(SPEEDWAY 1)
WOLVERHAMPTON remain top of the Premiership after the most dramatic of 46-44 wins over Poole at Monmore.
The hosts faced the possibility of seeing their 90th anniversary celebrations spoiled when the Pirates led by four points with three heats to go.
Jacob Thorssell and Rory Schlein carded a 5-1 in Heat 13 to level the scores, only for Poole to edge back in front 43-41 when Kacper Woryna snatched victory from Sam Masters on the run to the line.
But in a remarkable finale, Poole’s Brady Kurtz broke the tapes in Heat 15 and his colleague Linus Sundstrom was also disqualified for leaving the track after the stoppage.
That left Sundstrom going from a 15-metre handicap with Thorssell and Schlein taking a 5-1 over the Swede and Kurtz’s replacement Woryna to snatch the win.
Schlein went through the pain barrier after his crash at Poole last week to top-score with 12+1, whilst Woryna racked up 13+2 at reserve for the Pirates.
Thorssell said: “They were a very stressful couple of races, but there’s no better feeling than getting a 5-1 in the last race to win a meeting.
“It was made even better because there were so many people in the crowd today.
“We had to work hard for it but the main thing is that we got the win in the end.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
SWINDON again showed dominant form at home with a 58-32 win over Somerset at the Abbey on Monday.
Skipper Nick Morris scored a four-ride paid maximum for the Robins, whose top six were in awesome form in front of a big Bank Holiday crowd as all scored at least nine points.
Morris twice got the better of World Champion and ex-Swindon star Jason Doyle, who was left on his own at the top of the visitors’ scorechart with 12 – whilst reserve Zach Wajtknecht also starred for the Robins with 10+3.
Morris said: “There are no easy meetings, but when the team clicks we are pretty powerful.
“All the boys did a really good job and we kept winning races, so we did make it pretty easy in the end.
“At home we’ve been doing well, and we’ve been winning comfortably. Away, I haven’t been doing as well as I’d like, but we’ve been getting the job done and we’re in a good position. We’ll look to keep improving and we’ll be alright.”
Rebels boss Garry May said: “It is a difficult one to pass on and we were just too sluggish and left ourselves far too much to do.
“I look at this result and performance and begin to wonder whether we are strong enough away from home.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BELLE VUE had the better of their Bank Holiday clashes against Leicester – with a huge home win and then a point on the road.
The Aces demolished the Lions 62-28 at the National Speedway Stadium despite No.1 Craig Cook withdrawing due to illness after one ride.
Erik Riss was an inspired guest with 13 points against his old club, Max Fricke scored 13 and reserves Jye Etheridge and Damian Drozdz combined for a total of 18 (paid 22). Ex-Belle Vue man Kenneth Bjerre scored nine for the Lions.
Leicester hit back in the evening to record a 47-43 win at home, but the Aces were able to take a league point courtesy of a 5-1 from Rohan Tungate and Dan Bewley over Bjerre and Hans Andersen in Heat 15.
Andersen led a more solid Lions’ scorechart on this occasion with ten points, whilst Tungate (13+1), Fricke (12) and Bewley (11+1) were all in double figures for the Aces whose reserves were unable to replicate their home form.
Leicester boss Simon Stead said: “The away meeting wasn’t good enough by any stretch of the imagination. We came away worried about whether we were going to get turned over again.
“We needed an immediate response and having two meetings in a day gave us the opportunity to do that. It was as good as I could have asked for.
“The scoreline could have been more convincing and we can take the positives from the victory, along with drawing a line under the defeat.”
Belle Vue manager Mark Lemon said: “Their resilience and determination were second to none.
“It’s tough for the boys to be doing two meetings in one day. It’s physically and mentally demanding, and to see them keeping a clear head from start to finish was very impressive.
“Things were going against us initially and we were disappointed with how we started but as always their attitude was to never give up and in the end it was a consolation point well deserved.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
RYE HOUSE held off Kings Lynn to win 49-41 at Hoddesdon thanks to a resurgent display from Edward Kennett.
The Rockets’ No.4 has been struggling with a knee injury in recent weeks but went unbeaten through his programmed rides before finishing third in Heat 15.
Kennett’s 11+3 score was backed up by 10+1 from captain Scott Nicholls, whilst the Stars fell just short of a league point despite a 17-point haul from skipper Robert Lambert.
Kennett said: “On a personal level, it was nice for me for come out as my old self again. I’ve been lacking a little bit of confidence, but I am starting to put the knee injury behind me now.
“I have started to wear a knee brace, which I am beginning to get used to now. It has been little things like that, and also having to start riding slightly differently in terms of my style.
“I’m really pleased with the way all the boys rode. It was a good result for us; we had a good win earlier against Swindon last Wednesday, and the track was a little bit different and, I think, helped us.”
King’s Lynn boss Dale Allitt said: “The boys dug deep tonight and I’m pleased with their efforts.
“It’s so hard when you don’t make the start at Rye House and so it proved but I can’t fault our effort.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
KENT completed a double over the Isle of Wight with a 57-33 win at Central Park.
The hosts posted ten heat winners on their own circuit, led by Luke Bowen on 13 whilst Nathan Stoneman won his first four outings before missing out in Heat 15.
Guest Danny Ayres top-scored for the Warriors with 11 with fellow former Kings rider Ben Hopwood adding 10.
(SPEEDWAY 6)
REDCAR have released Dutchman Theo Pijper and expect to name a new signing later this week.
The Bears have endured a tough start to the Championship season and crashed to a heavy defeat with a weakened side at Newcastle on Sunday – three days after losing at home to Lakeside.
Promoter Kevin Keay said: “The team has simply not performed consistently enough throughout, and we need to strengthen as quickly as possible.
“Unfortunately for Theo he has become a victim of the numbers game as we need to bring in a higher averaged rider to improve the top end of the team to give Ben Barker some support.
“Theo has done nothing wrong, he has been consistent in his performances and a pleasure to deal with but we need to act now.
“The top five haven't performed as they should putting unnecessary pressure elsewhere so team changes are required and we may make other changes if the option becomes available.”
(SPEEDWAY 7)
PLYMOUTH have received a huge boost for the future with the signing of a new seven-year lease at the St Boniface Arena.
Club owner Mark Phillips took charge of the Devils prior to the 2017 campaign and is now delighted to be able to take a longer-term outlook on the business.
He said: “This now means we can focus on the future of the club rather than just the short sighted view of just this season.
“It’s a massive relief to get this sorted, I have spent a considerable amount of time getting this over the line but I am happy to say the Devils now have a long-term home at the St Boniface Arena.”
(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY MAY 30:
PREMIERSHIP: King’s Lynn v Somerset 7.30, Poole v Leicester 7.30
NATIONAL TROPHY: Birmingham v Coventry 7.30
THURSDAY MAY 31:
PREMIERSHIP: Swindon v Belle Vue 7.30
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Sheffield v Redcar 7.30
FOUR TEAM TOURNAMENT CHALLENGE: Isle of Wight 7pm
FRIDAY JUNE 1:
CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow v Scunthorpe 7.30, Lakeside v Workington 8pm
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Redcar v Sheffield 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Plymouth v Belle Vue 7.15
Results Monday May 28, 2018
PREMIERSHIP
Leicester 47 (Hans Andersen 10)
Belle Vue 43 (Rohan Tungate 13+1)
Premiership points: Leicester 3 Belle Vue 1
Rye House 49 (Edward Kennett 11+3)
King’s Lynn 41 (Robert Lambert 17)
Premiership points: Rye House 3 King’s Lynn 0
Swindon 58 (Nick Morris 11+1)
Somerset 32 (Jason Doyle 12)
Premiership points: Swindon 3 Somerset 0
Wolverhampton 46 (Rory Schlein 12+1)
Poole 44 (Kacper Woryna 13+2)
Premiership points: Wolverhampton 3 Poole 1
Other results from earlier today…
PREMIERSHIP
Belle Vue 62 (Max Fricke 13+1)
Leicester 28 (Kenneth Bjerre 9)
Premiership points: Belle Vue 3 Leicester 0
NATIONAL TROPHY
Kent 57 (Luke Bowen 13)
Isle of Wight 33 (Danny Ayres 11)
National Trophy points: Kent 3 Isle of Wight 0
