Strong showing by the Academy

The Stellar Monarchs Academy are rated one of the front-runners in the National Development League, and there was nothing in their performance tonight to suggest that is anything but an accurate assessment as they gradually forged ahead of the Kent Royals to win 52-37.

Team manager Scott Wilson could not hide his satisfaction in their display. "The team were excellent, exactly what I was looking for. The top three were all unbeaten until heat 15, and they did their job on and off the track. They helped the others, and when Kyle Bickley had a machine problem the first out offering a machine was Jacob Hook. It's a real team."

It might be May but it was a very cold and misty (but dry) Armadale tonight. In the end only Adam Roynon of the home riders was unbeaten, but when you have three riders on 12 or paid 12 after 14 heats you don't need a lot of backup to win the match.

Roynon was the sharpest gater of the trio, sailing along imperiously in each of his rides, never glimpsing another rider after the first turn. Bickley and Hook were not always first from the tapes but they were invariably powerful off the second bend and in front by the third turn.

Kent took only one heat advantage, that being in heat two when Connor King led the way after Dayle Wood had fallen at the first corner. That put them two points up at that stage but regular heat advantages soon put the Academy in control.

Best backup came from Alex Spooner who has formed a strong partnership with Roynon. Spooner was involved in the best heat of the night in heat 12 when he pressed visiting captain Tom Woolley on every turn, not quite squeezing through, while Kyran Lyden ensured the heat wasn't lost by pipping Connor King in an excellent tussle for the point.

Unluckiest of the home men was Mickie Simpson who twice led races which were stopped. He also took a couple of tumbles, as did Joe Alcock for the Royals, but it appeared that everyone was fit enough by the end of the night.

Ben Morley is normally a race winner at NDL level and he finally made the traps in heat 15 to take the only points off Bickley and Hook. Tom Woolley on his return to Armadale had that heat 12 win in his 8-point score, and Rhys Naylor also managed an impressive heat 8 victory.

Kent move on to race at Berwick tomorrow while Monarchs Academy can now look forward to their trip a week tomorrow to the new circuit at Workington.