Mildenhall Fen Tigers' number one Alfie Bowtell confident of securing Knock Out Cup final place at Kent Royals' expense

Alfie Bowtell expects the Mildenhall Fen Tigers to take full advantage of the slender lead they hold going into the second leg of their National Development League (NDL) Knock Out Cup semi-final on Sunday (4pm) by registering a third straight victory over Kent Royals.

The Fen Tigers will take a two-point cushion into the concluding leg of their last four clash against the Royals after securing a 46-44 victory following a last-heat decider in the first leg of the tie at Iwade Stadium last weekend.

However, having brushed aside the same opposition 53-37 in their opening NDL fixture at Mildenhall Stadium earlier this month, the Essex-based rider expects the scores to be much closer this time around, with former Fen Tigers racer Nathan Ablitt back among the Royals ranks.

Bowtell said: “We are in a strong position especially with the second leg being at home and fingers crossed everything goes to plan but as you know anything can happen in speedway, however it is looking good for us.

“They will definitely be stronger than when we faced them last time at home with Nathan back in the side.

“He is a good gater and they win races especially around Kent’s track and Mildenhall where it is hard to pass and you have to be pretty ruthless to then get by someone.

“It will improve their side having Nathan in the team but I reckon he will be a bit nervous as it is his first time racing here this season whereas all the others have been there before.

“As long as we all turn up on the day and do our jobs and hit our averages we should be all right.”

Sunday’s victory over the Royals marked a personal landmark for Bowtell, who raced to his first maximum in Fen Tigers colours after storming to five straight race wins to end the meeting with a perfect 15 point total.

Bowtell said: “It was good getting my first maximum for the club and I nearly broke my own track record there again. I felt good, but It was a close meeting all the way through.

“I wanted to pick up where I left off last season and getting that maximum is definitely a weight off my shoulders as I wanted to get one badly. I was going for it and luckily it all came together.”

With club captain Lee Complin back in the side having missed the first leg due to being on Championship duty with Glasgow Tigers, the 26-year-old feels that both his inclusion and the form being shown by reserve Arran Butcher further adds to the Fen Tigers’ chances.

He added: “Lee Complin will be back with us Sunday which is good for us while Arran has been good at reserve and I doubt he will be there very long with the points he is scoring.

“I’d rather it be that we were facing different teams each week, but when those tapes go up you don’t think who you are racing against, you just get on with it.

“Quite a few Mildenhall supporters came down to Kent and hopefully we can get another good crowd like our first meeting of the season and get another good win in front of them.

“If we can make the final it will be a nice confidence boost for the rest of the season.”

Scores

Kent Royals 44: B Morley 10, R Naylor 6+1, T Woolley 7+1, J Alcock 8+1, N Ablitt 8+1, S Woolley 3+2, C King 2.

Mildenhall Fen Tigers 46: A Bowtell 15, G Congreve 4+1, B Trigger 5+1, J Warren 3, L Harrison (g) 8, W Richardson 1, A Butcher 10+1.