Cradley vs Kent 9th Sep - Off, Re-arranged for 16th Sep double header with BV Cup match

[MattJ81 51]

1 hour ago, Sings4Speedway said:

I would be gutted is Kent didnt return with all the points as i would love to see IOW in the play offs. Ledwith returning is obviously a risk but he has taken his tie to ensure he is right, Spooner at reserve will be a trump card providing he stays out of trouble as Sam Woolley seems unlikely to trouble the score card too heavily. For the host Clegg present is an obvious boost & Coles is more consistent than the enigma Halsey this year. Is Spencer out with concussion again? He rode at Plymouth recently so guessed that the suspension was up? Either way the visitors should have enough to take the away points and keep the Warriors fans happy. 

I believe Tom is still suffering from the concussion despite having ridden and put in one of his best performances of an encouraging season at Plymouth.  R/R is never easy in a double header but can't be helped - Cradley do usually name a number 8 which may help keep things ticking over 

Raining at the moment but due to clear up before lunchtime all being well, fingers crossed it goes ahead as planned as they have the potential to be two good meetings

[teaboy279 1,038]

Think Spencer had another big crash in the mdl match at perry Barr last week.

[MattJ81 51]

33 minutes ago, teaboy279 said:

Think Spencer had another big crash in the mdl match at perry Barr last week.

Thanks I didn't know about that.  Best wishes to him

[bruno 1,790]

Anyone want a bet the second meeting will be called after heat 10

[ruckerroo 792]

For somebody that was going to set the league on fire kemp has been very very moderate for kent in 2019. 

[Sings4Speedway 3,237]

11 hours ago, ruckerroo said:

For somebody that was going to set the league on fire kemp has been very very moderate for kent in 2019. 

I genuinely don't believe he is particularly happy there although in fairness he was patchy at Sheffield also, i feel there will be a mass exodus of riders from Kent over the winter.

As for the result gutted to see IOW miss out on the play off spot but credit to Cradley who beat a lack lustre Kent side who in all fairness were probably going through the motions and riding sensibly.  

Edited September 17, 2019 by Sings4Speedway

[TurnTwo 317]

12 hours ago, ruckerroo said:

For somebody that was going to set the league on fire kemp has been very very moderate for kent in 2019. 

As good as Kemp is I think his progression is more based on a false security. He spent months at reserve last year, and when it came to stepping up he was never really setting the world alight at the number 1 spot - although scoring points I think riding at mildenhall actually halted his progression.. he excels round the “circular type tracks” like mildy, scunny & the meeting he won in Germany. When it comes to a technical track I think all his trade he learnt at Ipswich he seems to have lost. Add in that being at number 2 all year (which is his and Ipswich fault) they would have been well aware that he would gain an avg almost immediately. Unfortunately for him he’s not going to have the nl to rely on next year and going to have to try and tough it with the big guys. A talent yes - how far will he go - I’m not sure.

[MattJ81 51]

Very nearly got all 30 heats in before the 10:30 strict curfew and some decent races especially in the Kent meeting.  A mention to Harry McGurk who completed 12 rides last night and along with a couple of the other Cradley riders was visibly shattered by the end!  Great result against Kent in a close meeting, Clegg was rarely troubled after Heat 1 of the first meeting to stay unbeaten in 9 rides and Luke Harris had a good night using the Karlsson korridor to great effect several times.

Agree with those above who mentioned that Drew Kemp doesn't quite look his old self, it almost seemed he was riding with a slight injury the way his body language seemed after Heat 15 in particular.  He was very good around Monmore last season but didn't threaten a big score at all.  The track was dusty from pretty early on, understandably with the rain earlier in the day

Mildenhall need to gain maximum 4 points at Plymouth on Thursday to take the last play off place

[Old Crusader 135]

4 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

I genuinely don't believe he is particularly happy there although in fairness he was patchy at Sheffield also, i feel there will be a mass exodus of riders from Kent over the winter.

As for the result gutted to see IOW miss out on the play off spot but credit to Cradley who beat a lack lustre Kent side who in all fairness were probably going through the motions and riding sensibly.  

I hope you're right about riding sensibly for this one because they won't win the playoffs if this is their best. To be fair to Rob it was his 1st meeting back after a long layoff. But two last places for Drew is not good perhaps it was machine problems?

[MattJ81 51]

22 minutes ago, Old Crusader said:

I hope you're right about riding sensibly for this one because they won't win the playoffs if this is their best. To be fair to Rob it was his 1st meeting back after a long layoff. But two last places for Drew is not good perhaps it was machine problems?

In Heat 15 he straightened up across bends 1 and 2 first lap and ended up a distance behind Smith in third - he gained a little over the race but didn't seriously threaten

[flipper11 134]

7 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

I genuinely don't believe he is particularly happy there although in fairness he was patchy at Sheffield also, i feel there will be a mass exodus of riders from Kent over the winter.

As for the result gutted to see IOW miss out on the play off spot but credit to Cradley who beat a lack lustre Kent side who in all fairness were probably going through the motions and riding sensibly.  

Sings. You imply that none of the Kent riders are happy, what makes you think that? 

 

[Sings4Speedway 3,237]

Just now, flipper11 said:

Sings. You imply that none of the Kent riders are happy, what makes you think that? 

 

Its not always happiness or lack of that causes riders to move on. That said Kemp hasn't looked the force many expected, Jenkins hasn't really taken to the track and briefly cost him his love for the sport, likewise Ablitt. Gilkes committed to the team despite initially thinking it was going to be a weekend race night. Rowe & Spooner have been in the team for a few years now and need to move on to progress further so if i was to hazard a guess id only expect to see Ledwith & Mulford back next season possibly Clouting dependant on team building numbers.

[flipper11 134]

11 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Its not always happiness or lack of that causes riders to move on. That said Kemp hasn't looked the force many expected, Jenkins hasn't really taken to the track and briefly cost him his love for the sport, likewise Ablitt. Gilkes committed to the team despite initially thinking it was going to be a weekend race night. Rowe & Spooner have been in the team for a few years now and need to move on to progress further so if i was to hazard a guess id only expect to see Ledwith & Mulford back next season possibly Clouting dependant on team building numbers.

Ive watched Drew at every Kent match this season & its true he does not seem to have the fire in his belly he had last year, that may be down to the pressure of riding in the main team at Sheffield more than not liking riding at Kent, he is of course still very young in speedway terms & will learn a lot from this year.  I hope he returns for us because i feel the best has yet to come from him (sadly i doubt he will return though),  Gilkes will not be going anywhere he is very happy with things at Kent & the supporters would go berserk if he went anywhere else!  I spoke to Jordan last night & he is very happy at Kent & seems keen on his racing again. Mulford is nailed on (hopefully). Rowe i think will be No 1 next year,  i don't think moving track will make any difference to him, he seems to ride well at every track.  As for the others there will always be the end of season merry go round depending on averages same as every other track.  

[cityrebel 2,960]

6 hours ago, flipper11 said:

Ive watched Drew at every Kent match this season & its true he does not seem to have the fire in his belly he had last year, that may be down to the pressure of riding in the main team at Sheffield more than not liking riding at Kent, he is of course still very young in speedway terms & will learn a lot from this year.  I hope he returns for us because i feel the best has yet to come from him (sadly i doubt he will return though),  Gilkes will not be going anywhere he is very happy with things at Kent & the supporters would go berserk if he went anywhere else!  I spoke to Jordan last night & he is very happy at Kent & seems keen on his racing again. Mulford is nailed on (hopefully). Rowe i think will be No 1 next year,  i don't think moving track will make any difference to him, he seems to ride well at every track.  As for the others there will always be the end of season merry go round depending on averages same as every other track.  

The proposed dumbing down of the NL might exclude a few of those. Riders of a certain level might be forced up to ride in a watered down middle tier. 

[Islander15 1,062]

17 hours ago, flipper11 said:

Ive watched Drew at every Kent match this season & its true he does not seem to have the fire in his belly he had last year, that may be down to the pressure of riding in the main team at Sheffield more than not liking riding at Kent, he is of course still very young in speedway terms & will learn a lot from this year.  I hope he returns for us because i feel the best has yet to come from him (sadly i doubt he will return though),  Gilkes will not be going anywhere he is very happy with things at Kent & the supporters would go berserk if he went anywhere else!  I spoke to Jordan last night & he is very happy at Kent & seems keen on his racing again. Mulford is nailed on (hopefully). Rowe i think will be No 1 next year,  i don't think moving track will make any difference to him, he seems to ride well at every track.  As for the others there will always be the end of season merry go round depending on averages same as every other track.  

I also expect Rowe to be Kent’s number 1 next season and by the summer months I think they’ll have one of the best number 1s in the league and an NLRC contender. Mulford will definitely be back. Len is a loyal man so maybe men like Spooner and Ledwith might be back again despite neither being on attractive averages.