DUDLEY Heathens went to the top of the National League table at a wet Hayley Stadium on Friday night gaining a 36 all draw after the meeting was abandoned after twelve races due to rain, the result standing.

The Heathens where four points adrift after the opening four races after home pairing Jay Herne and Richard Andrews gained maximum points in the opening heat over Richard Franklin and Jon Armstrong in the opening heat. An exchange of 4-2’s in the next three races saw the Heathens trailing 14-10. Armstrong and Franklin then reduced the deficit to just two points as the Heathens pairing gained a 4-2 heat advantage with the rain getting increasingly worse.

The Heathens took the lead for the first time in heat eight with a maximum heat win from Franklin and reserve Danny Stoneman over Richard Andrews to give the Heathens a 25-25 lead at the midway point of the meeting. Newport gained a maximum of their own in heat ten as Tom Perry fell on the second lap and then Ashley Morris came to grief on the final lap, Morris pushing for the consolation point as the Hornets regain the lead. The Hornets extend their lead with a 4-2 in heat eleven with Franklin splitting the Newport pairing of Todd Kurtz and David Gough after Armstrong comes to grief at the starting line leaving the Heathens trailing 35-31.

Tom Perry and Darryl Ritchings levelled the scores in heat twelve with a 5-1 heat win over Richard Andrews and David Gough as proceedings were called to a halt with continuing rain leaving the referee to alternative but to abandon the meeting giving the Heathens a hard fought 36 all draw.

Heathens club chairman Nigel Pearson commented “On behalf of all the team I’d like to thank the many Heathens supporters that travelled down and supported the team and to the riders for their superb efforts on a difficult track which took the club to the top of the National League table. There is a great togetherness within the team and it puts us in a buoyant mood ahead of our difficult cup semi final matches against Stoke in the coming week.”

Newport 36: Todd Kurtz 9, Jay Herne 9, Richard Andrews 7+1, Matt Bates 5+1, James White-Williams 3+1, Tom Young 2+1, David Gough 1

Dudley 36: Darryl Ritchings 7+1, Richard Franklin 7, Kyle Newman 6+1, Ashley Morris 6, Tom Perry 4+1, Danny Stoneman 3+1, Jon Armstrong 3