcher, King, Laker 55.5  [15-9]
5 Morley, Trigger, Naylor, Warren 2-4  55.5  [17-13]
6 Bowtell, Congreve, Laker, S. Woolley 56.5  [22-14]
7 Complin, T. Woolley, Alcock, Richardson 56.6  [25-17]
8 King, Congreve, Butcher, Naylor 56.5  [28-20]
9 King, Trigger, Warren, S. Woolley  56.5  [31-23]
10 (rerun) Bowtell, Congreve, T. Woolley, Alcock (fell exc.) 56.1  [36-24]
11 Morley, Complin, Naylor, Richardson 56.5  [38-28]
12 Trigger, T. Woolley, Butcher, King 56.0  [42-30]
13 Bowtell, Complin, Morley, Laker 55.3  [47-31]
14 King, Alcock, Warren, Richardson 57.6  [48-36]
15 (rerun) Bowtell, Complin, Morley, King 56.0  [53-37]