COVENTRY Storm suffered two further injury setbacks on a disastrous Sunday afternoon at Mildenhall that saw Laurence Rogers’ side go down to a 29-61 defeat in the National league.
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 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.”
