2018 National League speedway season

Last updated

2018 National League speedway season
League National League
Champions Eastbourne Eagles [1]
Knockout Cup Eastbourne Eagles [2]
National Trophy Mildenhall Fen Tigers [3]
Individual Ben Morley
Highest average Tom Bacon [4]
Division/s above SGB Premiership 2018
SGB Championship 2018

The National League speedway 2018 was the 2018 season of the third tier/division of British speedway. [5]

Contents

Eastbourne Eagles won the playoffs and were declared champions. [6] [1] They completed the double by winning the Knockout Cup. [7]

Results

Fixtures

Home \ Away BVC BRM BUX COV EAS IOW KK MIL PLY STK
Belle Vue Colts 40–5057–3250–4046–4458–3257–3343–4755–3561–29
Birmingham Brummies 53–3655–3443–4754–3657–3745–4544–4640–5063–27
Buxton Hitmen 43–4644–4638–5241–4940–4932–5851–3938–52
Coventry Bees 59–3153–3651–3951–3951–3952–3840–5059–3148–42
Eastbourne Eagles 61–2949–4160–3052–3251–3956–3154–3667–23
Isle of Wight Warriors 48–4239–5158–3250–4038–5242–4837–5346–4460–30
Kent Kings 53–3646–4358–3146–4432–2757–3340–5053–3764–26
Mildenhall Fen Tigers 50–2853–3755–3551–3957–3342–1852–3858–3260–29
Plymouth Devils 46–4439–5057–3246–4435–5554–3547–4336–5448–42
Stoke Potters 37–5047–4250–3929–2941–4932–2736–5336–5348–41
Source: [8]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Teams face each other two times: once home and once away.

The following National League matches were not staged during the 2018 league season
Buxton Hitmen Vs Coventry Bees
Eastbourne Eagles Vs Mildenhall Fen Tigers

Table

Final National League Table Up To And Including Sunday 28 October

Pos.ClubMHomeAwayFAPts+/−
WDL4W3WD1LL
1 Mildenhall Fen Tigers 179006200088959757+292
2 Eastbourne Eagles 178002002384364742+196
3 Kent Kings 188012111482775438+73
4 Birmingham Brummies 185133102384676833+78
5 Coventry Bees 178010112478770431+83
6 Belle Vue Colts 187021102580979230+17
7 Plymouth Devils 186031001775386323-110
8 Isle of Wight Warriors 185041001771384520-132
9 Stoke Potters 184141002665689219-236
10 Buxton Hitmen 17107000096318923-261

[9]

Coventry Bees were in fourth place and higher in the league table then Birmingham Brummies at the cut-off date to decide the National League play-off places.

Play-Offs

Semi-finalsGrand Final
          
Mildenhall Fen Tigers 6146 107
Kent Kings 29 4473
Mildenhall Fen Tigers 35 4681
Eastbourne Eagles 5444 98
Eastbourne Eagles 6050 110
Coventry Bees 30 4070

Home team scores are in bold
Overall aggregate scores are in red

Semi-finals

28 September [10] Mildenhall Fen Tigers 6129 Kent Kings West Row Arena
Referee(s):
Darren Hartley


1 October [11] Kent Kings 4446 Mildenhall Fen Tigers Central Park Stadium
Referee(s):
Paul Carrington


17 October [12] Eastbourne Eagles 6030 Coventry Bees Arlington Stadium
Referee(s):
Christina Turnball


20 October [13] Coventry Bees 4050 Eastbourne Eagles Beaumont Park Stadium
Referee(s):
Tony Steele


Grand Final

21 October [14] Eastbourne Eagles 5435 Mildenhall Fen Tigers Arlington Stadium
Referee(s):
Ronnie Allan


25 October [15] Mildenhall Fen Tigers 4644 Eastbourne Eagles West Row Arena
Referee(s):
Paul Carrington

National League Knockout Cup

The 2018 National League Knockout Cup was the 21st edition of the Knockout Cup for tier three teams. [16]

Preliminary roundsQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
                    
 
 
Belle Vue Colts 5854 112
Buxton Hitmen 32 3668
 
 
Belle Vue Colts 25 4368
Mildenhall Fen Tigers 6547 112
 
 
Birmingham Brummies 3741 78
Mildenhall Fen Tigers 34 4983
 
 
Mildenhall Fen Tigers 5232 84
Eastbourne Eagles 38 5896
 
 
Coventry Bees 4636 82
Eastbourne Eagles 44 5498
Eastbourne Eagles 6048 108
Isle of Wight Warriors 30 4272
Eastbourne Eagles 45 5297
Kent Kings 4538 83
 
 
Plymouth Devils 3439 73
Kent Kings 38 5189
Kent Kings 5657 113
Stoke Potters 34 3165

Home team scores are in bold
Overall aggregate scores are in red

First round


20 April [17] Belle Vue Colts 5832 Buxton Hitmen National Speedway Stadium
Referee(s):
Darren Hartley


22 April [18] Buxton Hitmen 3654 Belle Vue Colts Hi-Edge Raceway
Referee(s):
Phil Griffin


4 June [19] Kent Kings 5634 Stoke Potters Central Park Stadium
Referee(s):
Graham Reeve


14 July [20] Stoke Potters 3751 Kent Kings Loomer Road Stadium
Referee(s):
Craig Ackroyd


Quarter-finals


20 April [21] Belle Vue Colts 5832 Buxton Hitmen National Speedway Stadium
Referee(s):
Darren Hartley


22 April [22] Buxton Hitmen 3654 Belle Vue Colts Hi-Edge Raceway
Referee(s):
Phil Griffin


9 May [23] Birmingham Brummies 3734 Mildenhall Fen Tigers Perry Barr Stadium
Referee(s):
Ronnie Allan


17 June [24] Mildenhall Fen Tigers 4941 Birmingham Brummies West Row Arena
Referee(s):
Craig Ackroyd


26 April [25] Isle of Wight Warriors 4248 Eastbourne Eagles Smallbrook Stadium
Referee(s):
Craig Ackroyd


13 May [26] Coventry Bees 4644 Eastbourne Eagles Beaumont Park Stadium
Referee(s):
Peter Clarke


20 July [27] Plymouth Devils 3438 Kent Kings St. Boniface Arena
Referee(s):
Margaret vardy


6 August [28] Kent Kings 5139 Plymouth Devils Central Park Stadium
Referee(s):
Paul Carrington


Semi-finals


19 August [29] Mildenhall Fen Tigers 6425 Belle Vue Colts West Row Arena
Referee(s):
Darren Hartley


14 September [30] Belle Vue Colts 4347 Mildenhall Fen Tigers National Speedway Stadium
Referee(s):
Graham Flint


24 September [31] Kent Kings 4545 Eastbourne Eagles Central Park Stadium
Referee(s):
Graham Reeve


29 September [32] Eastbourne Eagles 5238 Kent Kings Arlington Stadium
Referee(s):
Paul Carrington


Grand Final


12 October [33] Mildenhall Fen Tigers 5238 Eastbourne Eagles West Row Arena
Referee(s):
Chris Gay


13 October [34] Eastbourne Eagles 5832 Mildenhall Fen Tigers Arlington Stadium
Referee(s):
Dave Robinson

National Trophy

Northern Section

Fixtures

Home \ Away BRM BUX COV CRA STK
Birmingham Brummies 60–3053–3745–4557–33
Buxton Hitmen 29–6131–5932–5741–48
Coventry Bees 42–4800–0040–4952–38
Cradley Heathens 52–3768–2240–4959–29
Stoke Potters 33–5756–3400–0022–37
Source: [8]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Teams face each other two times: once home and once away.

Table

National Trophy Northern Section Table Up to And Including Wednesday 1 August

Pos.ClubMHomeAwayFAPts+/−
WDL4W3WD1LL
1 Cradley Heathens 83013010040727623+131
2 Birmingham Brummies 83102100141830121+117
3 Coventry Bees 61022000127925911+20
4 Stoke Potters 7102100032593377-78
5 Buxton Hitmen 7004000032194090+190

[35]

Southern Section

Fixtures

Home \ Away EAS IOW KK MIL PLY
Eastbourne Eagles 56–3468–2150–3949–41
Isle of Wight Warriors 37–5332–5631–5943–47
Kent Kings 00–0000–0000–0046–43
Mildenhall Fen Tigers 46–4457–3344–4500–00
Plymouth Devils 44–4654–3646–4329–61
Source: [8]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Teams face each other two times: once home and once away.

Table

Final National Trophy Southern Section Table

Pos.ClubMHomeAwayFAPts+/−
WDL4W3WD1LL
1 Mildenhall Fen Tigers 84002100145026723+133
2 Eastbourne Eagles 84001101139732120+76
3 Kent Kings 83011001234636814-22
4 Plymouth Devils 82020101232938810-59
5 Isle of Wight Warriors 8004000042704480-178

[35]

Grand Final


11 September [36] Cradley Heathens 3951 Mildenhall Fen Tigers Monmore Green
Referee(s):
David Watters


16 September [37] Mildenhall Fen Tigers 4941 Cradley Heathens West Row Arena
Referee(s):
David Watters

Final leading averages

RiderTeamAverage
Flag of England.svg Tom Bacon Birmingham10.54
Flag of England.svg James Shanes Birmingham10.38
Flag of England.svg Connor Mountain Coventry10.18
Flag of England.svg Luke Bowen Kent10.10
Flag of England.svg Drew Kemp Mildenhall9.59

Riders' Championship

Ben Morley won the Riders' Championship for the second time. The final was held on 30 September at Beaumont Park Stadium. [38]

Pos.RiderPointsTotal
1 Ben Morley 3 2 3 3 314+3
2 Alfie Bowtell 3 3 2 3 314+2
3 Connor Mountain 3 3 3 3 113
4 Jack Thomas 1 1 3 3 210
5 Max Clegg E 3 3 2 08
6 Tom Perry 0 1 2 2 38
7Mark BasebyXD 3 2 1 28
8 Georgie Wood 3 2 1 1 18
9 Ryan Kinsley 2 2 0 2 17
10 Nathan Stoneman F 1 2 0 36
11 Jon Armstrong 2 0 1 2 16
12Tom Woolley2 1 0 0 25
13 Kyle Bickley 2 0 1 1 04
14 Henry Atkins 1 2 0 1 04
15 Dan Gilkes (res)1 23
16Sheldon Davies1 0 0 0 01
17Ben Woodhull (res)0 00
18 Drew Kemp R FD - - -0

Teams and final averages

Belle Vue Colts

Birmingham Brummies

Buxton Hitmen

Coventry Bees

Cradley Heathens

The Cradley team only took part in the National Trophy competition

Eastbourne Eagles

Isle of Wight Warriors

Kent Kings

Mildenhall Fen Tigers

Plymouth Devils

Stoke Potters

Development Leagues

Midland Development League

PosteamPWDLPts
1Peterborough880016
2 Belle Vue Colts 84139
3Birmingham83056
4 Carmarthen Dragons 82155
5Milton Keynes82064

Northern Junior League

PosteamPWDLPts
1Berwick12120024
2Peterborough1280416
3Ashfield1251611
4Newcastle1250710
5Workington114078
6Redcar123187
7Edinburgh113086

Southern Development League

PosteamPWDLPts
1Kent870114
2Reading851311
3Exeter850310
4Isle of Wight82155
5Weymouth80080


See also

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