Tony Atkin hasn’t scored a maximum since 1996! And he came so close in this thoroughly entertaining National League finale at St Boniface Arena Plymouth.

The veteran Buxton Skipper who is the oldest rider in British Speedway at 48 recorded 20 points from 6 rides only being beaten in the final heat by the Demons star on the night Luke Chessell.

The Hitmen began this meeting up against it missing reserve Stefan Farnaby who remained on the injured list following his fall in the last meeting at Scunthorpe. Despite strenuous efforts from the Buxton management they were unable to secure a replacement forcing them to track just 5 riders and subsequently only field 3 riders in 3 races.

‘I’m very proud of the boys tonight and we were in with a chance of taking something from the meeting right up until the last heat. Tony was magnificent, it would have been a fitting way to end the season had he completed a maximum and gained us a league point’ commented Buxton Boss Jayne Moss.

The meeting was a great advert for what the third tier of speedway is all about two teams epitomizing the ethos of the Development League.
As for Buxton this was a night when the riders grew in confidence as the meeting went on, aside from the leadership of Atkin, Adam Extance who had never seen the track before, returned a 10 point haul Ryan Blacklock (who was involved with Atkin in a thrilling heat 11 where Buxton landed a 7 2 advantage) and Tom Woolley both scored 5.

‘I loved the track’ said the likeable Extance ‘after taking my first ride to sus things out I think I did ok, pity we didn’t get anything from the meeting but I have to be happy with 10 points’
The match completes the Hitmen’s league programme with just the National League 4s at Coventry to come before the curtain falls on 2014

DEVON 50: Luke Chessell 13, Matt Bates 9, Sam Chapman 7, Richard Andrews 6+2, Tyler Govier 6+2, Adam Sheppard 5, James Shanes 4+1.

BUXTON 43: Tony Atkin 20, Adam Extance 10+1, Tom Woolley 5, Ryan Blacklock 5, Tom Bacon 3, Liam Carr r/r.