Perry delighted with second (From Dudley News)

Perry delighted with second

11:00am Friday 27th April 2012 in Sport

HEATHENS hero Tom Perry secured the finest result of his career with a brilliant second place in the British Under-21 Final at Monmore Green.

Perry finished runner-up to Wolverhampton asset Joe Haines with Workington’s Kyle Howarth third after an incident-packed meeting full of thrills, spills and top racing.

The Dudley youngster kicked off in fine style with an exciting chase and pass of Howarth in heat one, and he always looked capable of reaching the closing stages of the event, finishing on 12 points from his five rides, to take him straight to the final along with Richie Worrall.

There was drama in the semi-final with former Heathen Kyle Newman disqualified after a spectacular pile-up into the third bend which also involved Steve Worrall, with Haines and Howarth coming through in the re-run.

In the final, Richie Worrall demolished the tapes and was excluded.

Perry worked his way past Howarth into second place and looked to be reeling in Haines, but Haines rode a clever final lap to hold off the challenge and clinch his second title.

Perry said: “I’m over the moon, I didn’t even expect to make the final.

“Joe covered me off pretty well in the final, but he’s a good rider and so is Kyle, so after missing the gate.

“The reaction I got from the fans on the rostrum was amazing, and I couldn’t ask to be riding for a better team.”

Perry’s Heathens team-mate Ashley Morris had a less straightforward evening and finished with five points, including a crash in his last ride, but he did win his fourth outing.

Results: Richie Worrall 12 points, Tom Perry 12, Kyle Howarth 11, Joe Haines 11, Steve Worrall 11, Kyle Newman 9, Stefan Nielsen 8, Robert Branford 7, Jerran Hart 7, Jason Garrity 7, Ashley Morris 5, Joe Jacobs 5, Ben Morley 4, Ben Reade (res) 3, Marc Owen 2, Adam Wrathall 1, James Sarjeant 0.

Semi-final: Haines, Howarth, S Worrall, Newman.

Final: Haines, Perry, Howarth, R Worrall.