Dudley 59 Isle of Wight 34

The longest day may well have seemed like the longest night for Dudley Heathens’ opponents the Isle of Wight at Monmore Green.

The Isle of Wight were put to the sword with a Heathens victory confirmed after just 11 races on an excellent racing surface.

At one point, it seemed possible that no fewer than four of the home riders would go unbeaten, but ultimately only Kyle Newman managed the feat.

The 19-year-old was quick from the tapes and ultra-confident when needing to pass, twice skating round Islanders’ No 1 Paul Starke to complete his maximum.

Newman has blended seamlessly into this Dudley side and can be paid no higher compliment than to observe that he has successfully filled the void left by the injured Adam Roynon.

Ashley Morris looked likely to join Newman but was repelled by Nick Simmons in heat nine.

Morris’s partner Tom Perry, however, then took up the cudgels and drove round his rival on the third lap to take a big step to what looked like a maximum of his own.

The feat appeared in his grasp when he did all the hard work three races later, tracking and passing reserve Gary Cotham only to grind to a halt.

Reserve Darryl Ritchings, growing in confidence by the meeting, was unbeaten in his first two and was getting the better of a lively joust with Starke in his third, before picking up drive and losing ground via a huge wheelie while exiting the pits turn.

Ritchings did wonderfully well to get the machine down without damage to it or self, and a fourth place in his final ride was hardly reflective of his night.

On top of all was a captain’s performance from Jon Armstrong, dropping a solitary point and reeling off four wins, and a polished offering from Richard Franklin, who spiked Simmons’ double-point tactical ride in heat six and so nearly did the same to Rob Smith two races later.

Franklin occupied the racing line for virtually all the four laps, only to succumb to a last-bend drive up the inside.

That just leaves Danny Stoneman, who was drafted into the line-up during the reshuffle that brought Newman into the green and red.

Stoneman picked up paid four, is improving visibly and also benefited from a couple of mechanical tweaks as the meeting progressed.

For the Islanders, however, it was a long way home – and a long night.

By Tim Hamblin