LEICESTER’S hopes of completing a 100 per cent season in the WSRA National Development League were dashed at the final hurdle as they went down to a narrow 47-42 defeat at Edinburgh.
The Lion Cubs had already clinched the league title, which of course was the main business of the season, but victory at Armadale would have made it ten wins out of ten for 2024.
As it was, a sterling comeback from eleven points down to force a last heat decider wasn’t quite enough, and the Lion Cubs left Scotland with just the consolation of another aggregate point after a big home win in the reverse fixture.
It was a good start for the away side with 4-2s in the opening two races, but Heat 4 proved to be a damaging race as first Arran Butcher fell when leading, and then Vinnie Foord came to grief in the re-run which handed the Monarchs Academy a 5-0.
The home side then dominated the race wins with Dayle Wood combining with Sam McGurk for a 5-1 in Heat 9 which left the scores at 31-22.
The match looked to be all over with Edinburgh taking a 4-2 in Heat 10 as Tom Spencer came down, but the Lion Cubs rallied and set up a nervous finale for the hosts.
Skipper Joe Thompson and Sonny Springer recorded a 4-2 in Heat 11 and this was immediately backed up by maximum points in the next from Spencer and Butcher as home rider Sam McGurk hit mechanical trouble.
Thompson won a shared Heat 13 before the Lion Cubs got back to within three points as Max James inflicted the first defeat on Wood, with Butcher in third place to make it 43-40.
A 5-1 for the Lion Cubs in Heat 15 would have snatched a remarkable victory, but Wood and Connor Coles gated for the home side and although James was able to split them, there was no further change of position.
But the Lion Cubs, who were without Luke Crang on the night due to work commitments, can still be hugely proud of their title-winning efforts this year, and their success will be fully marked at the club’s end of season party next month.
WSRA NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
EDINBURGH 47: Dayle Wood 14, Max Perry 9+1, Connor Coles 9, Harry McGurk 7, Sam McGurk 3+1, Kyran Lyden 3+1, Mark Parker 2.
LEICESTER 42: Joe Thompson 11, Max James 11, Arran Butcher 7+2, Sonny Springer 5+1, Tom Spencer 4+1, Vinnie Foord 3, Lee Harrison 1.
Leicester win the aggregate point
Photo credit: JACK CUPIDO
