LEICESTER Lion Cubs continued their impressive form with a 50-40 victory over Stoke in the National League on an emotional night in the Potteries in the final ever speedway meeting at the Loomer Road Stadium.
The Cubs trailed after a heat three 4-2 for the home side from guest Jack Smith and Luke Priest over Dan Thompson.
The Cubs then took the lead with a heat five maximum 5-1 from Luke Ruddick and Anders Rowe to put the Cubs in front for the first time and they followed up with a further 4-2 in the following race to lead 16-20 after 6 heats.
Ryan Terry-Daley and Ruddick who looked impressive on his return from injury chalked up a further 5-1 to open up an 8-point lead.
The home side struck back straight away with a 5-1 from Connor Coles and Priest in heat nine after Hume had fallen and was disqualified, but the Cubs still led 25-29.
Leicester piled on the pressure as they hit the home side with two successive maximum heat wins with the Thompson twins combined in heat ten and then Rowe and Ruddick combining to do the same and virtually secure the victory for the Cubs.
The Potters gained a consolation 5-1 in heat twelve before two drawn heats confirmed victory for the Lion Cubs with skipper Hume take the last National League race win at the Staffordshire circuit with Coles second and Dan Thompson third for a 4-2 race win on a very emotional night in Stoke.
Lion Cubs skipper Danyon Hume said “It was great a great victory and it takes us in to the play-ffs in good form. Everyone chipped in tonight and Luke Ruddick returned to the side and scored well. It was nice to get the final league race win at Stoke and it’s sad that another track is closing.”
STOKE 40: Connor Coles 15+1, Joe Alcock 9+1, Luke Priest 7+2, Jack Smith 7. Shelby Rutherford 2, Kieran Douglas 0, Joe Lawlor r/r
LECIESTER 50: Dan Thompson 11, Danyon Hume 10+1, Anders Rowe 9+1, Luke Ruddick 8+3, Ryan Terry-Daley 5, Joe Thompson 4+2, Josh Embleton 3+1
