(SPEEDWAY 1)KENNI Larsen’s first maximum at Elite League level helped Coventry establish an eleven-point lead from the first leg of their KO Cup quarter-final against Lakeside.Larsen was unbeaten from six rides in the Bees’ 52-41 win with skipper Chris Harris adding 15 although he lost out in a match race with Lakeside’s Peter Karlsson, which clawed three points back for the Hammers ahead of Saturday’s second leg at Purfleet.Harris said: “It would have been a few more points if the match race had gone the right way, but Lakeside have a very strong team and they aren’t challenging at the top of the Elite League table for nothing.“But tonight showed how good a team Coventry is when we all click. Now we have to go down there and push them, I know they’re very good at home but I don’t see why we can’t go through.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
IPSWICH secured a narrow aggregate win over Somerset in the Premier League KO Cup, edging out the Rebels by two points overall.The Witches recovered from a shock league defeat by Rye House at Foxhall on Thursday to hold Somerset to a 47-43 home victory, and therefore defend their six-point first leg lead.Leigh Lanham was the Ipswich hero, winning Heat 15 under pressure from Jason Doyle and guest Josh Auty to ensure the Witches reached their target.Manager Pete Simmons said: “I'm well pleased for Leigh, scoring 11 out 12 in his last four rides and holding off Doyle and Auty in Heat 15 was fantastic. The boys deserved this and bounced back well after a disappointing night on Thursday.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
PLYMOUTH boss Mike Bowden rued the absence of heat-leader Cory Gathercole as the Devils slipped to a 48-42 home defeat by Redcar.Gathercole is involved in a World Longtrack event in France on Saturday, an event which would only carry a facility for his club on the day of the meeting.Bowden said: “I was very disappointed with the result, but full marks to Redcar for their winning display.“Ryan Fisher and Ricky Kling did well for us, but the rest of the team did not perform, being beaten in some cases by riders who had never seen our track before.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
ANDREW Tully and Craig Cook were both unbeaten as Edinburgh eased to a 56-37 win over Sheffield to earn all three Premier League points.It was a perfect 65th birthday present for manager Alex Harkess, who said: “I always felt we were in control but Sheffield made a match of it.”Sheffield’s top-scorer was Ricky Wells, who reached double-figures, and Tigers boss David Hoggart says it was a night to put behind them.Hoggart said: “They were really on it tonight and they beat us fair and square. Richard Hall had mechanical problems while Hugh Skidmore fell whilst twice in scoring positions, so we didn't have great luck. It's just one of those nights and we'll move forward again next week.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
GLASGOW co-promoter Alan Dick believes the Tigers’ clashes with Newcastle over the Bank Holiday weekend will provide a good indication of their prospects this season.The teams first meet at Ashfield on Sunday with Glasgow’s recent newcomers Chris Mills and Filip Sitera settling in, and the Scottish side also encouraged by an upturn in form from Jayden O’Malley.Dick said: “We are facing what I would consider to be the best side we have raced all season so far, and as this new-look side of ours is settling in, it will be a great gauge as to whether we are able to make the top six.“We race Newcastle home and away and the minimum we require is three points, but I am greedy and I hope we can sneak something away from home too.”(FIXTURES)
SUNDAY JUNE 3:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Newcastle 4pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Stoke 4.30
MONDAY JUNE 4:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Lakeside 8pm, Wolverhampton v Swindon 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Glasgow 6.30, Workington v Berwick 7pmLEAGUE CUP: Rye House v Ipswich 2pm, Scunthorpe v Sheffield 3pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Rye House v Mildenhall (follows LC fixture), Scunthorpe v Buxton (follows PL fixture)
TUESDAY JUNE 5:NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v King’s Lynn 7.30
