However, the task is far from simple with the Saints' Captain and number one rider, Byron Bekker, still missing from the side through injury.

Never one to take defeat lightly Team Manager Malcolm Vasey confessed the Saints weren't favourites to win the tie "Buxton got very close to Boston two weeks ago and they now have John Branney back in the side so we face a tough task.

"Jonathan Bethell hurt his back on Monday lifting a tool box and with Byron still absent we really need Jonathan. It's simply a case of crossing our fingers. We will go there and do our best. I know we can get close so we will just go there and see if it is good enough on the day".

He added "Our final away match is at Weymouth and that's another tough encounter. I am looking at the team on a match by match basis and the team at Weymouth will not necessarily be the same as at Buxton.

"Of course Byron may well be fit again by then but if we are chasing points at Weymouth I might need a special hit squad for that one."

The teams for Sunday's encounter in the Derbyshire hills are:

Buxton Hitmen – 1. John Branney, 2. Paul Burnett, 3. Ben Taylor, 4. Lewis Dallaway, 5. Jack Roberts, 6. Gareth Isherwood, 7. Scott Whittington

Scunthorpe Saints – 1. Jonathan Bethell, 2. Mike Pickering, 3. Scott Richardson, 4. Stuart Parnaby, 5. Ben Hopwood, 6. Gary Irving, 7. Adam Wrathall