Sunshine Speedway at West Row today (Sunday) with the last regular National Development League [NDL] home meeting of the season for Mildenhall DJS Fen Tigers – proudly sponsored by Manchetts Rescue and Recovery.
Clear blue skies there may be but there’s been a number of dark clouds over the Fen Tigers’ opponents Workington Comets in the build up to this meeting. Firstly they needed to make a change to their ‘Guest’ in the number one race jacket, with initial pick Steve Boxall (the long-time Mildenhall track record holder) subject to a riding suspension. Coming in as the ‘Guest’ covering for absent GB U21 champion Connor Bailey instead is former Fen Tigers’ skipper (now with Oxford Chargers), Ryan Kinsley. That means an Oxford ‘1-2’ for the Comets as there’s another ‘Guest’ from the side currently occupying second place in the NDL table in the form of Jacob Clouting.
Last night (Saturday) the Cumbrian side had a difficult evening at reigning champions Leicester – losing heavily in both the League and also the Knock-out Cup [KOC] semi-final; and they also lost another of their heat leaders, with Sam McGurk suffering a knee injury which keeps him out of Sunday’s match at West Row – the Rider Replacement facility will be used to cover the young Tyke’s rides.
No such selection difficulties for the hosts. The results over the weekend have knocked Belle Vue Colts out of the race for the top two and it’s a straight ‘perm two from three’ now, with Mildenhall accepting they are outsiders to catch the two in pole position for the title-deciding Play Offs (Oxford & new leaders Leicester) but knowing that absolutely nothing less than wins in their remaining three NDL matches will do – beginning by downing the Comets today. Gates open at 2.30pm and tapes up at 4pm.
A road closure up to 4pm on the road from Mildenhall High Town to West Row means a diversion in the direction of Beck Row is needed – the standard yellow diversion signs will be in place.
The away match scheduled for next Friday vs. Edinburgh Monarchs’ Academy has been put back a week and is now on September 22nd.
The other remaining match is a potential decider away to current NDL leaders, Leicester Lion Cubs and the club hope to be able to have the date for that one confirmed very soon.
Now that the KOC final opponents have been confirmed as Leicester Lion Cubs (a repeat of last year’s Final), there are home and away legs of that final tie to be confirmed also.