The Scunthorpe Saints take on the Redcar Cubs on Saturday night at the Eddie Wright Raceway knowing the victors will head the Conference League after the meeting. 

Both teams won their opening fixture of the season and whilst it may be early days Team Manager Malcolm Vasey would be very happy to see his charges setting the pace “Going top of the league gives us all the motivation we need and it would put pressure on the other teams.  As I’ve said before we have a team that can win this league but it isn’t going to be like the last two seasons.  We will have to give it everything, both home and away, if we are to pull it off”. 

“The meeting against Boston showed that narrow victories, rather than sixty point annihilations, are going to be the order of the day this season and Saturday’s meeting could be another close one.  I’ve never lost to one of Jason Pipe’s teams (Pipe is the Redcar Team Manager) but he will be determined to break that duck this weekend and I know he was the first team manager to win at the Eddie Wright Raceway.  Thankfully the weather has improved because some of the Scorpions’ meetings have been bitterly cold this season and we even had snow during the Boston meeting.  The forecast for Saturday is tropical in comparison so hopefully we’ll get a good turnout for this clash”.

The Saints side have their first choice team available for the meeting with Benji Compton, Byron Bekker and Sam Martin (pictured) all taking a break from Premier League action.  They are joined by Jonathan Bethell in the Saints top end whilst Scott Anderson, Scott Richardson and Gary Irving make up the side.  Richardson was a trump card at reserve in the Boston meeting, top scoring with 17 points.

The visitors have also made several changes over the closed season.  Two Australians, Scott James and Aaron Summers, have joined the club.  James comes in after two seasons at Buxton whilst Summers has been impressing in his first season of Premier League racing with the Edinburgh Monarchs.  Summers will be riding for Edinburgh at Berwick on Saturday night so the rider replacement facility will operate but the club’s other new signing, Guy Kendrew, will take his place at reserve alongside David Wallinger.  Kendrew dropped just one point in the Cubs’ victory over Buxton whilst Wallinger and Gary Beaton won amateur meetings at the Eddie Wright Raceway this winter.  Beaton’s fellow second-string is Martin Emerson, another rider who has shown a liking for the Scunthorpe track on previous visits. 

The Cubs final rider is 19-year old New Zealander Jade Mudgway who has taken advantage of a new ruling that allows Commonwealth riders to rider in the Conference League.  Saturday’s meeting starts at 7pm, half an hour earlier than would be the case on a Friday.  

Scunthorpe Saints
1. Benji Compton, 2. Scott Anderson, 3. Jonathan Bethell, 4. Byron Bekker, 5. Sam Martin, 6. Gary Irving, 7. Scott Richardson 

Redcar Cubs
1. Scott James, 2. Aaron Summers – rider replacement, 3. Gary Beaton, 4. Martin Emerson, 5. Jade Mudgway, 6. David Wallinger, 7. Guy Kendrew