It’s a case of different strokes, the same folks as the Mildenhall DJS Fen Tigers - proudly sponsored by Manchetts Rescue and Recovery - go into the second of their four straight battles Royal with the Kent club on Easter Sunday (9/4/23).

Having dispatched the Royals 53-37 at West Row last Sunday, this April ‘series’ moves into the Garden of England with the DJS Fen Tigers prompting memories of many mid-1970s scraps with the then Iwade Colts at the atmospheric circuit perched on the Thames Estuary, the site of a former wartime Gunnery Station.

But it’s a far more recent memory that will occupy the thoughts of rival Team Managers, Jason Gardner and the hosts’ Jamie Willis as the two sides met in a two-legged Cup tie this time last year, one which right down to the wire before the Suffolk side prevailed. For, yes this time the sides meet not in National Development League [NDL] action but in the Knock-out Cup, with a place in the Final up for grabs.

Mildenhall have a record five cup wins at this level on their much-vaunted Roll of Honour and will want an opportunity to put right the defeat they suffered in the Cup Final last October – their conquerors that time, Leicester contesting the other semi-final vs. newbies Workington.

But no talk of the Final yet, as the immediate business of negotiating the last four scrap with familiar opponents Kent occupy all thoughts going into this holiday weekend.

There’s one change forced on the Fen men with skipper Lee Complin engaged in a recently re-arranged Glasgow Tigers’ match north of the border; and so coming in as ‘Guest’ is a face very familiar to the Mildenhall faithful: Luke Harrison. Young Luke who hails from Lincolnshire made Fen Tigers history at the tail end of last season when the three-times British Youth Champion became the youngest rider (aged just 15) to score a full maximum on his club home debut at West Row. Luke’s contribution to the Play Off efforts of Mildenhall also saw him score 11 points up at Berwick and this late season cameo made the teenager one of the most coveted young riders for clubs to secure a permanent deal with in 2023 (Workington Comets winning the race for his signature); and see him with an average for his first full NDL campaign of over seven points – making Harrison a more than suitable ‘Guest’ to ride once more in a Fen Tigers’ race jacket.

Stepping up to skipper the side in Complin’s absence is Alfie Bowtell: the Mildenhall number one back on very familiar shale as he was the top man last term (until injury halted his 2022 season) for Kent – with a barely blemished record of success around the Old Gun Site circuit.

Josh Warren will have fond 2022 memories of the Iwade track too, having scored an incredible paid 18 points when the Fen Tigers secured a 45-45 draw on their NDL visit there last August. Arran Butcher likewise was an impressive visiting rider to Kent last term – helping his then side Oxford to a win by scoring paid 9. It’ll be performances like that the pair will want to replicate and team mates Ben Trigger, William Richardson & George Congreve (the latter two riding at Iwade for the first time in senior competitive action) will want to emulate.

The hosts hope to have the former Mildenhall man named in their squad but notable by his absence last Sunday, Nathan Ablitt fit to ride after illness. If back, he’ll form a useful-looking heat leader spearhead with skipper Tom Woolley and the twice NDL Riders’ Champion, Ben Morley.

Gardner is heartened by the team spirit and determined riding shown throughout his side’s ranks in the meeting on Sunday and is looking forward to similar egg-ellence on Easter Day,

“It’s been a very encouraging start to the season – especially good to see how six of the team had at least one win or paid win on their scorecards on Sunday. We know Kent could well be stronger on their own track but we can only push on from the start we’ve had and I am confident we’ll get a good result from the first leg to take back to West Row where we can finish the job”.

The meeting gets underway at High Noon (12.00pm) at Kent Royals’ track at Iwade Speedway, The Old Gun Site, Raspberry Hill Lane (off Old Ferry Rd.), Iwade, Kent, ME9 8RH.

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