Tom Perry shines at Monmore Green

Great Britain Under-21 Team 46 United States Tourists 44

Young gun Tom Perry led Great Britain to victory at Monmore Green last night – just.

The 18-year-old Dudley Heathens rider dropped only three points from five outings, yet the Americans were within a last-heat fall of at least squaring the match.

With the exciting Kenny Ingalls well clear for the USA, his teammate Austin Novratil was clinging onto the third place that would have produced an overall tie.

The 16-year-old was busy fending off Perry but also had more than half an eye on getting past second-placed James Sarjeant to snatch what would have been a famous victory for the visitors.

But Novratil overcooked it on the pits bend and slid off, grateful to Perry for a rapid laydown which saved both of them from potentially serious injury.

That incident decided the trophy's destination although Ingalls had the consolation of winning the rerun to complete a faultless 15-point maximum.

The Workington star was the class of the field, never headed and twice recording times below Lee Smart's National League record for the circuit.

Perry's colours were lowered twice by Ingalls and once by the racy Novratil in heat three. Perry was held up by partner Jaimie Pickard for one lap too many.

Although he was making up ground on the American hand over fist, the chequered flag came too soon.

All four Dudley riders in the team acquitted themselves well on a night of good action, Ashley Morris notching paid nine while Richard Franklin and Darryl Ritchings had a win apiece.

The latter picking his way through neatly to go from third to first in heat two.

But former Heathen Sarjeant gave heaviest backing to Perry, not flattered by a paid 12 return and slotting in with aplomb into the number one bib left vacant by Kyle Newman's injury.

For the States, Novratil was a huge success – he has his eye on a British team place in 2013 following graduation from high school – although all seven had their moments, aided by pits advice from former world champion Sam Ermolenko.

While Monmore is one of the smaller British tracks it will have seemed large to the visitors – goodness knows what they will make of the giant Sheffield circuit tomorrow – although not big enough for Michael Raines.

The reserve just about stayed on board during his first ride, despite several flirtations with the air fence, and wisely baled out in his second as the barrier loomed large in his vision.

But the most spectacular tumble fell to centre green presenter Ian Jones, whose lumbering passage while inciting a Mexican wave came to a sudden finish as he failed to hurdle the starting tapes.

The Americans will know how he feels.

By Tim Hamblin