COVENTRY Storm suffered two further injury setbacks on a disastrous Sunday afternoon at Mildenhall.
The City Gearboxes Storm went down to a 29-61 defeat in their latest Travel Plus National League fixture, but their main concern is over two more riders who are now on the sidelines.
Captain Martin Knuckey suffered a compound right leg fracture in a heavy first bend accident in Heat 7 when he tangled with the Fen Tigers’ Jon Armstrong.
The meeting was subject to a lengthy delay whilst Knuckey was attended to and then taken to Bury St Edmunds hospital for further treatment.
And then in Heat 10 reserve Jamie Halder came to grief when he suffered a snapped chain, having initially been holding home duo Alfie Bowtell and Connor Mountain at bay.
Halder managed to get up from the crash but has a suspected broken left wrist – making it three Storm riders out, with Liam Carr still missing from his accident at Brandon earlier in the month.
Not surprisingly, the Fen Tigers dominated against depleted opposition, with Dan Greenwood and Callum Walker battling hard for the Storm.
Greenwood picked up 12 points from six rides, whilst Walker scored a best-yet eight, winning Heat 2 and later taking the scalp of the more experienced Chris Widman from the back.
Storm manager Laurence Rogers said: “I don’t know how many black cats we’ve run over, but it must be a lot – we came here with six riders and went home with four.
“Martin has a compound open fracture so that’s going to take a bit of getting back from, and it looks like a fractured wrist for Jamie so it’s not a good day at all.
“Our next meeting isn’t until June 10, so I’ve got ten days to try and patch up the side before that.
“It was a tremendous performance from Callum Walker, and also Jamie – the two reserves did us proud.â€
MILDENHALL 61: Dan Halsey 15, Jon Armstrong 13+1, Connor Mountain 9+1, Alfie Bowtell 8+2, Connor Coles 8+2, Chris Widman 6, Lee Springthorpe 2+1. CITY GEARBOXES STORM 29: Dan Greenwood 12, Callum Walker 8, Ryan Terry-Daley 4, Jamie Halder 3+1, Conor Dwyer 1+1, Martin Knuckey 1, Kyle Roberts (no.8) 0, Liam Carr r/r.