Scunthorpe Scorpions 64 - 29 Sittingbourne AC Associates Crusaders

THE curse affecting the Sittingbourne AC Associates Crusaders' Grade 11 rider position struck again on Sunday as the Iwade-based side went down to a heavy defeat against the Scunthorpe Scorpions.

The latest incumbent, Gary Phelps, had a disappointing afternoon and suffered a suspected broken thumb in a coming together with the home side's Mike Godfrey in an appropriately unlucky heat 13.

The visitors were able to welcome back promising reserve Jordan Frampton after his long injury lay-off and top continental grass tracking star Shane Colvin made his second appearance of the season for Sittingbourne.

There was also a place in the Crusaders septet for loyal club servant, Keith Yorke.

Yorke managed two points - when finishing behind the home side's controversial youngster Ashley Johnson in heat 11.

The victim of a Johnson spill when the Scorpions visited the Old Gun Site in June, Crusaders' skipper Chris Hunt was still unfit to return for this match, but the popular 'Huntsman' hopes to be back in time for Saturday's Conference League double header against reigning champions Mildenhall and the Newport Mavericks, who Sittingbourne must catch to avoid the wooden spoon.

But Sunday's result did nothing to improve the Kent team's league position, with only Colvin and the typically determined Mark Baseby recording heat wins.

Baseby's came in heat two and with the returning Frampton finishing in third it represented a good start for the Crusaders' young reserves.

Another 4-2 heat advantage to the side from Raspberry Hill Lane in heat seven was, though, already too little too late after the Scorpions had returned a hat-trick of maximums in the preceding races.

In heat eight team manager Sean Wilkinson - returning after a spell away from the job - used the option of a Tactical Substitution, pitching Colvin in for Yorke, although he had to ride for double points off a 15-metre handicap.

The rider from Hastings fell in his fruitless pursuit of the Scunthorpe pairing of Johnson and the high-flying Benji Compton. However, having remounted he was able to get two points courtesy of his selfless team-mate Frampton easing aside on the final lap.

Colvin was in the wars again in heat 12 when he suffered another bit of Crusaders misfortune, this time an engine failure when leading clearly from Danny Norton.

With his team-mate Baseby having already retired from the race, Colvin showed his huge commitment to the Kent side's cause by pushing his stricken machine home a full lap - and the Scunthorpe circuit is one of the biggest in the Conference League.

And things got worse for Sittingbourne in the next race.

Phelps was named as a Tactical Rider, which meant his points would be doubled, but the Swindon-born racer clashed with the inexperienced Godfrey on the opening bend, an accident which saw both riders out of the re-run and Crusaders' chance of breaking 30 points evaporate.

The action at the Old Gun Site this weekend gets underway on Saturday at noon.

Crusaders scorers: Shane Colvin 9; Mark Baseby 8; Andre Cross (Captain) 3 + 1; Jordan Frampton 3; Keith Yorke 2; James Theobald 2; Gary Phelps 2.