Jason Gardner insists his Mildenhall Fen Tigers must focus on the National Development League Knock Out Cup final after Kent Royals defeat

Mildenhall Fen Tigers team manager Jason Gardner insists his side must now focus on the National Development League (NDL) Knock Out Cup final after seeing their hopes of lifting speedway’s third tier title all but end following a 47-43 defeat against Kent Royals.

Having lost at home to reigning NDL champions Leicester Lion Cubs in their previous fixture, the Fen Tigers suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time this season on Sunday after slipping to a four-point loss to the Iwade-based outfit.

Despite claiming the aggregate bonus point on offer between the two sides having defeated the Royals 53-37 at Mildenhall Stadium earlier in the season, it was a loss that leaves the Fen Tigers relying on other results going their way if they are to reach the play-offs after slipping to third in the NDL table.

“I said to the boys on the track walk before the meeting that we will be out of the play-offs if we lose this meeting unless bad luck goes either the way of either Oxford (Chargers) or Leicester,” said Gardner.

“We must now concentrate on the Knock Out Cup final where it looks like we will be racing Leicester who have a good lead from the first leg over Workington (Comets).

“We need to use our remaining league meetings to make sure we go into that final full of confidence.

“If it is Leicester we ride against it is a tricky place to go to and hopefully we will go there in the league first, while Alfie (Bowtell) has a guest booking for Leicester on Saturday so hopefully he can pick up something there.”

From the moment the two teams took to the tapes at the weekend it was clear to see it was not going to be the Fen Tigers day.

An opening heat 5-1 appeared to be heading the way of Bowtell and Arran Butcher, but after Royals’ reserve Ashton Vale fell at the back of the field, resulting in his exclusion, the re-run was claimed by the hosts captain Ben Morley to ensure honours finished even.

On a track where gating was imperative, the Fen Tigers soon found themselves up against it, despite Bowtell and Butcher securing a 5-1 in heat five, with the difference between the two sides sitting at eight points come the conclusion of heat seven.

A run of four successive 3-3s, including a scintillating clash between Bowtell and former Fen Tigers star Nathan Ablitt, which the latter secured, in heat 11, followed to make sure the Royals’ advantage remained at eight points.

That lead was finally extended in heat 12 thanks to a 4-2 before Bowtell and race partner Lee Complin, who produced a stunning move to pass both Ablitt and Morley, handed the Fen Tigers a lifeline with a 5-1 in heat 13.

Those efforts proved to be in vain, however, as Tom Woolley and Connor King packed out the placings behind George Congreve to give the hosts the meeting-clinching 3-3 they required with a race to spare.

“To go into heat 14 looking like we could still get something was a good effort but it was a case of so near, yet so far,” said Gardner.

“Ben Morley should have been excluded as well in heat one as he was about to stop when Ashton Vale went down he started to go again. After that a few other things went against us.

“Ben Trigger had a seat bracket break in a race and George (Congreve) just struggled a bit with the track, but he finished strongly.

“Credit goes to Arran Butcher who scored a paid nine from number two as on another day that is a meeting-winning performance.”

To make matters worse the Fen Tigers have learned that it is season over for star reserve Josh Warren, who is struggling to make a full recovery from a bout of concussion sustained during the defeat against the Lion Cubs.

“Josh is definitely out for the season especially with this being the second bout of concussion he has had this season,” said Gardner.

“We sorely missed him against Kent as he would have had seven rides down at reserve.

“We are now going to be a bit stuck at the bottom end as there are not that many options available at this time of year.”

Scores

Kent Royals 47

B Morley 9, R Naylor r/r, M Marson (g) 9+2, T Woolley 8, N Ablitt 12, A Vale 2, C King 7+1.

Mildenhall Fen Tigers 43

A Bowtell 13, A Butcher 6+3, B Trigger 5+1, G Congreve 6. L Complin 10+1, W Richardson 0, S Woolley (g) 3+1.