Looking for it to be third-time lucky after rain offs on both of the last two Mondays, this time all looks set fair to get the action on in the biggest ever match in the history of the Kent Kings, taking on Leicester Lion Cubs in the second leg of the National League [NL] Grand Final on Monday 28th. October.
The deficit facing Chris Hunt’s men at the outset of the second leg is 28 points following a fairly torrid time in the opening stanza of this two act drama - but after all the events of this memorable campaign, few would be surprised if there wasn’t more twists and turns yet. The TouchTec-sponsored Kings have one enforced change to deal with – the newly-crowned NL Riders Champion Anders Rowe is unavailable: the entirely unexpected late end to the season (after the rainiest September & October anyone involved can recall) having caught out the Rowe family, who have a long-booked holiday which sees them abroad. Rowe signed off his hugely successful 2019 campaign by top scoring for the Great Britain full national team with paid 12 from the reserve berth against Denmark at King’s Lynn last week.
Because Rowe is top of the averages, in the no. 1 race jacket for the TouchTec Kings it means that by utilising the Rider Replacement facility to cover for his absence, all of the other six riders in the team are entitled to take an extra ride – that includes, of course, runner up to Anders in the NLRC and also a successful GB debutant in that win over the Danes on Wednesday, the GB U19 Champion, Drew Kemp. With Kemp, Dan Gilkes, Jordan Jenkins and in-form skipper Rob Ledwith all able to replace Rowe it will lessen the blow of his absence as the Kings aim to rein in the East Midlanders.
The R/R on Kent’s side to some extent nullifies the advantage the Lion Cubs extracted from the same facility for their own missing heat leader, Luke Ruddick. Though in other ways the difference is as chalk and cheese - with Rowe previously an ever-present, while the youngster from the Scottish Borders, Ruddick in fact rode only in the first and last of Leicester’s ‘qualifying’ NL matches – R/R being used on all other occasions to cover the former Mildenhall man. For Leicester’s star man Ellis Perks it’s a chance to make history – having been a member of sides winning the Premiership (Swindon) and the Championship (the senior Leicester Lions’ team), he’d be the first rider ever to win all three league titles in the same season. Perks scored a paid 15 points maximum when Leicester became the only visiting team to win at Central Park in the NL and nullifying the twin spearhead he has with Danyon Hume (who scored 14 on that same occasion) is the undoubted key to pulling this one of the fire by Kent..
The two teams otherwise are poised to be unchanged and win or go down to gallant defeat the end of season festivities will ensue after heat 15 with a Grand Fireworks display and the traditional ‘goodbyes’ and presentations in the Central Bar.
The gates open at 5pm with tapes up after the opening parade at 6.30pm on Monday 28th. October.