The Kart Raceway Cobras will need to pull back a 21 point deficit if they are to reach this year’s Conference League Cup Final, when the sides meet again at Hoddesdon in July 27th’s second leg.

Despite the score-line, however, this was a commendable performance against a very strong Devils side packed with senior experience, and only two late Plymouth 5-1s gave the result its final lopsided appearance. Danny Halsey and former Devil Rob Smith provided much of the Cobras’ groundwork, contributing three race wins and 23 points between them.

The Cobras’ key moments came mid-match after three home 5-1s and two 4-2s had left them trailing at 26-10. Heat 7 saw Halsey deliver Rye’s first race win when gunning for double points as a Tactical Rider. With Andrew Aldridge finishing third behind Seemond Stephens, the Cobras gained a 7-2 from that race, and swiftly followed up with a conventional 4-2 in Heat 8, as Smith and Gary Cottham finished either side of Paul Starke.

Smith also went on to end Mark Simmonds’ maximum hopes by winning Heat 13, and Halsey came within a lap of achieving the same against Tom Brown a race earlier, as Rye stayed within 13 points, at 47-34, with just two races to go. Unfortunately for the Cobras, both those heats provided home maximums, the second after Terry Day had led both Simmonds and Brown for two laps before the Devils got by. 

Rye House scorers:
Danny Betson    R/R
Rob Smith     10 (6 rides)
Danny Halsey    13 (5 rides, inc 6 as a TR)
Andrew Aldridge   3+1 (4)
Terry Day    6+1 (6)
Daniel Greenwood   0 (3) 
Gary Cottham    3+1 (5)
David Gough (No.8)   1+1 (1)

Plymouth scorers:
Mark Simmonds   14 (5 rides)
Jaimie Pickard    1(4)
Tom Brown    12+3 (5 rides, maximum)
Nicki Glanz    10 (4)
Seemond Stephens   9+1 (4)
Jamie White Williams   2+1 (3)
Paul Starke    9+2 (5)