Cradley Heathens find it tough in Fours

The Anchor Logistics Heathens managed just eight points as they were eliminated in the group stages.

Jack Smith top scored with four points while Danny Halsey won his opening ride before almost coming to grief as he challenged Stoke’s Joe Lawlor for the lead.

Youngster Tom Spencer will take plenty of experience from the occasion and also bagged an encouraging third place point ahead of Leicester’s Ryan Terry-Daley.

Skipper Max Clegg has a night to forget, suffering two tapes exclusions following frustrating issues with his clutch.

Hosts Stoke came out on top in a tense Grand Final which had seen three teams enter the last race level on points.

Stoke 18: Joe Lawlor 6, Connor Coles 5, Luke Priest 4, Tom Perry 3.

Isle Of Wight 14: Ben Morley 6, Danno Verge 4, Georgie Wood 3, Chad Wirztfeld 1.

Cradley 8: Jack Smith 4, Dan Halsey 3, Tom Spencer 1, Harry McGurk 0.

Leicester 8: Dan Thompson 4, Joe Thompson 2, Danyon Hume 1, Ryan Terry-Daley 1.

The Heathens return to action tonight an important National League fixture as they head to the Kent Kings (6.30pm).

The Anchor Logistics Heathens currently occupy a top four spot in the third tier and are level on points with the Kings.

But the hosts are sweating on the fitness of No.1 Anders Rowe and will be without skipper Rob Ledwith following crashes in the National League Fours at Stoke on Saturday.

The Heathens will be at full strength though and have re-shuffled their pack slightly. Luke Harris moves to No.2 to partner captain Max Clegg while Tom Spencer is shifted to No.4.

Heat-leader Jack Smith said: “We know we need to get some more away points from somewhere and we’re more than capable of doing that on Monday.

“If everyone rides how they know they can then we can push Kent all the way.”

Kent: TBC, Alex Spooner, TBC, Jordan Jenkins, Drew Kemp, Dan Gilkes, Jake Mulford.

CRADLEY: Max Clegg, Luke Harris, Danny Halsey, Tom Spencer, Jack Smith, Sheldon Davies, Harry McGurk.