National Trophy Kent Kings 44 Mildenhall Fen Tigers 45

Ryan Kinsley was the star of the show as a Mildenhall Fen Tigers side, devoid of riders due to injury and unavailability produced a terrific result in Kent tonight.

The West Row side went into the meeting minus Josh Bailey, Sam Bebee and Jordan Jenkins, all injured, and star reserve Drew Kemp, who was studying for his GCSEs.

But it mattered not as Kinsley led the charge with 15 points and along with the remaining Fen Tigers, the west Suffolk club had this National Trophy meeting sewn up with one race to go.

It strengthens the Fen Tigers grip at the top of their southern section of the Trophy table.

While Kinsley headed the scorecharts, there were notable performances from Danny Ayres (9) and Matt Marson (10) as the Fen Tigers won 10 of the 15 races.

Tom Bacon, guesting for Bailey shed a chain while leading heat five but already Kinsley and Ayres had shown good early form.

However, when both Ayres and Andrew Palmer (in for Kemp) crashed in heat six, it was the Kent side who took a three point lead.

The Fen Tigers didn’t let that bad luck get to them though and two wins on the bounce for the flying Kinsley, saw heat advantages gained and Mildenhall take a one point lead at 24-23.

A succession of drawn 3-3 heats kept the Suffolk side in the narrowest of leads until a crucial heat 13.

Ayres went round the whole field in that one and with Bacon sitting in third place, the visitors led by three with two races to go.

Kinsley and Marson appeared to be on their way to a 5-1 to seal the deal in heat 14. But Taylor Hampshire passed Marson on the line. Not that it mattered, and although Kent finished with a 5-1 of their own after Ayres fell trying to pass, it left Mildenhall with all three points.

Mildenhall: T Bacon 6, R/R, R Terry-Daley 5, R Kinsley 15, D Ayres 9, A Palmer 0, M Marson 10.

n Lewis Kerr will guest for Danny King for Ipswich Witches on Thursday night. The Witches are at home to Berwick.