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Kent Eagles saw off the spirited resistance of Thurrock Hammers to win the resurrected Ken-Ex Cup - their first trophy - 52-37 at Iwade’s Old Gun site on Sunday.
Nathan Ablitt topped the score chart for the Eagles with 11 points from his five outings, while clutch problems that later ruled Vinnie Foord out inevitably hampered his improving on a paid 11-point return.
Eagles captain Ben Morley, the only rider to head home Alfie Bowtell - a fine paid 14-point display from the Thurrock number one - was unbeaten by an opponent in the three races he finished.
He was arguably denied a maximum return following a bizarre double exclusion in heat 13, one that first ruled him out following a tapes infringement and then for exceeding the two-minute time allowance after the team management opted for him to go off the 15-metre mark.
Elsewhere Jamie Etherington impressed, winning his final two outings in an eight-point tally. Mickie Simpson, replacing Jacob Clouting, proved an able guest being paid for double figures and Hayden Watts did a fine job returning six points while fellow reserve, Nathan Hargrave, arguably drew the afternoon’s biggest cheer with his maiden heat win at National Development League level.
Ben Trigger, with eight points, provided the chief support to Bowtell, proving the Hammers’ only other race winner although his afternoon was laced with controversy.
A fall in race six, having been passed by Ablitt, saw frank views exchanged. With that heat awarded as a 5-1 to the home side a two-minute exclusion in the next with Trigger having been remonstrating post-race with referee Simon Humphrey-Kennett would hardly have helped his mood.
Though a good proportion in attendance may have felt a measure of sympathy over the time penalty, this conceivably added to providing the race of the day. Trigger, going off the 15-metre mark, swiftly made his way past teammate Eli Meadows and applied continued pressure on both Morley and Hargrave as they ultimately rode the team to maximum points in the seventh.
The early part of the fixture had seen Kent ease ahead following a 3-2 in race two, Hargrave having been excluded, somewhat harshly in the eyes of many, from a race eventually won by Watts from Kenzie Cossey that extended to three reruns and witnessed a total of seven falls throughout its duration.
“A great day on track for the team, everybody contributing points,” Eagles team manager David Graveling said.
“Nathan (Hargrave’s) first-ever heat win, Mickie (Simpson) a very capable guest and young Hayden (Watts) getting a taste of team speedway. And of course, our first trophy.”
