DUDLEY Heathens’ hopes of National League Pairs glory were dashed in their final outing of the qualification races at Newport.
Heathens duo Kyle Newman and Jon Armstrong made an excellent start to the meeting by taking maximum points over Buxton, although they were put under pressure by conceding a 5-4 to Stoke in Heat 6, Newman winning the race but Armstrong being kept at the back.
However, they recovered well to take another maximum against the Isle of Wight, and they appeared in control of the group when Stoke surprisingly dropped points to the same opponents in Heat 16.
But Armstrong and Newman both missed the gate in their clash with Mildenhall in Heat 18, and there was no way through with Newman falling on the last bend as he attempted a last-gasp passing move.
That opened things up for Stoke again, and the Potters duo of Simon Lambert and Tim Webster took it with a 7-2 over Buxton to top the group, and they then defeated hosts Newport in the Final to win the meeting.
Group A: Newport 26, Scunthorpe/Sheffield 22, Belle Vue 17, Hackney 15, King’s Lynn 10.
Group B: Stoke 23, Mildenhall 21, Dudley 20 (Kyle Newman 11, Jon Armstrong 9), Buxton 13, Isle of Wight 13.
