Valiant Stags just miss out at the end

A thrilling match that is likely to decide the top spot in Group A of the MDL went down to a last heat decider at Buxton on Sunday with the Junior Hitmen taking the victory over the Stags.

The Stags, who were running r/r for the injured Luke Whitehead, put up a fierce battle against a similarly short-handed Buxton team, with passing in every race.

In the opening heat Ditchy charged around Sam Wright to take third place on lap 2, and then Sam twice made heart-stopping lunges up the inside of Jake Isherwood into turn 3 of both lap 3 and lap 4 in his attempt to snatch the lead, with the equally determined Isherwood resisting to take the win.

Heat 2 saw Sam Wright bounce back from his first-race last place to take the win ahead of Ditchy, who was closing fast but ran out of laps, and James Chattin, who was extremely impressive in his first-ever MDL match.

In Heat 3 Jake Isherwood lost control and slid off on turn 2 of lap 2 and James then laid his bike down to avoid him. With no sign of the race being stopped both riders remounted and continued, but Isherwood reacted first and was able to finish ahead of James who could perhaps feel a little hard done by not to be awarded third place. Three successive 3-3’s, and the scores were tied.

Heat 4 saw Isherwood again fall whilst under pressure from Sam, and the Stags edged a 2 point lead.

The fast-gating Sam Wright took the lead in Heat 5 with the Stags packing in behind. Ditchy showed great pace and was pressing Wright for the lead when his throttle jammed and he was forced to retire, turning a 3-3 into a 4-2 to the Junior Hitmen, and tying the scores going into the last.

Heat 6 saw Isherwood away at the front. When Sam made yet another of his now trademark lunges into turn 3 he was forced to shut-off when Isherwood held his line. Sam just touched Isherwoods back wheel but it was enough to cause him to lose control and end up stuck in the air fence. In the re-run, Stephen Whitehouse, who had been fairly quiet by his usual standards, suddenly found his form and led from his team mate ahead of James, who was by now feeling the effects of his fourth outing,

All three riders in both teams contributed fully to produce a very entertaining speedway meeting.

The result leaves the Stags out of the running, three points behind the Junior Hitmen in the Group and only one match left. With Long Eaton still in with a mathematical chance of catching Buxton, the Hitmen need only one point from their remaining two matches to guarantee their place in the Grand Final.

BUXTON JUNIOR HITMEN 20
1. Jake Isherwood – 3,1+1,F,2+1 = 6+2
2. Sam Wright – 0,3,2,3, = 8
3. R/R
4. Stephen Whitehouse – 0,2,1,3, = 6

SCUNTHORPE STAGS 16
1. Sam Chapman – 2,3,3,FX, = 8
2. Lloyd Ditchburn – 1+1,2,1,R, = 4+1
3. R/R (Luke Whitehead)
4. James Chattin – 1+1,0,2,1, = 4+1

Ht1. Isherwood, Chapman, Ditchburn, Wright. 3-3 (3-3)
Ht2. Wright, Ditchburn, Chattin, Whitehouse. 3-3 (6-6)
Ht3. Chapman, Wright, Isherwood, Chattin. 3-3 (9-9)
Ht4. Chapman, Whitehouse, Ditchburn, Isherwood (F). 2-4 (11-13)
Ht5. Wright, Chattin, Whitehouse, Ditchburn (R). 4-2 (15-15)
Ht6. Whitehouse, Isherwood, Chattin, Chapman (FX). 5-1 (20-16)