Mildenhall DJS Fen Tigers – proudly sponsored by Manchetts Rescue and Recovery – continued their 100% start to the 2023 Speedway season with a thumping 60 points to 29 win over the Kent Royals and roared straight into the first final of the year with an aggregate 106 to 73 National Development League Knock-out Cup [NKOC] semi-final victory.
Three unbeaten men in the Fen Tigers’ ranks: skipper Lee Complin was at his barnstorming best to record 13+2; number one Alfie Bowtell made it 14 wins from 15 rides this campaign with another 15 points full house; and the real highlight for the enthusiastic West Row faithful was young Ben Trigger joining his heat leader compatriots with a paid 12 points score and a debut maximum for the popular teen, receiving the traditional bumps from his team mates in celebration.
There were in truth few bumps in the road for the hosts who went into this one with a two points lead from the first leg but the opening of the meeting was disrupted by a number of incidents and numerous reruns which could have disrupted a lesser side. After two heats the visitors had reduced the aggregate deficit to a single point with an unusual decision to disqualify Mildenhall’s in form Arran Butcher for having both wheels over the white line. It was a red letter moment for his reserve team mate William Richardson though – his second place behind Kent’s Connor King getting him off the mark at West Row and the 17-year-old will be satisfied with his paid five points tally for the match. Butcher recovered from that early set-back to score paid eight from his other three rides and continue his excellent start of the campaign. And on an afternoon of nothing but delight for the proud Team Manager, Jason Gardner the Fen Tigers’ new Kiwi, George Congreve recoded two heat wins in his 9 point return.
“It’s very satisfying to see all the lads contribute good points totals and of course the highlight was Ben’s first paid maximum for us”, Gardner enthused.
“Now we have a Cup Final again to look forward to later in the year and it’s back to Kent again next Sunday to get back to NDL action”.
The visitors had a rather torrid time after their promising start – losing both Joe Alcock and Nathan Ablitt to injury and seeing Ben Morley have an unusually off day. The former Mildenhall man Ablitt’s return to West Row saw him unable to complete a full lap: falling on his own in heat four to get excluded and then crashing out in a coming together with the Fen Tigers’ Josh Warren in his second ride and leaving the proceedings with a hand injury.
The Injury Rider Replacement facility clicked in to allow cover for the hapless Ablitt but did little to aid the short-handed Royals with the homesters able to go ton-up in clinching aggregate success and make it a truly empathic 60 with a final heat maximum by the peerless pairing of Bowtell and Complin.
Next up is that away day back in Kent next Sunday with April being seen out at West Row when Berwick Bullets bring their young guns to town on the 30th.
Mildenhall Fen Tigers 60 (106)
1. Alfie Bowtell - 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 15 Full Maximum
2. Josh Warren - X, X, 1’, 2’ = 3+2
3. Ben Trigger - 2’, 3, 2’, 3 = 10+2 Paid Maximum
4. George Congreve - 3, 1, 3, 2 = 9
5. Lee Complin - 3, 3, 3, 2’, 2’ = 13+2 Paid Maximum
6. William Richardson - 2, 1, X, 1’ = 4+1
7. Arran Butcher - X, 2’, 2, 2’ = 6+2
Kent Royals 29 (73)
1. Ben Morley - 2, F/X, 2, 1, 1 = 6
2. Rhys Naylor - 1’, 2, 2, 3, 1’ = 9+2
3. Tom Woolley - 1, 2, 1, 1, 1 = 6
4. Joe Alcock - F/X, F/X = 0 WITHDRAWN
5. Nathan Ablitt - F/X = 0 WITHDRAWN (IRR: RN - 2, TW - 1, CK - 0) = 3
6. Sam Woolley - F/X, 1’, 0, 0 = 1+1
7. Connor King - 3, 1, 0, 0, 0, 3 = 7
Heat details
1) (rerun) Bowtell, Morley, Naylor, Warren (exc. UR) 53.8 [3-3]
2) (awarded) King, Richardson (fell rem.), S. Woolley (fell), Butcher (exc. O/W/L) no time [5-6]
3) (rerun twice) Congreve, Trigger, T. Woolley, Alcock (fell exc.) 55.3 [10-7]
4) (rerun) Complin, Butcher, King, Ablitt (fell exc.) 53.7 [15-8]
5) (rerun; stpd awarded) Trigger, Naylor, Congreve, Morley (fell exc.) no time [19-10]
6) (rerun) Bowtell, Naylor, S. Woolley, Warren (exc. UR), Ablitt (injured) 53.6 [22-13]
7) (rerun) Complin, T. Woolley, Richardson (fell rem.), Alcock (fell exc.) 54.6 [26-15]
8) Naylor, Butcher, Warren, King 53.7 [29-18]
9) Congreve, Trigger, T. Woolley, S. Woolley 55.1 [34-19]
10) Bowtell, Warren, T. Woolley, King 53.3 [39-20]
11) (rerun twice) Complin, Morley, Naylor, Richardson (fell exc.) 3-3, 42-23, 64.7 [NB. five laps!]
12) Trigger, Butcher, T. Woolley, S. Woolley 52.7 [47-24]
13) Bowtell, Complin, Morley, King 51.8 [52-25]
14) King, Congreve, Richardson [three riders only] 54.9 [55-28]
15) Bowtell, Complin, Morley, T. Woolley 52.0 [60-29]
