Dudley Heathens 58 Newport 33

Ashley Morris and Tom Perry were the heroes as Dudley Heathens crushed National League title rivals Newport.

The teenagers, from Penkridge and Albrighton respectively, each live just a few miles from the Monmore Green circuit and consequently have a big following among the Heathens faithful.

That status will only be enhanced after last night’s superb action – racing which was by no means disgraced when placed alongside an excellent Wolves meeting only the previous evening.

Such was the calibre of the entertainment that Perry’s heat 12 victory over smooth stylist Mark Jones, a mesmerising affair in which the lead repeatedly changed hands before the former made a last-lap inside pass stick, was arguably only the evening’s fifth best race.

Grass-track convert Perry is in his debut shale season and his gating remains so sluggish that it might be improved by strapping an alarm clock to the handlebars. Or possibly a sundial.

But Perry on the chase is a sight to lift the hearts of any neutral, let alone the big Dudley following that roared him on last night.

His heat five win was a classic. Newport were looking to turn round a 10-point deficit via Todd Kurtz’s double-point tactical ride and the young Aussie produced a fine gate with team-mate Luke Priest.

The Hornets’ problem, with Priest in front, was how to get Kurtz there instead. Perry rendered the issue academic with a sweeping pass of the Newport No.1 and then launched himself round the boards off the final bend in pursuit of the leader.

Priest moved out to cover and left his opponent a narrow but scrupulously legitimate outside run as well as a bigger opportunity on the cutback.

Perry’s selection was never in doubt – full throttle in the wide dirt to claim a narrow victory.

Morris, not to be outdone, picked off riders virtually at will throughout the evening and only lost what would have been a faultless maximum with an horrendous locker on the penultimate turn of heat 14 which allowed Tony Atkin through.

But Morris produced his own contribution to spiking Newport’s tactical guns in heat seven when Jones was in the black and white.

The Evans and Morris combination did it again in the 11th, first one and then the other taking up the challenge as Kurtz hit the front.

Morris and Perry were rewarded with a heat 15 outing and rounded off a big night with victory, while Perry couldn’t quite battle past Jones to grab third place.

With support throughout the order and skipper Lee Smart recording yet another untroubled maximum Dudley extracted full revenge for their mauling in Wales earlier in the season.

Truly the Heathens are local heroes.

By Tim Hamblin