It’s first place vs. third place at West Row on Sunday (18th. June, 4pm start time) when the league leaders Mildenhall DJS Fen Tigers – proudly sponsored by Manchetts Rescue and Recovery – take on National Development League [NDL] newcomers, Workington Comets.
It’s been a real whirlwind of fixtures and emotions for the Fen Tigers this month so far. A final heat victory in the last home match over Belle Vue Colts was insufficient to prevent the bonus point (awarded in a rule change this season to the side gaining aggregate success once both NDL fixtures, home & away have been completed) heading up to Manchester. That dramatic match had come just over 24 hours after the travelling Fen men became the first side to win away at Workington’s new track at Northside – a 49-41 win which sets things up very nicely in favour of Jason Gardener’s men for the match on Sunday.
Then came the visit to Oxford which didn’t go well for the Fen Tigers, losing by 14 points; before turning things around and shooting right back to the top of the pile at the expense of Oxford: a first ever win at Berwick Bullets’ notoriously tricky-to-negotiate track up there in the Scottish Borders.
So the Fen Tigers have definitely passed the long-travelling test with those victories in Cumbria and Northumberland – it’s now a case of making it Home Sweet Home when they look to complete a double (and take the additional point on offer too) against the Comets.
It'll have to be done too without top scorer vs. Belle Vue and finally hitting the heights of his 2022 campaign, Josh Warren. The Peterborough-based racer suffered concussion in a crash in the win against Berwick and has to sit this one out. Coming in to replace Warren in one of the reserve berths is Mickie Simpson – the Boston-born teenager was an NDL title winner last term with Leicester but this season after beginning with Edinburgh has found himself squeezed out of a team position and will be ultra keen to impress on being given this opportunity.
The visitors look potentially strong in the reserve berths with Luke Harrison (who made history as a 15 year old debutant for Mildenhall in the Play Off semi last year by recording a 12 points full maximum) paired up with Harry McGurk. McGurk’s younger brother, reigning GB Youth 500cc champion Sam is in the main body of the Cumbrians’ side alongside experienced skipper Luke Crang and the visitors’ number one, the Anglo-Australian Connor Bailey.
The septet is completed by the almost prerequisite these days, former Fen Tiger Elliot Kelly (a member of Mildenhall’s own title winning team of 2021) and another rider with a West Row connection, albeit familial: son of one time Fen Tiger the Dutchman Theo Pijper, the appropriately named Ace.
The race for the top two (to make the title-deciding Play Off Final) is certainly hotting up.
Workington bounced back from their home defeat vs. Mildenhall to thump reigning champs Leicester Lion Cubs last weekend; whilst Oxford have enjoyed a successful Northern Tour themselves and at the moment it looks like perm any two from five with plenty of twists and turns still to come.
Maintaining a 100% home record is essential now for the Fen Tigers and their latest attempt to do so is this Sunday 18th. June at Mildenhall Stadium – gates open at 2.30pm with the parade at 3.40pm and tapes up at 4pm.