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| |  | BIRMINGHAM added a point to their National Development Trophy tally despite being edged out 46-44 in a last heat decider at Leicester on Sunday.
The Ductair Bulls won the aggregate point 95-84 but couldn’t stop the Fox Cubs’ No.1 William Cairns, who stormed to a sensational 18-point maximum.
Heat One started even with guest Connor Coles and Arran Butcher taking second and third, neither able to match the speed of Cubs skipper William Cairns.
Powerful reserve duo Senna Summers and Eli Meadows blasted out of the gate in Heat Two and delivered a strong 5-1 to push the Bulls ahead.
Cairns responded immediately with a win in Heat Three forcing Butcher and Darryl Ritchings to settle for a split heat.
Two more split races followed in Heats Four and Five where Coles produced a heat win to keep a four-point gap between the sides.
This all changed in Heat Six when Cooper Rushen and Cairns secured a crucial 5-1, bringing the teams level and Cairns his third consecutive race win.
In Heat Seven, Ritchings and guest Matt Marson came together for an even heat that kept the teams within touching distance.
The tight scoreline continued into Heat Eight with another even heat that saw Rushen pick up his first win.
In Heat Nine, a 15-meter handicap couldn’t stop Summers from grabbing two race points or Rushen from seizing his second consecutive race win, pushing the Cubs two points clear of the Bulls.
Cairns and Rushen propelled the Cubs comfortably into a six-point lead with a convincing 5-1 as the scores sat at 33-27 at the close of heat ten.
In Heat 11, Coles and Butcher maintained the score line with a split heat after Sonny Springer secured his third heat win of the night.
The Bulls grabbed a heat advantage in the twelfth race with Ritchings racing to a strong win and Summers getting caught on the line by Ryan Ingram.
The Cubs returned the favour in Heat 13 with Cairns remaining unbeaten throughout the meeting and keeping the six-point gap alive.
A dramatic Heat 14 saw Meadows crash out twice on the first bend, neither of which could stop the reserve from gaining two race points behind Ritchings’ race win and closing the gap to just two points
At 43-41, the final heat saw the Fox Cubs seal a win with captain William maxing out at 18 points, followed by Ritchings and Coles, who ended the scoreline 46-44.
Bulls skipper Daryll Ritchings said: “It was difficult, the track was so slick. I come here every Wednesday to get a bit of practice in, and immediately on track walk we made changes before we’d even had our first ride.
“We’ve got a little while now until our next fixture, so it's just trying to practice where we can and stay on the bike, that’s the key. I’m sure we’ll be alright.”
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TROPHY
LEICESTER 46: Will Cairns 18, Sonny Springer 12, Cooper Rushen 10+2, Ryan Ingram 5+1, Max Broadhurst 1, Caydin Martin 0, Ace Pijper r/r.
BIRMINGHAM 44: Darryl Ritchings 13, Connor Coles 9+2, Eli Meadows 6+4, Arran Butcher 6+2, Senna Summers 6, Matt Marson 4+1, Sam McGurk r/r.
Birmingham win the aggregate point.
REPORT: Samantha Tromans
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