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KENT have confirmed the new date for the British Under-19 Championship is Monday September 15 with the start-time set for 7pm.The club have been granted special dispensation by Swale Council members on the local authority’s Planning Committee to start later than the Kings’ regular start-time and also extend the curfew to 9.30pm.Kent co-promoter Roger Cearns said: “I am delighted at our local councillors’ decision to allow this meeting to go ahead and my thanks go to them. This is the very first major championship to be granted to our venue which I am sure is worthy of the event. “I am expecting the people of Kent, who have already shown their keen interest in Speedway, to turn out in big numbers to enjoy what promises to be a great evening's entertainment.”*REIGNING Premier Riders’ Champion Olly Allen is top of the Somerset averages going into the month of September.Allen is set to defend his title at Owlerton on September 21 and is in line for an automatic place in the meeting as he has gone ahead of Nick Morris in the Rebels’ listings.The Premier League leaders have already tasted major event success in the PL Fours at Peterborough last month, but the competition at Sheffield is likely to be fierce.Former winner Craig Cook is top of the Premier League averages with a 9.63 figure for Edinburgh, whilst Sheffield’s own Simon Stead is close behind on 9.34.But Allen, on 8.64, admits he is enjoying one of his best seasons in the sport, with his move to the Oaktree Arena having been a real success.He said: “I was determined to race at somewhere I enjoy in 2014. I spoke to Somerset and another club in the winter and it was a close call either way. I plumped for Somerset in the end and it was a good decision.“There is a real togetherness down there and it is a very close-knit club. The riders are well looked after. We can stay at the Hancock family’s farm where there is always breakfast in the morning and a jet wash to clean the bikes.“It was particularly good to win the Fours after what happened in the final of the Pairs last month and great for Nick Morris to have the winning ride.“I was just glad that it took the pressure off me in the final race as he had already wrapped up the trophy.”*KING’S Lynn promoter Buster Chapman is delighted to be bringing the Elite Riders’ Championship to the Norfolk Arena on September 25.The top flight’s star names will clash at the venue which staged World Cup action earlier in the season in a meeting which should provide the perfect prelude to the Elite League play-offs which start the following week.Chapman said: “I am delighted that such a prestigious meeting is coming to King’s Lynn, and I hope all of the supporters will come and support our riders taking part.”
SPEEDWAYGB EVENTS SERIES 2014:ELITE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: King’s Lynn, September 25BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: JOSH BATESBRITISH FINAL: TAI WOFFINDENPREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: EDINBURGHPREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: SOMERSETPREMIER RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, September 21NATIONAL LEAGUE MAJOR EVENTS:NATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: STOKENATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: Coventry, October 26NATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Rye House, September 28BRITISH SPEEDWAY FIM EVENT DATES:WORLD UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP Semi-Final: MIKKEL BECHGRAND PRIX QUALIFIER: LINUS SUNDSTROM
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BELLE VUE boss Jason Attwood admits Aces supporters had every reason to expect a better campaign, with the club having failed to win an away match in 2014.Attwood said: “They really deserved more from a season that looked so promising on paper, but which ultimately never materialised. A team should be strong at home, and this year I feel we have been strong at home."Atrocious is probably the kindest word I can say about our form away from home, and I can honestly say that I have my eye on one or two riders regarding next year who need to remind me why they deserve to remain in the team."COVENTRY moved up to third in the table by winning 56-36 at Belle Vue on Monday, adding to a similar four-point haul from victory at Lakeside the previous weekend.Bees promoter Mick Horton said: “It was an absolutely fantastic win, and I’m a happy promoter. It was a great night and when the boys are on fire like that, we’re a match for anyone.“We’ve got to keep the focus and not get carried away, but what a response that was from last night (at Leicester) – I couldn’t have asked for better than that.” EASTBOURNE kept their play-off hopes alive with a 50-40 win over rivals Lakeside at Arlington on Saturday.The Eagles are one of three teams currently on 44 points, four behind third-placed Coventry, but do face six of their remaining seven matches away from home.KING’S LYNN are facing up to the prospect of being without No.1 Niels-Kristian Iversen for the remainder of the season after the Danish star suffered serious knee ligament damage in last weekend’s Grand Prix at Gorzow.Iversen said: “Unfortunately the season is over for me. My knee is not great after the crash and I will need to have an operation in order to fix it. “I will be back stronger and 100 per cent ready for the start of next season.”LAKESIDE ended a run of six defeats with a 35-26 win over Poole at Purfleet on Monday to keep alive their chances of a play-off place, in a meeting curtailed after ten races following heavy rain.The Hammers’ final two fixtures are second visit from Poole and also a trip to leaders King’s Lynn, and they will also be anxiously looking for results elsewhere involving the top-four contenders.LEICESTER secured their first Elite League win over local rivals Coventry with a fine display to win 54-38 at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium, despite the absence of shoulder injury victim Jason Doyle.Manager Norrie Allan said: “There was a positive attitude running right through the team and for the first time in five home matches we entered Heat 15 with all three match points safely tucked away. “To face such a good side as Coventry who are one of the most in-form teams of the moment without Jason Doyle was a worrying thought but each and every rider in my team compensated for his absence right from the start.”POOLE trail Elite League leaders King’s Lynn by six points with five matches apiece remaining after their defeat at Lakeside in Monday’s abridged fixture at Purfleet.The Pirates, like the Stars, have a major concern at No.1 with Darcy Ward now the subject of an indefinite FIM suspension following his failed alcohol test prior to the Latvian Grand Prix.SWINDON remain very much in the mix for a play-off place as their impressive home form continued with a 57-35 win over top-four rivals Lakeside.Boss Alun Rossiter said: “A lot of credit has to go to the track staff, because the boys are confident in the track now. They know they can race on it, even in difficult conditions.“We’re in a good position at the moment and as we showed at King’s Lynn on Wednesday, going somewhere like that holds no fears for us - so it’s going to be an interesting few weeks ahead!”WOLVERHAMPTON promoter Chris Van Straaten says he had no choice but to axe Piotr Pawlicki with the Polish youngster again a no-show for Monday’s match against Leicester.Van Straaten said: “Enough is enough. It’s just not fair on the team, the promotion and most importantly the supporters.“It’s with a heavy heart we have made this decision, it cannot be allowed to go on and it’s probably because he is such a wonderful talent on a speedway bike that we have allowed it to go on this long. We haven’t seen him since August 4 in Wolverhampton colours.”
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BERWICK took another big step towards the play-offs with a 52-43 win over Redcar, highlighted by a sensational paid-21 point maximum from flying reserve Matej Kus.Manager John Anderson said: “It took us a long time to remember the last time a Berwick Bandit scored a full or paid 21-point maximum, and we think it might have been Claus Kristensen over a decade ago, but Matej’s achievement will go down in Berwick history as a moment people will remember seeing in years to come.”EDINBURGH are preparing for a busy weekend in their bid to finish top of the table, as they face Sheffield at Armadale on Friday before travelling to Rye House following evening.Last Friday’s Scottish derby against Glasgow was postponed leaving a fixture headache ahead for the Monarchs prior to the cut-off.GLASGOW skipper Theo Pijper scored a faultless 18-point maximum to help his side to a 48-41 win over Rye House which kept alive their hopes of staging a late run into the top six.Manager Stewart Dickson said: “We targeted any win. I gave Rusty (Harrison) and Theo a target of between 28 and 30 points, but we got a lot more than that between the two of them, which is incredible. It's a great three points because Plymouth are starting to put a bit of pressure on us now, and we want to try and finish as high up the table as we can.”IPSWICH boss Brian Messenger is delighted with the form of his team as the play-offs approach, their current run highlighted by an impressive display to win 51-42 at Sheffield last Thursday.Messenger said: “(Defeat at) Somerset apart, they just keep on improving with every meeting and the team spirit was excellent again. Every single rider contributed to this win with the reserves both in excellent form.”NEWCASTLE will recognise 85 years since the launch of speedway at Brough Park when the Diamonds host Peterborough on Sunday September 7.Co-promoter George English said: “To mark that landmark, admission on that day will be £8.50 to celebrate the 85th, with all accompanied children free of charge. Hopefully we can celebrate on the day with a good win for the Diamonds against the Panthers.”PETERBOROUGH boss Carl Johnson pulled no punches over the Panthers’ performance at Somerset, where they crashed to a 25-59 defeat last Friday.Johnson said: “I've said all along that Somerset are the best team in the league and they have beaten most opponents by big scores at their place. But that is no excuse for our lacklustre display and I feel sorry for the paying public who witnessed it - especially those Peterborough fans that made the long journey down there. I told the team the performance was abysmal and embarrassing.”PLYMOUTH are set to see plenty of Ipswich as opponents in the coming weeks as this Saturday’s Premier League match is the prelude to a KO Cup semi-final between the clubs.Co-promoter Ashley Taylor said: “Taken all round, it promises to be another big meeting. Apart from the league points at stake, the meeting will have an added importance because of the bearing it could have on the prospects for the cup semi-final.”REDCAR suffered back-to-back defeats to Scunthorpe in two close fixtures last week which saw them gain a point at the Eddie Wright Raceway but lose out at home.The Bears are seventh in the table but trail Newcastle by four points with just two matches remaining.RYE HOUSE suffered another frustrating weekend on the road with defeats at Workington and Glasgow, leaving them in danger of going through the season without any points away from home.Manager John Sampford was unhappy with the events of Heat 8 at Ashfield, saying: “From our vantage point, it looked as though Aaron Fox brought down Alex Edberg on the second turn, and also that the red stoppage lights came on before Benji Compton fell. We thought that it was Fox that should have been excluded from the re-run, and that at the very least we should have had one rider in the restaging. “Just one extra point from that race would have given us a match point, but instead that heat seemed to turn the whole match in terms of momentum.”SCUNTHORPE boss Dave Peet is targeting a good haul of points from important home and away clashes with Peterborough this week, with the Scorpions still in a comfortable fifth place in the table.Peet said: “The meeting at Peterborough is going to be nip and tuck, but it is a track we can ride, and we need to come back from there with at least a point, if not more. We would love to take six or seven points from the two meetings against the Panthers, but we need to get four as a minimum."SHEFFIELD remain in the lower regions of the table after suffering home and away defeats against high-flying Ipswich last week, although boss Joe Screen says his side couldn’t be faulted for effort at Foxhall.Screen said: “We always knew it was going to be difficult, and in the end I don't think the result quite reflected the effort the lads put and how well they rode at times. It was a frustrating night, but we've just got to put it behind us and move onto the next one."SOMERSET host Berwick at the Oaktree Arena on Friday with both sides set to contest the play-offs in the coming weeks – and with the Rebels keen to secure top spot and choice of opponents in the next stage.Manager Garry May said: “We are now in that final furlong of the regular season, so the maximum three league points are the only points objective from Friday night, especially against a team who are also up there looking for a top-two finish in the league table, in order to maintain our place at the top of the Premier League table and put pressure on the chasing pack.”WORKINGTON got back to winning ways with a six-point haul from last Saturday’s double-header against Rye House and Scunthorpe - but now face another tough double-header at Derwent Park this Saturday when they entertain Glasgow and Somerset.Comets team manager Tony Jackson said: “That was a much better home performance than the previous week, and much more like what we expected when we put the team together in the winter, while it was good to be able to track a team of our own seven riders once again for the first time in months. However, we are under no illusion as to the size of the task ahead of us with a lot of difficult matches to race in the next two weeks.“The visits of Glasgow, who inflicted a heavy home defeat on us two weeks ago, and league leaders Somerset make this Saturday’s double-header just about as hard as they come but we have to beat these teams if we want to maintain our challenge for a play-off place, it is as simple as that. Either side of the double-header we have visits to Sheffield and Glasgow as we start a busy spell of nine matches in ten days.”
FIXTURE PICTURE…
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 2:PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Scunthorpe 7pm, Peterborough v Plymouth (follows previous fixture)NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Devon 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 3:ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Wolverhampton 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Peterborough 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Cradley 7.30
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 4:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v King’s Lynn 7.30, Swindon v Wolverhampton 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Peterborough 7.30, Redcar v Rye House 7.30, Sheffield v Workington 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 5:ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Poole 8pm PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Sheffield 7.30, Scunthorpe v Peterborough 7.30, Somerset v Berwick 7.30
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 6:ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v King’s Lynn 7.30, Leicester v Swindon 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Scunthorpe 7pm, Plymouth v Ipswich 7.15, Rye House v Edinburgh 7pm, Workington v Glasgow 6.30, Workington v Somerset (follows previous fixture)NATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v King’s Lynn 7pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 6: Redcar 2pm
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Workington 3pm, Newcastle v Peterborough 6.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Coventry 3pm, Mildenhall v King’s Lynn 3.30
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 8:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Leicester 7.30, Swindon v Coventry 7.30, Wolverhampton v Eastbourne 7.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Kent v Leicester 6.30
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 9:PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Glasgow 7pm, Peterborough v Workington (follows previous fixture), Scunthorpe v Berwick 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Cradley v Coventry 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 10:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Kent 7.30
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 11:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v King’s Lynn 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Berwick 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Ipswich v Plymouth 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 7pm, Coventry v Eastbourne (follows previous fixture)PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Redcar 7.30, Edinburgh v Newcastle (follows previous fixture), Plymouth v Peterborough 7.15, Somerset v Workington 7.30
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 13:PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Scunthorpe 7pm, Workington v Sheffield 6.30, Workington v Sheffield (follows previous fixture)
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 14:PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Rye House 2.30, Glasgow v Edinburgh 3pm
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 15:BRITISH UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP: Kent 7pmELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Eastbourne 7.30 (tbc), Coventry v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP: Newcastle v Glasgow 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 17:NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP: King’s Lynn v Stoke 7.30
