Tom Perry leads the victory charge for Cradley Heathens
Patched-up Cradley kept their slender National League play-off hopes alive with a vital 56-34 win over the Belle Vue Colts, writes Tim Hamblin.
Skipper Tom Perry had labelled this one a must-win – and led from the front with a full 15-point maximum as his men duly delivered at “Monmore Wood”.
“It was a meeting we definitely needed to win and it was good for myself to get 15 points, so I’m very happy with that,” he said.
“They are all must-wins and now we must keep on going for the rest of them.”
Victory looked a tall order for Cradley with Connor Coles standing in for Danny Ayres, who was absent on compassionate leave, and the Heathens running rider-replacement for the injured Richard Hall.
But the Colts, the league’s pacesetters, also had their problems, Dan Bewley’s injury for the senior side against Wolves earlier in the evening ruling him out. Diminutive veteran and former Heathens favourite Jon Armstrong took the No.1 racejacket and gave his usual polished performance.
Belle Vue also lost Rob Shuttleworth to a back injury after a first-ride fall.
Perry won a splendid heat six battle against Smith while Coles likewise in the next race against Armstrong.
Those efforts established the platform and from there Cradley were untroubled.
Perry was immaculate, sneaking inside Armstrong and Smith on the back straight in heat 13 to take his fourth success before rounding the same pair to win the final race, while Coles and Joe Lawlor offered excellent backing.
