Dudley Heathens sign Jamie Courtney

Dudley Heathens have reacted to crushing back-to-back away defeats by making a new signing.

Jamie Courtney, son of former rider Mark, is drafted into the team as cover until the injured Adam Roynon is fit to return.

The Heathens followed up their 63-28 defeat at Scunthorpe on Friday with a 61-34 mauling at Stoke on Saturday.

Courtney has plenty of experience in the sport's second and third tiers and was part of Leicester's Premier League set-up earlier this season, before losing his place to Charles Wright.

The new-boy will make his debut in tomorrow's Monmore Green fixture against Belle Vue, with the Heathens still in the play-off chase.

Club chairman Nigel Pearson said: "We felt we had to do something because we had two poor results over the weekend which hit confidence within the team.

"I spent a lot of time talking to our team manager Will Pottinger and he feels the rider-replacement facility puts too much pressure on the other riders, so we moved to sign Jamie."