A re-vamped Scunthorpe Saints side defeated the Buxton Hitmen 50-41 at the Scunthorpe Raceway last night after the Premier League meeting between Scunthorpe and King’s Lynn (see separate report). 

The Saints were led by their captain, Byron Bekker, who recorded his eighth maximum for the club whilst Jonathan Bethell returned after injury with a double-figure return.

Along with the return of heat-leader Bethell the Saints gave home debuts to 17-year old Ben Hopwood and 16-year old Adam Wrathall as they focus the side on the development of riders for their Premier League side.  The Saints have four teenagers in the side now but it was the experienced pairing of Bethell and Mike Pickering who recorded the side’s two 5-1 heat advantages in heats 3 & 9. 

The result rarely looked in doubt as three heat advantages carved out an eight point lead after just three races but with John Branney and Gareth Isherwood looking particularly impressive there was plenty of decent racing to supplement the fifteen-heat heart stopper of a Premier League meeting that had immediately preceded it. 

The Saints are now four points clear at the top of the Conference League table but with other clubs having meetings in hand they really need to win three of their four remaining meetings (two at home, two away) to guarantee a place in the end of season league title playoffs. 

The Saints are next in action at the Eddie Wright Raceway against the Sittingbourne Crusaders on Friday 1st August (7.30pm) when admission to the meeting will be completely free.  A large marketing exercise is being undertaken to attract new fans to the meeting in the hope that they will return afterwards to support the Scorpions and Saints at future matches. 

Scunthorpe 50
Byron Bekker 12 (4 rides), Ben Hopwood 6 (4), Jonathan Bethell 10 (4), Mike Pickering 5+3 (4), Scott Richardson 7+1 (5), Gary Irving 8 (5), Adam Wrathall 2+1 (4)

Buxton 41
John Branney 15+1 (6 rides including a four point tactical ride), Paul Burnett 4+1 (5), Ben Taylor 0 (4), Lewis Dallaway 6 (4), Scott Whittington 0 (4), Gareth Isherwood 16 (7)