STOKE look for better luck on Friday night, 6pm, as they once again attempt to beat the weather and stage a double header meeting which sees’ the Buxton Hitmen and then the Isle of Wight take on the home side as all three teams look to avoid the wooden spoon at Loomer Road.

Supporters are in for a treat as the two Travel Plus National League meetings will give supporters thirty heats and there is also the added attraction of six further heats as Carmarthen then take on newly crowned champions Peterborough in the in the Midland Development League.

The Potters will be looking to win both fixtures and move off the foot of the table and avoid the wooden spoon as the Potters trail the Hitmen by 3 points and the Warriors of the Isle of Wight by a single point. Stoke welcome back David Wallinger to the side after injury and he comes in to replace Luke Priest who ended his season with injury in the Potters last home meeting.

Buxton have drafted in former Potter Ben Hopwood as a guest for the injured Matt Williamson and he will be well supported by Loomer Road track specialist Max Clegg who romped to an unbeaten 15-point maximum on his last visit. Hitmen skipper Tom Woolley is able to take his place after he was due to miss the previously postponed meeting after getting married with Shelby Rutherford having settled back into the Buxton side having had a short spell with Cradley on loan. Buxton will use rider replacement for the absent Ryan Kinsley. The Potters have beaten the Hitmen three times this season twice at Hi-Edge raceway and once at Loomer Road.

The Isle of Wight have also drafted in Ben Hopwood as a guest for the injured James Cockle but the Warriors will be using rider replacement for former Potter Ben Wilson. Connor Coles and former Stoke rider Chris Widman along with guest Joe Lawlor who replaces Scott Campos completes the top five for the Warriors with local youngster Joe Alcock taking his place at reserve along with Josh Emberton.
The Potters lost heavily at the Smallbrook Stadium earlier in the season and will be looking to avenge the loss against the Warriors.

Potters team manager Malcolm Vasey commented “These are two very big meetings for us and we will be taking them seriously as we want to avoid the wooden spoon and leave one of our opponents this weekend at the foot of the table. As a team we are up for this weekend and want to win both matches and end the season on a high.”

STOKE: Mitchell Davey, Ryan Terry-Daley, Tony Atkin, David Wallinger, Lee Dicken, Paul Burnett, Shaun Tedham

BUXTON: Ben Hopwood, Shelby Rutherford, Tom Woolley, Ryan Kinsley r/r, Max Clegg, Alex Spooner, Lee Geary

ISLE OF WIGHT: Ben Hopwood, Chris Widman, Connor Coles, Joe Lawler, Ben Wilson r/r, Joe Alcock, Josh Emberton