LEICESTER have officially been crowned 2024 WSRA National Development League champions – and they still have the chance to complete a 100 per cent season.
The Lion Cubs were 47-43 winners at their nearest rivals Oxford on Sunday, which completed the necessary mathematics even though to all intents and purposes the title was all-but sealed at Sheffield on Thursday.
It is the third time in five seasons that the Lion Cubs have won the NDL title, following on from their successes in 2019 and 2022, and it was ironic that the final confirmation took place at Cowley – scene of their gut-wrenching defeat in what turned out to be a one-legged play-off final on the very last night of the season last year.
Once again the Lion Cubs and the Chargers have been the best two teams in the third tier, and Leicester have now made it nine wins out of nine in 2024.
In a season where different heroes have emerged almost on a match-by-match basis, the last week has seen high scoring at reserve prove vitally important.
As at Sheffield on Thursday, Max James and Arran Butcher heavily outscored their rivals at Sandy Lane with James piling up 16+1 from seven rides.
Skipper Joe Thompson, who has been involved in all three title triumphs, also put in a big performance, getting the Lion Cubs off to a flyer with a win over home No.1 Luke Killeen in Heat 1.
And after James and Butcher put the visitors ahead with a 5-1 in Heat 2, James then produced a superb ride in the next race to get past both home riders, Connor Coles and Ashton Vale, on the final bend as they looked set for a 5-1.
The Lion Cubs raced into an eight-point lead after five heats but this was pegged back by a succession of Chargers 4-2s which levelled the scores after Heat 9.
But the Cubs made the next key move in Heat 11 with Thompson’s excellent work on the first bend allowing Sonny Springer to get past Jody Scott, and he held on to complete a 5-1.
The Chargers saw Coles disqualified from Heat 12 after tangling with Tom Spencer, and the Lion Cubs took full advantage with another 5-1 in the re-run from Spencer and James.
Thompson split Killeen and Scott in Heat 13 which officially wrapped up the title as the Lion Cubs had the aggregate point in the bag.
But they made sure of victory on the day thanks to another win for James in Heat 14 with Butcher supplying third place, before the Chargers finished with a consolation 5-1 in Heat 15.
Manager Dave Howard said: “It was a great performance to get the win at Oxford – we knew we needed 43 points to get the aggregate point which would give us the league, but to win the whole meeting was fantastic.
“Max and Arran have been great at reserve in these last two matches in particular, but this was about the team overall, and to be unbeaten over the whole season with one match left and to have already won the league is an outstanding effort from the whole team.
“Joe started in the NDL in 2019 and he’s been in the team ever since, and we’re really thankful to him for his performances over the last six years in effect, and he’s also been a really good captain.
“It would be good if we could win at Edinburgh as well on September 20 and complete the season with a 100 per cent winning record, so we’ll see what happens when we go there!”
Leicester fans will have the opportunity to celebrate the Lion Cubs’ success as the trophy and medals will be presented at an upcoming senior meeting, with details to follow when confirmed.
OXFORD 43: Luke Killeen 14, Jody Scott 9+1, Connor Coles 7, Jacob Clouting 5+1, Ashton Vale 4+1, Declan Killeen 3, Senna Summers 1.
LEICESTER 47: Max James 16+1, Joe Thompson 11, Arran Butcher 7+2, Tom Spencer 7, Sonny Springer 3+1, Luke Crang 3, Vinnie Foord r/r.
Leicester win the aggregate point
Leicester are 2024 WSRA NDL Champions
Photo credit: STEVE DIXON
