Exciting display as Devils hit 40

An exciting performance by the Armadale Devils, inspired by their brilliant no. 1 Lee Complin, came up just short of gaining a point, but the Devils did gain their season's highest away score of 40.

Experienced team manager Jason Pipe had taken on the Devils' job tonight and he said "From the start we agreed to work as a team, and I gave Lee Complin the job of looking after the two reserves, and they learned quite a bit off Lee. Kai Ward's score doesn't reflect his effort, he was right up with them and it was just a shame he couldn't have got another couple of points to show for it.

"That would have got us closer to getting a point. It was always going to be hard, but Josh Embleton's r/r rides never got anywhere, and I had expected Elliot Kelly to win heat 14. Unfortunately it didn't happen.

"We took it as far as heat 14 anyway. That was the most the Devils have scored away this season.

"Lee just wasn't having Adam beat him, he was riding the outside like nobody else, my heart was in my mouth watching him! It was like turning back the clock to Sheffield when he went round the outside of Freddie Lindgren in Garry Stead's benefit.

"Danny was very good too, he always seems to come on towards the end of the season. He's a confidence rider and that good home match he had last week helped him today. He said the track was to his liking.

"The Plymouth track was really good tonight. Just unfortunate we haven't got a point but I've got to be happy with 40 points.

"Lee and Danny and Tom all had a few words to the team at the start, making sure everyone was on the right setups, making sure they knew which racing lines to go on. It was a good all-round team performance. I think with a full team we could have won, or at least got a point. A Plymouth fan said it was the best meeting they have had in the National League".

Complin's display was a reminder of just what a talent he is. He was unstoppable round the outside even if he missed the start, and there are not many riders in British Speedway who could ride like that. He beat home star Adam Roynon three times and Adam admitted that he wasn't prepared to risk racing on that line.

Danny Phillips was also excellent with two wins in his 11 point score, while Tom Woolley was as steady as ever. The other main scorer was Elliot Kelly who took a couple of good thirds plus a win in heat 8, but missed out in the important heat 14.

The guest reserves put in plenty of effort and Kai Ward in particular was unlucky not to get more than 2 from his 7 rides.

The Devils took an advantage in heat 1, the first of Complin's five wins, but they were ten down by heat 7. Thereafter they held their own and might have got even closer with a better heat 14 result.

Richard Andrews of the home side was their only man attempting the Complin line and he also had some success in some of the best heats.

Full marks to Plymouth's Live Stream team for their coverage of the match.

Devils On The Road For The Last Time

The Stellar Devils make the long, long journey south on Tuesday to finish off their away league campaign as they take on the Plymouth Centurions.

It is a much-changed side that stand in team boss Jason Pipe has to work with as a mixture of injury and unavailability means that only 4 of the regular Devils 7 take to track.

The 3 changes come in the form of Josh Embleton (back injury), Gregor Millar (unavailable) and Kyran Lyden (shoulder injury) missing out with Rider replacement in operation for Embleton and Kai Ward and James Laker stepping in for Millar and Lyden.

The hope is that Embleton will be fit to return for Friday, but it looks like Kyran's spell as a Devil is over for the year after he dislocated his shoulder in a crash at Redcar on Sunday.

With r/r in operation for Embleton the decision has been made to switch Elliott Kelly to the number 2 slot so it will be r/r at 4 with Kelly and the reserves the ones to cover.

Elsewhere the top 3 are all in position Lee Complin looking to lead the way at his home Championship circuit while Danny Phillips will look to build on the best performance of his season last Friday and Woolley provide that solid heat leader scoring.

As mentioned already there is also a stand in team boss, so our thanks go to Jason Pipe for helping out also.

For the home men there is one change with long term injury victim Dan GIlkes still out rider replacement operates at number 1 which of course means all the Centurions can take an extra ride.

The main scoring will be expected to come from Adam Roynan while Ben Trigger also looks to finish his season strong after a recent injury.

Richard Andrews was a very impressive visitor to Armadale so could be a danger man while at the bottom end Rhys Naylor, Adam Extance and David Abraham will look to take advantage of the Devils missing riders.

Much like the Devils the Centurions have not had it easy this season with only 1 win to their name so far and with this there last home match of the year they will be looking to go out with a bang and leap-frog the visitors away from the wooden spoon position so the Devils now they will need to be at their best to take anything.

Tapes up is at 7pm with the match being live streamed at https://www.gladiatorslive.com