Heathens 58 Stoke 35 (From Halesowen News)

Heathens 58 Stoke 35

10:58pm Tuesday 7th August 2012 in Sport

DUDLEY Heathens made it a perfect ten wins from ten in the National League as they breezed past Stoke.

Adam Roynon got a 15-point maximum to keep his side top of the standings ahead of their vital double header with Mildenhall.

Tom Perry and Byron Bekker also plundered plenty of points as the hosts won all but two heats at Monmore Green.

Ashley Birks, Simon Lambert and Ben Reade fought hard in the visitors losing cause but found support lacking.

This was billed as a potential banana skin for the hosts but ultimately they racked up victory by another wide margin, though the racing was far more competitive than in the recent meeting with Scunthorpe.

The result means the Heathens hold the advantage heading into two vital clashes with Mildenhall which are likely to decide who finishes the season at the top.

Stoke needed a big performance from skipper Tony Atkin to stand any chance of keeping things close and things soon looked grim when he was soundly beaten by Bekker and Darryl Ritchings in heat three.

Before then Perry had already wowed the home crowd by taking a point in the first race of the night despite a broken front suspension.

The Heathens grabbed a 17-6 lead at the end of heat four after Reade tangled with team-mate Birks and sent him sailing into the air barrier, which subsequently burst. James White-Williams then fell for the hosts in the re-run, leaving Ashley Morris to get the better of Reade in a two man battle.

More chaos ensued in the next race. Darryl Ritchings was handed a time exclusion and Perry stepped in to ruin Lambert’s tactical ride.

The racing was closer than in previous home meetings this season but the Heathens were always getting the upper hand.

Birks finally grabbed a win for Stoke in heat nine on a tactical ride, while Lambert took heat 11 on a re-run after a tangle with Morris which left the Heathens rider in the barrier and visibly upset with his opponent.

The best racing of the night came in heat 12. Reade rode superbly for the visitors but could do nothing as first Perry and then Bekker screamed past him in the final lap and a half to seal a certain win.

DUDLEY 58: Tom Perry 15+1, Adam Roynon 15, Byron Bekker 12+1, Ashley Morris 6, Darryl Ritchings 5+2, James White-Williams 5+1, Dan Greenwood R/R.

STOKE 35: Ashley Birks 12, Simon Lambert 10+1, Ben Reade 10, Tony Atkin 3+1, Adam Wrathall 0, Ross Walter 0, Liam Carr 0.