SAM Knight has admitted that the form of Tom Brown and Richard Andrews is beginning to become a big concern for the Weymouth Weyline Wildcats.

The duo failed to produce the goods in last night’s 50-43 defeat at the Isle of Wight, which has all but ended their team’s hopes of winning the National League Trophy.

Andrews scored just one point while Brown, a former Islander, claimed 3+1 as the visitors let an encouraging start to the meeting slip through their fingers.

Knight, the Wildcats’ commercial manager, said: “We should have got a point, which would have taken us up to third in the table but now we will need to win all our home meetings and also snatch victories at Plymouth and Newport, which is near impossible.

“It is so frustrating because we started off really well last night and could have ran them so much closer than seven points.

“Unfortunately, Tom’s form is beginning to become a big concern although he did have one refereeing decision go against him when he got excluded for an incident on the first bend in heat 10.

“It was a harsh one but to score just three points is not really good enough. Richard also struggled. He had the lead in his first race but got passed and never got in the mix after that.

“As for the rest of the line up, they all chipped in. Adam McKinna (6+1) did well until his footrest broke in the final heat while Daniel Halsey (8+2) scored points and Karl Mason (10+1) rode well and won a good tactical ride.

“James Cockle (9) was again as reliable as ever and Gary Cottham (6+1) got paid eight, which is a great return in the lower order.”

Knight went on to add: “The turning point in the meeting was when they claimed two 5-1s in heats 10 and 13. Before that we had stayed in touch with them really well.

“We also suffered a bit of bad luck in heat 12 when Dean Felton came off and did not clear the track in time. We were on for a maximum of our own in that race but it was re-run and Danny Warwick got the jump on us, making a possible 5-1 into a 3-3.”

Another rider that experienced a night to forget was ex-Wildcat and current British Under-18 champion Brendan Johnson, who left the meeting in an ambulance after hitting the fence between bends three and four on lap three of heat 14.

Knight said: “From what we have been told, Brendan has suffered a leg injury. To be honest I only caught a glimpse of what happened but any fall here is usually a nasty one because it is such a big and fast track.

“He hit the fence quite hard and everyone at the Wildcats wishes him well with his recovery and hopes his injuries are not serious. He is a lovely lad and hopefully he will be back racing again very soon.”

There was no doubting the identity of the rider of the night with Nick Simmons picking up a 15-point maximum, which included a fantastic win in heat 15 when he produced a great overtaking manoeuvre to beat Cockle to the line.