LEICESTER Lion Cubs roared to a 51-38 triumph over the Middlesbrough Tigers, a result that moves them closer to the Oxford Chargers in the race for top spot in the WSRA National Development League.
Cooper Rushen blasted out of the gate in Heat 1 to a convincing race win followed by Ace Pijper and Elliot Kelly who started the meeting on a split heat. This continued into Heat 2 when reserve Ryan Ingram also grabbed a race win to keep the Lion Cubs and Tigers level.
The visitors pulled away in Heat 3 when Stene Pijper and Jamie Halder delivered a 4-2 heat advantage putting themselves two points ahead. Skipper Ben Trigger and reserve Eli Meadows returned the favour in Heat 4 after Kelly suffered a disqualification.
Meadows was brought back out for Heat 5 to deliver a split heat alongside guest Harry Fletcher keeping the two sides equal at 15-15. The level scoreline continued into Heat 6 when Rushen seized his second race win of the day.
In Heat 7, an impressive overtake from Trigger alongside Ingram gifted the Lion Cubs an advantage that allowed the home side to begin to pull away.
Ingram was straight back out for Heat 8, but this didn’t stop him claiming his second race win of the meeting and widening the Cubs’ lead to four points.
Heat 9 saw three re-runs that left Trigger and Pijper to run off against one another, and Pijper was unable to overcome the speed of the Cubs’ captain whose race win now made the scoreline 29-24.
Stene Pijper fell in Heat 10 and was disqualified, giving new signing Calum Mitchell his first point of the meeting and Rushen his third consecutive win.
In Heat 11, the powerful duo of Trigger and Ingram secured a heat advantage to keep the Cubs in front. Heat 12 then produced the first and only 5-1 of the day as Ingram raced into the lead with his partner in blue, Meadows, close behind.
Rushen and Pijper battled in Heat 13 as Rushen faced his first defeat of the meeting and a split heat. Charlie Southwick crashed out of Heat 14 leaving Jamie Halder to fend off Fletcher and Ingram to grasp a heat win.
Heat 15 brought another close race between Rushen and Pijper, with the Tigers taking a shared heat as Pijper once again edged out Rushen. It left the Tigers 13-points adrift of the Lion Cubs, who secured an important three league points.
Leicester manager Jen Crossland commended the efforts of the home side as they closed the gap at the top of the table.
She said: “Their performance was great. Today was crucial. We’ve got to win all of our matches to try and catch Oxford, so we’re going to go for it now.
“Ryan Ingram produced an outstanding performance today, Cooper and Ben were also outstanding, but Ryan is just coming through the ranks and doing really well.
“Harry (Fletcher) we brought in as a guest but he’s developing really well with us as well.
“Having such a strong rider at reserve definitely bolsters the team, the sad thing is that Ryan is going to have to move out of reserve. I’m sure of it.”
LEICESTER 51: Ben Trigger 14+2, Cooper Rushen 13, Ryan Ingram 12+1, Harry Fletcher 6, Eli Meadows 5+2, Calum Mitchell 1, Max Perry r/r.
MIDDLESBROUGH 38: Ace Pijper 15, Jamie Halder 12, Charlie Southwick 7, Jack Shimelt 2+2, Elliot Kelly 1+1, Stene Pijper 1, Tom Spencer r/r.
Leicester win the aggregate point.
REPORT: SAMANTHA TROMANS
