A bumper crowd, boosted by free tickets issued in the Scunthorpe Telegraph, saw the Scunthorpe Saints record their biggest win of the season last night at the Eddie Wright Raceway. 

The Saints defeated the Sittingbourne Crusaders 62-30 to maintain their challenge for a place in the end of season league title playoffs.  Six of the Saints’ riders were paid for at least nine points with Jonathan Bethell leading the way with fourteen whilst Ben Hopwood was unbeaten by an opponent until the nominated riders’ race.

The result was never in doubt but the Crusaders never gave up trying and help produced some decent racing.  The race of the night was undoubtedly heat 12 as Scott Richardson and Cook duelled side by side for much of the race until Richardson fell on the last bend whilst trying to regain the lead.  It cost Richardson a maximum and he became the third Saint to lose a chance of a maximum of three races.  First Jonathan Bethell touched the tapes and despite making his way to second place he ran out of time to mount a challenge on the Crusaders’ top rider, Harland Cook.  Then, Gary Irving, who had looked unbeatable, snapped a chain on the last lap of heat 11 to lost his chances of a full house.  Two other Saints’ riders also lost out to an opponent on just one occasion.  Stuart Parnaby, back in the side following Byron Bekker’s injury, just lost to Dean Felton when the Crusader was on tactical ride in heat 5 whilst Mike Pickering produced his best showing for the club, just losing out to Cook in heat 11.

After the meeting Ben Hopwood confirmed he had had turned sour in heat 15 “It was just unfortunate the engine felt sluggish in the last one and seized up on the last bend.  It was expensive night and it would have been my first maximum but the engine was better going in heat 15 tonight than going in my first ride in the next one”  whilst Team Manager Malcolm Vasey added “It was an excellent all round performance right through the whole team and I can’t fault anybody.  It’s easy to assume that the opposition were not very strong and indeed they weren’t but you can only beat who turns up and I thought one or two of their lads really tried very hard and never let their heads drop. The race between Cook and Richardson was as good a speedway race as you’ll ever find anywhere.  Hopefully the inflated crowd enjoyed the meeting, it was not perhaps a perfect meeting to have such large crowd as we were obviously superior but nevertheless it was still exciting and interesting and I get the feeling that people got behind us very well and I appreciated that”.     

The Saints were unable to go to the top of the Conference League because Boston’s win over Plymouth but they are now four points clear of the Devon side and eight clear of Buxton who lie in fifth place.  With four clubs advancing to the playoff the Saints next meeting, at Buxton on Sunday 10th August, is of particular importance.  The Saints are next in action at the Eddie Wright Raceway in their final league meeting on Monday, 25th August.  The meeting is part of a ‘double-header’ and immediately follows the Scorpions’ Premier League meeting against Glasgow (start time 3pm).  Before then the Scorpions are in regular action and face the Isle of Wight Islanders next Friday, 8th August (start time 7.30pm).

Scunthorpe 62
Jonathan Bethell 14 (5 rides), Mike Pickering 8+3 (4), Scott Richardson 9 (4), Stuart Parnaby 8+2 (4), Ben Hopwood 10+2 (4), Gary Irving 8+1 (4), Adam Wrathall 5+1 (4)

Sittingbourne 30
Dean Felton 9+1 (5 rides, including a four point tactical ride), Alex Cunningham 3+1 (4), Harland Cook 10 (5), Rikki Mullins 0 (3), Aaron Baseby 3 (4), Marc Andrews 1 (4), Dan Berwick 4+1 (5)