Linlithgow Lightning have had a torrid time this season. They came back to Conference League action with a raw team containing three 15-year olds and started with nine straight defeats. Things are begining to look up. Lighning won their first match two weeks back against Rye House Rockets. Then last Saturday, then won came up with some silverware when Jon Swales took the Conference League Riders' Championship at Mildenhall. He was backed up by Scott Courtney who took third place after coming in as a late replacement for Steven Jones.
While the win by the in-form Jon Swales, a former Mildenhall rider, was not unexpected, the third place taken by Scott Courtney was certainly not.
Jon Swales is 24 and has had a full season of Premier League experience with Newcastle in 1998. He also has seen Conference League action with Cleveland and Mildenhall before joining Lightning in 1997. He helped out Edinburgh after David McAllan was injured this year and has also subbed for Newcastle.
Scott Courtney is 16 and last year appeared for Berwick, Glasgow, and Armadale in the Youth Development League. He averaged over 8.50 including a maximum for Armadale. With no Conference League team operating in the north, Scott was denied experience at this level. He came into the Premier League with Glasgow, possible rather too soon. He had a nasty fall in the opening match at Ashfield that put him out of action for several weeks with a spine injury. After finally regaining his Premier League place with Glasgow he struggled to score in a equally struggling side. Scott's success at Mildenhall came just after he was axed from the Tiger team along with Ashfield track record holder, Brian Turner, to make way for the return of Stuart Coleman and the aquisition of Dean Felton.
Jon Swales won with a 15-point maximum, beating home rider Steve Camden. Scott Courtney made a poor start but scored steadily to take third ahead of pre-meeting favourite Andrew Appleton.
|
1. |
Jon Swales |
Linlithgow Lightning |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
15 |
|
2. |
Steve Camden |
Mildenhall Fen Tigers |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
13 |
|
3. |
Scott Courtney |
Linlithgow Lightning |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
11 |
|
4. |
Andrew Appleton |
Newport Mavericks |
3 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
X |
10 |
|
5. |
Peter Collyer |
Rye House Rockets |
3 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
|
6. |
Barrie Evans |
Mildenhall Fen Tigers |
0 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
F |
7 |
|
7. |
Adrian Newman |
St. Austell Gull |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
|
8. |
Bobby Eldridge |
Newport Mavericks |
2 |
2 |
R |
0 |
3 |
7 |
|
9. |
Peter Boast |
Kings Lynn Braves |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
7 |
|
10. |
Simon Wolstenholme |
Rye House Rockets |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
|
11. |
Phil Knowles |
Club Cradley Heath |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
|
12. |
Paul Burnett |
Buxton Hitmen |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
|
13. |
Gary Sweet |
Mildenhall |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
X |
5 |
|
14. |
Luke Clifton |
Kings Lynn Braves |
2 |
R |
2 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
|
15. |
Neil Painter |
Buxton Hitmen |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
|
16 |
Mark Williams |
St. Austell Gulls |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
M |
0 |
|
17 |
Jamie Barton |
Rye House (Reserve) |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
Linlithgow welcome back Swales and Courtney to Heathersfield at the match this Saturday against St. Austell Gulls. A win will take Linlithgow off the bottom of the table for the first time. This will be a tough match if St. Austell bring a full strength team north.
Linlithgow have home matches against Mildenhall and Kings Lynn yet to come. They have yet to travel to Buxton and Kings Lynn for Conference League matches.