PLYMOUTH DEVILS 54

WEYMOUTH WILDCATS 41

LUKE Chessell received the bulk of chairman and caretaker-team manager Phil Bartlett’s praise after the Weymouth Weyline Wildcats suffered their eighth defeat on the bounce in all competitions.

The reserve loanee from Scun-thorpe scored just four plus one points from seven rides but was hailed for getting himself into some good scoring positions, although he was not able to convert all of them as the Plymouth Devils ran out relatively comfortable winners at the St Boniface Arena.

Tom Brown and James Cockle both scored double figures thanks to tactical rides but guest Ben Hopwood – in for South African Byron Bekker – was the Cats’ next highest points scorer with seven from four heats.

Bartlett said: “The star of the show was Luke Chessell. He only scored four from seven but was in good scoring positions.

“He’s fast out of the gate but moved a little bit off his line under pressure. Once he gets home track advantage he will be a spot on reserve.

“Fair play to the kid. He was on the pace, fast out of the gates but just lost it a few times by not pinning it on the line – that will come with experience.”

Plymouth had boasted they would thrash the Cats by putting 60 points on them and it looked as if they could do that when two 5-1s and three 4-2s meant Weymouth needed to use a tactical ride in heat nine.

James Cockle looked on course to pick up the maximum six points available and led for three-and-a-half laps before Paul Starke overtook him round the final bends.

Cockle’s four points for second was enough to drag the Cats back into it slightly but another one-two for the Devils in heat 11 saw skipper Tom Brown don the tactical colours one race later and he took full advantage by pipping Lee Smethills on the line.

However, two more 4-2s sealed Weymouth’s fate before the final heat was shared with Cockle taking the last chequered flag of the night.

“Plymouth didn’t run away with it,” said Bartlett. “There was a lot of 4-2s and it was pretty even but whereas they were getting placed positions we weren’t scoring.

“We are absolutely depleted and patched up, trying to fight our way through, and I don’t think that result was an embarrassment against Ply-mouth, who are a very strong team.

“They have six guys who have been around in this division for quite some time. Our boys really dug in deep and wanted to get the win. They worked well together in the pits so it wasn’t through lack of effort and we would be having a better time if we had a full team.”

Bartlett also admitted the atmosphere was dampened by lack of numbers caused by the fixture being scheduled at the same time as England’s 0-0 draw with Algeria in the football World Cup.

“The crowd was definitely nowhere near what it normally is at Plymouth,” said the Cats’ chairman.

n Weymouth number one Bekker remains absent with a back injury so will be replaced by Adam Lowe of King’s Lynn for tomorrow’s trip to Scunthorpe.

Chessell will again deputise for Danny Stoneman while Terry Day’s absence will be filled by rider-replacement.