Hunters

The way they are getting behind on fixtures it would not surprise me if they made the Kent NL and NT a double header as they did with Mildenhall in 2015. If I remember rightly they charged £18. That should mean an attractive day out for a lot of Kent fans. With 30 heats, a decent size crowd and good atmosphere, plus two very close matches judging by the KO cup not so long ago. What more can a true speedway fan ask for?

Only 13 days until Eagles come visiting, surely they are level opponents or has it been postponed.

Thank you Jayne it is nice to know there is someone on the inside who is happy to communicate with us. No doubt why so many want to see Buxton do well.

That does not leave many options then, perhaps Greaves or Bailey whose championship clubs do not ride at home on Saturday. An outside chance is to get Danny Spiller back for a couple of months now exam time is over. Only 6.6 but probably improved by now.

If that is so then Joe Jacobs is indeed the answer. Without a club and on his web site last week says he is anxious to get a new team place. I would imagine Connor knows that.

As I understand it the cut off is only the late September date for completed matches to determine the play off competitors. At the last main AGM there was a new rule introduced stating that there could be no re- declarations after July 31st . (I believe this was to stop some of the former Elite short term manipulations for the play off's Hancock/Poole, Woffendon/Wolves Etc. I don't recall any announcement relating to the NL but I think they are operating to it. Jayne at Buxton will know more than me so she might give us an informed answer if we ask her kindly.

Georgie is looking good when motoring but mechanical problems at both weekend meetings which I am sure Martin Dugard will address during the next 3 week break. No speedway again until the 26th and then probably a packed September/October?

Terrific effort by Mattie Bates and Tom Brennan yesterday, totally committed. I think Jake and Georgie might have been a little too committed, unusual to see Jake fall twice but we want a team that give it their all and we certainly have one. If Saunders had been there instead of Leek we might well have still won but if's count for nothing. My concern is the run-in, if Mark Baseby has broken his arm his season is probably over. As I understand it we have to use r/r every match unless a second rider is missing. That is pretty harsh when you lose your 2nd best heat leader first match after the re-declaration date. We shall be relying on Mattie for the rest of the season so they had better make sure his equipment does not let him down which has been his problem in the past. They should already be pretty safe for play off qualification and the way Saunders went on Saturday he could play an important part so all is not lost, just more 'challenging'.

There are lots of options as there are no other matches scheduled for today, Perry, Carr Bacon, Ayres. Depends how serious they are today. As I had already expected to lose regardless, I would give Kelsey a run out for Powell and r/r for Baseby. That way Jake Knight gets 6 outings and gives the crowd the possibility of six decent races against their heatleaders. Hope Georgie's motor gremlins are not back as it looked dubious at times last night.

Just had a thunderstorm, only lasted 10 minutes or so but deposited quite a lot. 2 hours for the track to dry out?

Sorry, not a snowballs chance with r/r for Powell and Leek at reserve. They will have to ride their socks off to get a point out of this. Looks like they may have left Saunders out to keep him to 3 matches! because this is one they were never going to win after the Hurry affair. Realistic is 52-38 to Lakeside.

Not so sure about that, r/r means one extra for Brennan and three for Bates probably as Saunders has yet to make his debut. He will therefore have to take at least the full 4 scheduled rides. If JPB can do as well as a heat leader as he did last year as a reserve (19pts) then I can see a much closer contest as Carr goes well and Bacon is reasonable. The question is Mason? very poor with Lakeside earlier here but used to get some points if he got out of the gate in front back in 2015. I have a feeling the Brummies will get a point from this unless Saunders proves to be 'a find'

Didn't realise Mark Baseby had been transferred to IOW. Hope that is not in the Crystal Ball.

The BBC forecast is rain almost all day with a brief gap at 8.00pm. Also a lot overnight so I guess a decision might be made early on the state of the track because there is little chance of any drying out during the day. We could do without this with a potential fixture build up in September.

Weather forecast not looking good.

Only really applied the last 2 or 3 years since they changed the averages to first 4 league meetings instead of rolling averages and has already been used for other clubs riders like Jordan Jenkins. I imagine it suits the rider as well because there are only 7 weeks left to league cut off date and if rides 4 fixtures or more and gets an average in excess of 3.00 then it can well be more difficult to get a team place for his first full season. In an attempt to maintain competitiveness the sport has become a matter of numbers with inevitable complications. Cheating! certainly not and in the case of Saunders not 'pulled out of meetings' but no doubt arranged with him to leave out fixtures to accommodate his Grass Track meetings already committed to like Charley Powell in 2015.

But if he is any good we would need to preserve him so that we could fit him into the team next season on a 3.00, not say 4, 5 or 6. That is why Tom was only given 3 league matches last season after he turned 15, any more and his average would have been around 5.00 to start this season, using up another 2 of our valuable 39 point limit. Tom actually rode 11 meetings but 8 were cup and play off which are not included in CMA. The same can happen with Saunders but it is all speculation because we are not party to their strategy.

Depends on their strategy. May only use him for three league matches plus cups to preserve his 3.00 for next year like they did with Charley and Tom. As we have 10 League matches to go I would have thought home to IOW was one to miss as we should not need him. Give Matt Saul a ride.

July 31st so they have to sort the reserve out pronto.

I believe Sheffield is a big track which will give him invaluable experience for the trip to Belle Vue in September.

That could be a bit of a problem against Lakeside and Mildenhall because on the next set of averages he will not be No1. He will be third and that means r/r with rides taken by Baseby, Brennan, Powell and Bates Any guest below his average would have a job performing like him at Arlington.

Does anybody know who the two riders in Black with white helmets going round after the meeting were? The one with 6 on his back looked pretty fast and not a rookie. Good to see so many being given track time and possible candidates for next year. Connor still seems uncertain who his 3.00 reserve will be. I seem to recall that changes cannot be made after 31st July this season so it is soon make his mind up time.

Another charming fellow, never mind, he can go back to the football terraces soon.

Glad it is Williamson, he and Clegg go well at Arlington and 8 heats of them against a mixture of the home three will be well worth watching. Don't ever recall Roynan riding here so could have been a disappointment as he was a bit off the mark at Lakeside last night which is a similar track. Track has been well prepared this year with plenty of dirt for those that have a go around the outside.

Workington match postponed so presumably Williamson not Roynan tonight?