After a week with no meetings, the Buxton Hitmen return refreshed and ready to take on the Scunthorpe Saints in the Conference League on Sunday.

The two sides have met before already this year with Scunthorpe taking the Knockout Cup tie by two points back in June. The Hitmen were without top man John Branney for both meetings and they welcome him back into the team after he missed the recent home defeat to the Boston Barracudas. Buxton have also travelled to Lincolnshire in the league and again ran the Saints close, losing 41-50, this time without the services of Jack Roberts who was riding for Birmingham in the Premier League.

The Hitmen will be at full strength this Sunday when another close encounter can be expected. The meeting, which starts at 3pm, could also see the return to Buxton of former skipper Jonathon Bethell who moved to Scunthorpe during the winter. Bethell has been on the sidelines recently with injury but is keen to be back in action and a trip to his old home track might be the best way to come back. One thing is for sure and that is the Buxton boys will want to finish ahead of him more than normal.

The form of the top Hitmen has been good in recent weeks with Branney lifting the Junior Championship at Belle Vue as well as being a part of the Workington side that lifted the Premier League Fours on their own track. Ben Taylor has notched up double-figure returns in all of Buxton’s home meetings so far this season while Roberts has had several meetings with the Birmingham Brummies. Mind you, the youngster from Stockport will want to forget the Cup tie against Scunthorpe as he only scored four points, his lowest return at Conference League level in a long time. Part of that was due to aggravation of a foot injury in his second ride but he will have no trouble in putting that behind him as he takes to the track on Sunday.

As we enter August everyone will be hoping for the weather to stay fine and there is nowhere nicer for a Sunday afternoon’s entertainment that at the speedway. Racing starts at 3pm and the speedway track is adjacent to the stock car stadium at Hi-Edge. To get there, take the Dale head turn-off on the A53 Buxton to Leek road and the stadium is one mile along that side road.