SITTINGBOURNE AC Associates Crusaders slumped to their first home Speedway Conference league defeat of the season against Wimbledon Dons at Iwade on Sunday.

But Sittingbourne will take heart from a plucky display after they were cruelly denied the use of their number one, David McAllan.

McAllan answered the loan call of his local side Edinburgh Monarchs and cannot turn out for Crusaders for the month he is away.

To make matters worse, a new middle-order signing, one-time Oxford rider Wayne Parker was ruled out of Sunday's match, as a licence application was received just hours too late for registration before the weekend.

The team that did turn out for Sittingbourne was either lacking in Conference experience or suffering from track rustiness. It did not bode well against a Dons side firing on all cylinders.

But there was one bright spot for the crowd of around 500 in the form of 20-year-old Jordan Frampton, who won three races on his way to a career-best paid 14.

His partner at reserve for the Crusaders, Mark Baseby tried hard, but over-enthusiasm to get out of the traps led to an early warning for moving in heat eight and then a 15 metre penalty imposed in his final outing.

Baseby’s exclusion two heats earlier when falling along with Bargh was controversial, not so much because the teenaged Crusaders’ reserve was ruled out of the rerun, but that the London side's Under-21 New Zealand champ was let back in.

The action continues at the Old Gun Site, Iwade, on Sunday when Crusaders take on title favourites the Weymouth Wildcats, who are led by one time Sittingbourne favourite, David Mason. The action gets underway at 1pm.

Scorers for Sittingbourne: Jordan Frampton 13+1; Shane Colvin 13+1; Chris Hunt 5; Andre Cross 3+1; Mark Baseby 2; Carl Downs 0; Dan Blake 0.