SITTINGBOURNE have hit back in the row over their three-times cancelled away Conference Shield fixture against Stoke Spitfires.

The ill-fated clash - the Iwade-based club's last competitive fixture of the 2006 speedway season - was orginally scheduled for Wednesday, September 27, but was called off by the Potteries side.

Efforts to rearrange the match-up have so far proved unsuccessful, with Sittingbourne pushing for a weekend date due to the number of young riders in their squad at school or college.

A spokesman said: "When the Shield fixtures were being put together, we asked Cleveland and Stoke, if the Crusaders could go to their tracks on a weekend.

"The Cleveland management obliged. Stoke were unable to do so and after the first cancellation, we were faced with a second Wednesday date. We were told by their club chairman Dave Tattum that there were no suitable Saturdays or Sundays available.

"So it was with dismay that we became aware that both Buxton and Scunthorpe were due to visit Stoke on Saturdays.

"Neither of these other teams are a million miles from Stoke, yet we were being asked to undertake a round trip of 450 miles in midweek."

Team manager Chris Hunt added: "We were prepared to turn up, but in addition to the lads at college, others in our team were unable to secure time off from their work commitments for a third time.

"When our chairman put these facts to the league co-ordinator he contacted Dave Tattum to ask for the date to be changed to the final Saturday of the season.

"The Spitfires have chosen to make comments like Sittingbourne were 'unable to fulfil a fixture in midweek' and that the 'cancellation was beyond the control of Stoke Speedway'. These are slurs on our club."