Killer Cat from Mars

The Aces simply have to win tonight - I was hoping they would have already picked up a couple of points from their early season travels, but we have fell agonisingly short on three occasions! If we are to be considered serious contenders for the play offs we have to start converting close meetings into victories. The weather looks set fair, so the track shouldn't be a problem, though Gate 4 will be a 'Gimme' after the stock cars were here last week. Whoever wins the toss should definitely pick 2 and 4! ;-). Prediction: Aces 51 Lions 39.

Great news that Buxton are running - they are the equivalant of the ravens at the Tower of London - if they withdrew from the National League, the whole edifice would come crashing down. My favourite season in speedway was still the treble winning year of 2010 - such an amazing, well deserved success for everyone involved with the club.

Someone has recently stated that the postcode for Hi-Edge is SK17 1RR? Can anyone confirm this? I don't need it anyway as I know my way there after 10 seasons of going! ;-).

So who will prevail between the Hitmen and the Raiders? Buxton have been strengthened by the return of Charles Wright, and should now be more than a match for the Raiders. Hope the weather doesn't interfere in what should be a feast of NL action. Prediction: Hitmen 51 Raiders 41.

I would like to personally thank Berwick Speedway for getting the meeting on last night in what appeared to be impossible conditions! We drove up from Manchester knowing what the forecast was, but determined that the weather wasn't going to dictate to us! Thankfully, the Berwick owners and track staff had the same grit and determination. We were pleased to see the meeting completed and with no injuries to the riders involved. The set up at Berwick looks first rate, and I really want to come back to see racing there when the sun is out and the track is in ideal condition. The locals promised us that the racing is amazing when the track is right, and I want to see that now. Congrats to all the guys that qualified, in particular Chris and Danny for keeping the flag flying!

Looking forward to my first visit of the season to Britain's most picturesque setting for a speedway track. Let's hope the Hitmen can build up a decent lead to take back to the Midlands. I imagine it could be a little arctic up in the hills so wrap up warm everyone! C'mon the Hitmen.

All quiet as everything seems on the Belle Vue front!

Tim Webster is a great signing for Buxton. Welcome aboard Tim! :-)

I had been really looking forward to this meeting and was so disappointed by what was served up. The National League is a fantastic product and I have seen great meetings and racing over the years, but this meeting could serve as the death knell for this level of racing at Kirky Lane. How many people are going to pay to watch the next meeting if last night is going to be replicated again? Time for a re-think by the promotion for track prep at this level, and track prep in general I would suggest.

I can only assume that Jason is unavailable or turned the opportunity down? Kyle will be riding for Edinburgh at Workington that night I assume?

The Colts should be well placed to gain revenge here - Kyle will score more than two that the R/R got in the first meeting between the teams and Byron will ride better now without having the pressure of the Number 1 race jacket. Add to this that Richard Franklin, who scored heavily in the first leg for Dudley, is missing, well, I reckon that tips the balance in favour of the Colts. If the Colts are all on song, I am hoping they can win this by ten points. C'mon the Colts.

Hoping the Colts can put the Dudley meeting behind them and resume their excellent home league form tonight. The signing of Charles Wright is a shot in the arm for the side, but without Kyle, they are still weaker than they would be with him. Having seen how impressive Stoke are on Saturday at Loomer Road, I feel this will be a close meeting, and it will be interesting to see how Jaimie Pickard goes - he was certainly better than his 4 point average on Saturday! C'mon the Colts. My prediction, Colts 50 Potters 40 .

Heat 11 was spectacular, but Rob's ride around the outside of the Sheffield boys in Heat 15 was real seat of the pants riding! And at the time I thought the Hitmen had won a point because of the 5-1 in Heat 15. The fact that the Hitmen couldn't win a point from the meeting by Heat 15 makes his ride even more spectacular! Go Rob.

Really enjoyed the 30 heats of speedway action tonight. Was good to see the meeting moving along at pace, even at the start when the rain was pouring. Was really pleased Buxton grabbed a point too. Some great racing action all round and another great advert for tne National League.

Making the trip over to watch this meeting to cheer on the Hitmen. Nice to see Rob will be riding. C'mon the Hitmen.

Making the trip down for this meeting. Have a feeling it is going to be a very tight meeting, with the Colts looking very solid so far this year both home and away. Trump card could be Dudley's arch nemesis Jason Garrity, who could score very heavily from the reserve slot. My prediction: Dudley 45 Colts 45! A nailbiter! Could we please have regular weather updates too. It is tipping it down up here, but for all I know it could be tropical in the Midlands!

Would someone be kind enough to post the Buxton rider's scores so that I can update the Buxton Facebook Group? Thanks in advance.

Well I too was at a completely different meeting to some of the posters above. I just felt the Colts took the meeting by the scruff of the neck early doors and didn't really give the Fen Tigers chance to get back in the meeting. I can understand Mildenhall fans being disappointed with the result, but I honestly saw nothing wrong with the track. Same for both teams anyway as they say. I do agree though that James Brundle was done a disservice in Heat 11. He was not at fault when Chris Widman slid into him, and the referee should have put the red lights on and ordered a re-run with Chris being excluded. All in all a good night's work by the Colts - Fortress Kirkmanshulme Lane will take some breaching on the evidence of the meetings so far.

A lot brighter here at the moment, but the track must have taken some serious water! Anyway - going to make the trip, the Colts and Fen Tigers deserve our support. :-)

What a gorgeous morning! Hope the weather stays like this all day, but there is a threat of showers for later! Fingers crossed the weather gods are kind to us and we get to see a good, competitive meeting tonight.

Really looking forward to this meeting, Mildenhall could prove a stiff test for the Colts, with their impressive spearhead of Brundle, Jacobs and Hargreaves. Also may be the first ever visit of a Mildenhall team to Belle Vue, but I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong! Prediction, Colts 50 Fen Tigers 42.

Looking forward to the Colts meeting later today and the return of ex-Aces Nick Simmons and Lee Smethills. Think the Colts will win by about 15 points.

Meeting statistics for todays meeting courtesy of the Buxton Facebook Page: Buxton Hitmen 44 Ben Tayior 3221 = 8 Dean Felton 1121 = 5+2 Luke Priest 1113 = 6+2 Robert Branford 23233 = 13 Adam Allott 23302 = 10+1 Ryan Blacklock 0fexRR = 0 John Mcphail 11Rfex = 2+1 Dudley Heathens 46 Byron Bekker R2231 = 8 Richard Franklin 2031 = 6+1 Tom Perry 31020 = 6+1 Ashley Morris fex232 = 7 Adam Roynon 3332 = 11+1 (PAID MAXIMUM) Daryl Ritchings 2001 = 3+2 Luke Chessell 3011 = 5+1 Heat 1: Taylor, Franklin, Felton(F/rem), Bekker(Ret). 58.0. 4-2. Heat 2: Chessell, Ritchings, Mcphail, Blacklock. 59.9. 1-5. (5-7) Heat 3: (Re-run). Perry, Branford, Priest, Morris(F/ex). 57.4. 3-3. (8-10) Heat 4: Roynon, Allott, Mcphail, Chessell (F/rem). 56.5. 3-3. (11-13) Heat 5: Branford, Bekker, Priest, Franklin. 57.6. 4-2. (15-15) Heat 6: Roynon, Taylor, Felton, Ritchings. 55.7. 3-3. (18-18) Heat 7: Allott, Morris, Perry, Blacklock (F/ex). Awarded. 3-3. (21-21) Heat 8: Franklin, Felton, Chessell (F/rem), Mcphail. (Ret). 57.7. 2-4. (23-25) Heat 9: Roynon, Branford, Priest, Ritchings. 55.5. 3-3. (26-28) Heat 10: Morris, Taylor, Felton, Perry. 56.6. 3-3. (29-31) Heat 11: Allott, Bekker, Franklin (F/rem), Blacklock (Ret). 57.1. 3-3. (32-34) Heat 12: Priest, Perry, Ritchings, Blacklock. Mcphail (ex/2). 57.2. 3-3. (35-37) Heat 13: Bekker, Roynon, Taylor, Allott. 57.1. 1-5. (36-42) Heat 14: Branford, Morris, Chessell, Mcphail. 55.8. 3-3. (39-45) Heat 15: Branford, Allott, Bekker, Perry. 56.8. 5-1. (44-46)

Full Team and Heat scores, courtesy of the Buxton Facebook Group. Buxton Hitmen 53 Ben Taylor 3322 = 10+1 Dean Felton 2221 = 7+3 Luke Priest 0223 = 7+2 Robert Branford 33333 = 15 (MAXIMUM) Adam Allott 33330 = 12 John Mcphail 10001 = 2 Marvin Sonnier 0R0 American Touring Team 39 Eddie Castro R1340 = 8 Dylan Black 111 = 3+1 Austin Novratil R/R Doug Nicol 12020 = 5+1 Shawn Mcconnell 21111 = 6+1 Joey Holt 32111 = 8+3 Mike Buman 203022 = 9+1 Jim Terchila 0 = 0 Heat 1: (Re-run). Taylor, Felton, Black, Castro(Ret). 57.9. 5-1 Heat 2: (Re-run). Holt, Buman, Mcphail, Sonnier. 59.7. 1-5. (6-6) Heat 3: Branford, Mcconnell, Nicol, Priest. 57.5. 3-3. (9-9) Heat 4: Allott, Holt, Mcconnell, Mcphail. 56.5. 3-3. (12-12) Heat 5: Branford, Priest, Castro, Terchila. 57.9. 5-1. (17-13) Heat 6: Taylor, Felton, Mcconnell, Buman. 58.2. 5-1. (22-14) Heat 7: Allott, Nicol, Holt, Sonnier(Ret). 56.2. 3-3. (25-17) Heat 8: Buman, Felton, Black, Mcphail. 59.4. 2-4. (27-21) Heat 9: Branford, Priest, Mcconnell, Buman. 56.8. 5-1. (32-22) Heat 10: Castro, Taylor, Felton, Nicol(15m). 57.0. 3-3. (35-25) Heat 11: Allott, CASTRO, Black, Sonnier. 55.7. 3-5. (38-30) Heat 12: Priest, Nicol, Holt, Mcphail. 56.6. 3-3. (41-33) Heat 13: Allott, Taylor, Mcconnell, Castro. 55.0. 5-1. (46-34) Heat 14: Branford, Buman, Mcphail, NICOL. 57.0. 4-2. (50-36) hEAT 15: Branford, Buman, Holt, Allott(15m). 57.3. 3-3. (53-39)

It was a decent crowd for NL (judging from my experiences at Buxton) - hard to tell exactly how many at Belle Vue because so many take cover indoors! :-). The Prowlers really struggled with the track early on - once it slickened off, it was a lot closer and there was some close races. There's definitely better to come from the Prowlers this season.