SITTINGBOURNE AC Associates Crusaders Speedway team is still without a home win after a nail-biting defeat against Stoke Spitfires on Saturday.

For the second time in the last three at the Old Gun Site the meeting went to a last heat decider, but once again the opponents came out on top.

The Iwade-based team have made big improvements in recent weeks and their scorecard has had a consistent look to it with four riders recording paid eight or more returns and a fifth, Mark Baseby, chipping in with two heat wins.

However, in the face of the awesome form of the Spitfires' Barrie Evans and Luke Priest - who between them were unbeaten, had recorded 10 heat wins and had racked up 34 of their side's points - it was always going to be an uphill struggle.

The former Arena Essex rider Evans, who tops the League's averages, hadn't been expected to attend as he was needed for the senior Stoke side up in the Potteries later in the evening.

But to their credit (and the Crusader's misery) both Evans and his skipper Priest decided to sort out Spitfires' business before rushing off at the close of proceedings for the long journey north.

Sittingbourne started like a train with consecutive 5-1s in the first two heats, with Baseby looking particularly impressive in a season's best time for a Crusader of 59.7 in winning heat two.

He was partnered home by Jordan Frampton who looked lively all afternoon and finished joint top scorer for the homesters.

Skipper Chris Hunt also proved he has finally shaken off the effects of his troublesome collar-bone injury by taking the first heat 5-1 with Paul Candy.

But things began to go wrong for Crusaders in heat three.

The slow-starting Peter Collyer was unable to make any impression on GB under-21 star Priest and with James Theobald suffering machine problems that were to cause him problems all afternoon, the visitors had pegged back the deficit to four points.

Evans was up next flying to an unchallenged victory and with the promise of six rides apiece for the Spitfires' big two - who were making full use of the Rider Replacement rule - it was clear the home side would need to score maximum points when neither was on the track.

That strategy went to plan in the next race when Collyer got going and Theobald's engine fired smoothly for another 5-1.

But with advantages for the Spitfires in heats seven through to 10 it was the visitors who held the lead at the interval.

Heat seven was the turning point and the race of the afternoon.

With Priest and Evans out together for the first time, Crusaders fans were in the most part resigned to a Spitfires 5-1. However, Shane Colvin had other ideas.

Evans and his team-mate made another fantastic start, but midway around lap one Crusaders' top rider made an amazing dash past Evans and then the pair took off in a titanic scrap.

It was one Colvin was winning until the back straight of the final lap when his front wheel reared slightly causing momentary loss of control.

It was the invitation Evans needed to surge into the final bend level with Colvin but emerge from it just ahead and get to the chequered flag half a wheel ahead.

The dominance of Priest and Evans had - despite Colvin's best efforts - been reasserted and they weren't to be troubled again.

The home side went into the final heat needing a 5-1 to snatch the win.

But against Evans and Priest this would have been a miracle and instead it was the visitors who recorded the maximum.

Sittingbourne have a double-header against Scottish side Armdale followed by Boston on Sunday. The match starts at noon.

Sittingbourne scorers: Chris Hunt 8; Jordan Frampton 8; Shane Colvin 7; Peter Collyer 7; Mark Baseby 6; Paul Candy 3; James Theobald 3.