THE Sittingbourne Crusaders return to home Conference League action at the weekend bouyed by their best away performance for nearly two years.

Mark Basbey was the star performer as the Iwade-based side were beaten narrowly at Stoke.

Baseby recorded two wins in the mid-part of the meeting - including a rare but emphatic defeat of former League Riders champion, Barrie Evans - to keep his side in contention.

But an unlucky fall in his opening heat prevented him adding to his paid eleven return.

Debutant Danny Warwick looked badly down on power in his opening rides, but a change of gearing saw him step up to dominate the latter part of the meeting.

Proof that these two represent the most exciting pair in the division was confirmed in a dramatic heat 14 as they finished one and two, despite Warwick starting with a 15m handicap, for an 8-1 heat advantage.

The final score was 52-43 to the home side, but the Crusaders certainly came away with more cause to be optimistic about the return to home action against Buxton on Sunday.

Team manager Chris Hunt said: "Buxton performed very well in their visit to the Old Gun Site late last season. But our performance up at Stoke shows we're really improving and the match against the Hitmen could just be the stage needed for our own young talent to excel."

The meeting gets underway at noon.