COVENTRY Storm put up a valiant display in the second leg of their National League KO Cup tie at Mildenhall on Sunday afternoon.
The Fen Tigers eventually progressed by eight points on aggregate courtesy of a 48-42 win in the day, but the Storm remained in contention until the penultimate race and the tie had in fact been all-square after Heat 8.
There was a highly impressive debut from newcomer Luke Crang, who scored eight points from his first three rides and finished with paid-12 in his first full speedway meeting.
Robert Branford was in the thick of the action throughout and again hit double-figures, whilst Paul Starke worked hard as a guest for unavailable No.1 Joe Jacobs.
But there was no stopping home No.1 Stefan Nielsen, who scored a 15-point maximum, as the Fen Tigers made it into the last four of the competition, securing their progression with a 4-2 in the penultimate race.
MILDENHALL 48: Stefan Nielsen 15, Jon Armstrong 11, Daniel Halsey 8, Josh Bates 6+1, Aaron Baseby 4+1, Liam Rumsey 4, Ryan Terry-Daley 0.
COVENTRY 42: Robert Branford 11, Luke Crang 10+2, Paul Starke 9+1, Brendan Johnson 4+1, James Sarjeant 4, Martin Knuckey 3+1, Lee Geary 1+1. Mildenhall win 95-87 on aggregate.
MILDENHALL 48 Stefan Nielsen 3 3 3 3 3 = 15 Aaron Baseby 2* 1 1 0 = 4+1 Josh Bates 1 F 2* 3 = 6+1 Jon Armstrong 3 2 3 3 0 = 11 Daniel Halsey 2 2 3 1 = 8 Liam Rumsey 3 0 F 0 1 = 4 Ryan Terry-Daley 0 R F = 0
COVENTRY 42 Paul Starke 1 3 2 2 1* = 9+1 Martin Knuckey 0 1 2* = 3+1 Robert Branford 2 3 2 2 2 = 11 Brendan Johnson 0 1 1* 2 = 4+1 James Sarjeant 1 2 1 0 = 4 Lee Geary 1* 0 0 = 1+1 Luke Crang 2 3 3 1* 1* X = 10+2
