A SITTINGBOURNE Crusaders past and present outfit finished a creditable third at the Summer Fours Speedway championship at Wimbledon on Wednesday night.

In a lively and entertaining encounter, a Crusaders side skippered by Matt Wright, the current Wimbledon rider who finished runner-up in last year's Nathan Gaymer Memorial Trophy at the Old Gun Site, only missed out on second in a last heat decider.

Wright's Knights, as the side were appropriately tagged, featured three current AC Associates Crusaders - Keith Yorke, Andre Cross and Chris Hunt - plus former skipper David Mason.

Hunt was returning from injury but sadly it didn't work out and the "Huntsman" was forced to pull out after two clearly painful rides.

Yorke took Hunt's remaining two rides, scoring a first ever point in competitive action at Plough Lane in heat 13.

That point brought the Knights back into contention just one point off the lead, which was shared at that stage by Buzz's Stingers (who included one time Iwade second-halfer Lee Strudwick in their quartet) and the eventual winners on the night, Scott's Speedsters.

However, it wasn't to be with two blanks in the final three heats. The Knights finished the evening on 22 points, two points off second.

Scorers: Mason (Weymouth) 6; Wright (Wimbledon) 11; Andre Cross 4; Chris Hunt 0; Keith Yorke 1

On Sunday, the AC Associates Crusaders travel to Scunthorpe for a second attempt to complete a Conference League match against the Scorpions.

Though welcoming back Shane Colvin and Jordan Frampton, the side have been hit by the news that Wayne Parker has had to withdraw due to a frozen shoulder.

Line up: 1 Andre Cross (capt.), 2 TBA, 3 Shane Colvin, 4 James Theobald, 5 Gary Phelps, 6 Mark Baseby, 7 Jordan Frampton.