SITTINGBOURNE Speedway club are finding that the problems of running a team in the Conference League are all too apparent.

They have now lost their third Grade 11 rider of the season after Lee Dicken, so impressive on his debut at Wimbledon, moved back to the Premier League with the Newport Wasps after just one appearance.

But it is track preparation and meeting organisation that chairman Graham Arnold is finding most difficult as the club deals with an unplanned hiatus in their home fixtures.

He said: "We've enjoyed some well-attended home matches this season with some great racing, so we're anxious to get back to staging matches at Old Ferry Road as soon as possible;.

"However, the band of volunteers who helped out on match days - on the track and in the stadium generally - has dwindled over the weeks for a variety of reasons. We urgently need more volunteers to help out on race days."

The Crusaders have three away dates coming up. A visit to reigning champions Mildenhall in Suffolk on July 10 comes ahead of another trip to Wimbledon for the Pairs championship the following Sunday.

Then on July 24, in another changed date, they travel to Newport in South Wales for a bottom of the table scrap with the Mavericks.

Sittingbourne next stage a home match on July 31, when Armadale Dale Devils from Edinburgh will be the visitors.