BUXTON Bulls were thrashed 60-30 by the Leicester Lion Cubs in the second leg of the NDL Challenge fixture at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park, on Sunday afternoon, resulting in a 109-71 aggregate defeat over the two legs.

Alfie Bowtell and Ben Whalley scored all but nine points of the Bulls’ total, which started in the worst possible way with Bowtell touching the tapes in the opening heat, meaning he went off 15 metres and finished third in his first race as the home side took a maximum 5-1 with Ryan Ingram and Ben Morley.

The Lion Cubs were relentless as they gained a further two maximum heat wins in the next two races, leaving the Bulls trailing 15-3 before Bowtell took victory in heat four for a drawn heat and took his second victory in the following race with the home side leading 21-9 after five races.

The Lion Cubs then gained three 5-1’s and a 4-2 in the next five heats with Ben Whalley and Luke Harris combining for a drawn race in heat seven, but the Bulls led 43-17 after ten races.

Bowtell and Arran Butcher managed Buxton’s only heat advantage of the afternoon with a 4-2 in heat eleven and a couple of drawn heats stemming from home sides’ run with Whalley and Jack Shimelt taking the minor placings in heat twelve and Bowtell’s victory in heat thirteen, leaving the Bulls trailing 51-27.

Leicester completed the afternoon with a 5-1 in heat fourteen and a 4-2 in the final race as they secured a comfortable victory over the Bulls.

Team manager Laurence Rogers commented, “It was always going to be tough without Jack (Smith), and we had the worst possible start with Alfie (Bowtell) touching the tapes in the opening heat when I felt two other riders were also moving. Alfie rode really well, and Ben Whalley and Jack Shimelt improved as the meeting went on. We did stem the tide a little bit in the second half of the meeting with a few drawn heats and a heat advantage, though on what is a very different track to Hi-Edge.

“Leicester are a strong side, especially at home and not many teams, if any, will get much around here, and they will most certainly, in my opinion, be up there challenging for the league title at the end of the season.

LEICESTER 60:
Ryan Ingram 15+2, Max Perry 13+1, Seth Norman 9+3, Ben Morley 9+2, Freddy Hodder 9, Eli Meadows 5+2, Tom Spencer R/R

BUXTON 30:
Alfie Bowtell 15, Ben Whalley 6+1, Luke Harris 4+1, Jack Shimelt 3, Arran Butcher 1, Ryan Ashcroft 1, Joe Crewe (No8) 0, Jack Smith R/R