LEICESTER Fox Cubs were beaten 47-41 in an incident packed National Development Trophy encounter against Kent Eagles at Iwade on Sunday.
The Fox Cubs had the majority of race winners with Will Cairns, Sonny Springer and Cooper Rushen all impressing, whilst reserve Jamie Etherington played a key role for the home side.
Rushen, who will race for the Lion Cubs in the NDL, was standing in for the injured Mason Watson and won his very first race since becoming eligible for this level of competition, although Cairns had already been disqualified from Heat 1 due to bike issues.
It was a long running encounter with the Eagles losing Charlie Wood after a crash in Heat 2, with Etherington taking his remaining rides.
Cairns and Rushen combined for a 5-1 over former Leicester rider Vinnie Foord in Heat 5 to cut the early deficit to one point, before the home side took a couple of 4-2s to go five points up.
Fox Cubs reserve Max Broadhurst came to grief in Heat 9 which spelt the end of his meeting, but the visitors remained in contention with wins for Ace Pijper and Cairns in Heats 10 and 11, so with four heats remaining it was 33-31.
But the Eagles took advantage of Pijper breaking the tapes in Heat 12 as Foord and Etherington raced to a 5-1, although that was immediately cancelled out by Cairns and Springer, who rode a superb opening lap to get the better of Ben Morley and Nathan Ablitt in Heat 13.
Etherington and Jacob Clouting secured the win for the Eagles with a 5-1 over Stene Pijper in Heat 14 with Caydin Martin a faller, but a great ride by 15-year-old Rushen to win Heat 15 leaves the Fox Cubs in a decent position to claim the aggregate point when the teams meet again later in the season.
Manager Jen Crossland said: “I said to the team afterwards how proud I was of them, and it was such a positive performance.
“When you consider we’re a development team and we were racing against a side with several Championship level riders, to run them as close as six points was a great effort from everyone.
“We’re all so pleased for Cooper, and for him to go in Heat 15 in his first meeting at this level and to win it was absolutely brilliant.
“Unfortunately Max has injured his scaphoid which he broke last year, so he’s gone home to get it checked out, and we hope it’s not too serious.”
KENT EAGLES 47: Jamie Etherington 12+2, Vinnie Foord 12, Ben Morley 9+1, Nathan Ablitt 7, Jacob Clouting 5+2, Nathan Hargrave 2+1, Charlie Wood 0.
LEICESTER 41: Cooper Rushen 12+1, Sonny Springer 9+1, Will Cairns 9, Ace Pijper 5, Stene Pijper 3, Max Broadhurst 2, Caydin Martin 1.
