(SPEEDWAY 1 – SUNDAY REVIEW)
EDINBURGH extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 16-points with a 47-43 win at Glasgow in a dramatic Scottish derby.The Monarchs are now unbeaten in 23 fixtures this season but the Tigers came close to an upset and could still have snatched a draw in the last race.Home duo Rusty Harrison and Kevin Wolbert held a match-levelling 5-1 until Craig Cook passed Harrison at the end of lap three with the Australian then coming to grief as he tried to respond on the final turn.Edinburgh boss Alex Harkess said: “We certainly didn’t get everything our own way, but we dug deep to win and that’s what good teams do.”Harrison said: “We knew Cookie was going to be there or thereabouts and I could hear him buzzing around. He got under me and then I managed to get back round, but it just caught me out, that last corner - I think I hit the bump wrong and had too much speed going in.”Elsewhere, Ludvig Lindgren raced to another 15-point maximum as Newcastle eased to three more league points with a 61-34 win over injury-hit Plymouth at Brough Park.The Devils saw three riders withdrawn during the meeting as Ben Barker (ribs), Rasmus Jensen (knee and concussion) and Kyle Newman (shoulder) were all forced to pull out after crashes.Newcastle boss George English said: “To be fair the remaining Plymouth riders raced well for their points, but despite the injuries we would still have taken this match well - as it was, their problems didn't assist their cause and we with the wounded all the best for a swift recovery.“Three league points it was, though, and we'll gladly take them and continue our recovery and climb up the League again.”Cradley are six points clear at the top of the National League after a hard-fought 53-36 win at Buxton – who had held the scores level after seven races.Heat 2 had seen the home side’s first maximum race win of the season, and it was also the first time in 2014 that they had not used a tactical ride as the Heathens only pulled clear in the second half of the contest. Buxton boss Jayne Moss said: “On the face of it we have gone backwards from last week, but these are real points, no double-ups, and the overall performance was good.”Cradley manager Will Pottinger said: “We got the job done and came away with another four league points which was the important thing.“The track was quite difficult to start with but the lads got better as conditions improved and came on strong with heat advantages in each of the last eight races.”Mildenhall put in an impressive all-round display to defeat Kent 59-36 at West Row and maintain their chances of reaching the National Trophy Final.Joe Jacobs led the way for the Fen Tigers with 13+1, with Danny Halsey adding 11 although both were overhauled by the Kings’ top man Simon Lambert in Heat 15 for the visitors’ third race win of the afternoon, having earlier seen David Mason withdrawn due to illness. Jacobs then claimed the Bronze Helmet from Ben Morley in their match-race.Mildenhall chairman Kevin Jolly said: “We have been waiting all season for this - all seven lads to be on it as the same time. To be honest, Simon Lambert apart the Kings had no answer and hopefully we can continue on in this vein tomorrow (Monday).”Kent boss John Sampford said: “Simon rode extremely courageously, inches from the unforgiving fence to pass the home riders and extremely exciting to watch. For Benji (Compton), a double-figures return on his second match back is a good sign that he’s feeling his way back very nicely. “It was always going to take a few meetings, so really these three matches in three days is the best thing that could have happened for him.”(SPEEDWAY 2 – MONDAY PREVIEW)
WOLVERHAMPTON have called upon Australian star Rory Schlein for their big local derby against Coventry with Piotr Pawlicki ruled out.The Pole crashed in his World Under-21 Team Cup semi-final over the weekend and is ruled out of the Monmore clash between the Midlands rivals, who both harbour hopes of an Elite League play-off place. The Bees are set to be at full strength with Kyle Howarth due back from injury.Wolves skipper Tai Woffinden said: “I’ve got to push on now and I know I’ve got to kind of make up for the first couple of months of the season where I haven’t been scoring the points I should have for the team.“Now I’ve sorted myself out I can start to play the captain’s role a lot more and help out the boys.”Coventry boss Gary Havelock said: “We were desperately unlucky not to get more than we did there last time, but with a good top five and also one of the best reserves in the league it’s a match we can win.“This is the time of year where if you’re going to challenge and win things you have to step things up.”Belle Vue will be without Richie Worrall for their clash with Poole at Kirkmanshulme Lane, which has been a stronghold for the Aces so far this season despite their disappointing away from.Worrall is ruled out due to broken toes with the home side calling up Edinburgh’s young Australian Max Fricke to guest.Aces skipper Scott Nicholls said: “In a good team, everyone mucks in and does their bit but the key for us this week will be down at reserve. “I've said all along that the reserves have got one of the most important jobs in a team because you've got two races where ten points can be won or lost.”Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “Only Lakeside have been there and returned with any reward I believe, so that will be a measure of the task that confronts us. “Last time we were there we had guest reserves Charles Wright and Oliver Greenwood scoring well for us, although two of our top line riders - Chris Holder and Magic (Janowski) had off-nights, so who knows what might happen on Monday?”In the National Trophy, Kent and Mildenhall stage a rapid return fixture after the Fen Tigers’ 59-36 win at West Row on Sunday. Ben Wilson guests for the visitors as Joe Jacobs is absent on Elite League duty.Mildenhall chairman Kevin Jolly said: “The job is only half done and we really need to secure a win at Central Park as we push for a final place in the National Trophy.”
(FIXTURES)
MONDAY JULY 7:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Poole 7.30, Wolverhampton v Coventry 7.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Kent v Mildenhall 6.30
TUESDAY JULY 8:PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Rye House 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Devon 7.30
WEDNESDAY JULY 9:ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Eastbourne OFF, Poole v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Sheffield 7.30
THURSDAY JULY 10:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Poole 7.30, King’s Lynn v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Plymouth 7.30, Redcar v Berwick 7.30
FRIDAY JULY 11:PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Somerset 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Devon v Kent 7.15
