SPEEDWAY News and Fixtures

(SPEEDWAY 1)

GREAT Britain surged through to the World Cup Final with a stunning all-round team performance to win Saturday’s tournament opener at King’s Lynn.Each member of Alun Rossiter’s side – Tai Woffinden, Danny King, Chris Harris and Simon Stead – scored double figures as they finished seven points clear of the USA, who pulled off a shock result by taking second place just ahead of Australia.It means the latter two nations move on to Thursday’s Race-Off in Poland, with Italy eliminated from the competition, whilst GB await Poland and the winners of the next two meetings in the Final at Bydgoszcz on Saturday.Rossiter said: “The riders showed they really wanted it. There was a little criticism of certain areas of the team, and I think that fired the boys up – but I always believed in them, and that’s why they were here.“It was an amazing atmosphere, and it was something else to come to a packed Norfolk Arena. The crowd were so up for it, and every time our riders went out they just cheered and yelled, it was amazing.“Anything can happen now. We’ve just got to cut the negativity out of speedway, that’s our biggest problem. People don’t give you a chance, and it’s nice to prove them wrong.”

(SPEEDWAY 2 – SATURDAY REVIEW)

PLYMOUTH produced a sound all-round team performance to secure their third successive home win when they beat Somerset 54-40 in Saturday’s Premier League match at the St Boniface Arena.In-form Kyle Newman scored a paid maximum from his four rides and reserve Sam Simota suffered only a couple of defeats on his way to a top score of 14 (paid 15) from six outings.Devils team manager Lee Trigger said: “It was a great display from our side, especially to bounce back from what had been a disappointing defeat away to Somerset the previous evening.“In fact, I felt the final score did not do justice to our performance. We were leading by 18 points with five heats remaining, but let things slip in the final races.”Rebels boss Garry May said: “Unfortunately we never really got going and with Plymouth hitting us hard from the off, we left ourselves far too much to do come the latter stages of the match. “The boys are bitterly disappointed and frustrated by the way things went as they were looking to pick up some away points to move the team further up the table.”

(SPEEDWAY 3 – SUNDAY PREVIEW)

WORKINGTON boss Tony Jackson has called on his team to bounce back from last week’s disappointment when they host Sheffield in the Premier League on Sunday.The Comets took just point from a recent defeat at Redcar despite holding a convincing early lead, and were then well beaten at Edinburgh.Jackson said: “Naturally all the team were bitterly disappointed about Thursday’s match at Redcar while Friday was another of our poor Edinburgh performances, although worse than the last few visits we have made. “We wish we knew why we struggled at Edinburgh. Yes they are a good side, especially on their own circuit, but nevertheless we should do better than we do when we go there.”Both the Comets and the Tigers are forced into changes due to injuries and unavailability, and former Workington No.1 Richard Lawson stands in for Sheffield in place of World Cup rider Simon Stead.Tigers boss Joe Screen said: “We need to pick up a few points on the road if we are going to climb up the table and I feel sure we can run Workington close if not win there.”Glasgow expect to have French youngster Dimitri Berge back in the side after three months out when they host Berwick at Ashfield – with the Bandits holding a play-off place despite being frustrated again by the weather as Saturday’s home clash with Rye House was washed out.Glasgow boss Stewart Dickson said: “Hopefully, we will have all seven riders back on track this week against Berwick, who are a good side, so that'll be interesting.”Meanwhile Rye House’s Northern tour has been reduced to one match after the Berwick call-off, and they now head for Newcastle looking for points to move off the foot of the table.Rockets boss John Sampford said: “The Diamonds have had their problems this year, and they will be without Danny King because of his World Cup commitments. We’ll be there to go for it, and I hope that the new guys (Anders Mellgren and Oliver Greenwood) can hit the ground running by scoring good points.”In the National Trophy, Leicester host Mildenhall in a key fixture with the Fen Tigers four points ahead of the Lion Cubs but having raced one more match, whilst the East Midlands side also visit Kent on Monday.Leicester boss David Howard said: “It is vital that we win both meetings, and our target is to collect all seven match points which will then place ourselves in a good position. Like us, the Mildenhall team contains riders with Elite League experience, but I am confident that we will rise to the occasion.”Meanwhile Eastbourne host a bumper afternoon of speedway at Arlington with a 40-race programme in the fourth round of the British Youth Championships – and all admission is free.Luke Harris leads the 500cc class with Lewis Whitmore in front at 250cc level heading into the latest event, and the meeting also includes Kelsey Dugard – son of Eagles legend Martin.(FIXTURES)

SUNDAY JULY 27:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Berwick 3pm, Newcastle v Rye House 6.30, Workington v Sheffield 3pmNATIONAL TROPHY: Leicester v Mildenhall 4pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 4: Eastbourne 3.30

MONDAY JULY 28:PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Somerset 7.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Kent v Leicester 6.30

TUESDAY JULY 29:PREMIER LEAGUE: Somerset v Sheffield 7.30F.A.S.T GOLDEN HAMMER: Cradley 7.30

WEDNESDAY JULY 30:PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Redcar 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Devon 7.30


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