(SPEEDWAY 1)
POOLE have booked Troy Batchelor to guest in place of suspended captain Darcy Ward in Thursday’s re-arranged Elite League play-off semi-final.The Pirates take on King’s Lynn at Wimborne Road with a one-point lead from the first leg, with Batchelor stepping in after his own Swindon team were knocked out by Coventry on Monday.Vaclav Milik returns from national championship duty for the Pirates whilst the Stars ironically bring in two riders who have already booked their place in the Final with their regular club – Chris Harris and Jason Garrity.
(SPEEDWAY 2)
EDINBURGH boss Alex Harkess says a strong home performance is required when the Monarchs go into Knockout Cup semi-final action against Newcastle on Friday.The match is the first half of a double-header at Armadale, also featuring the League Cup Final, and Harkess is mindful of the Diamonds’ impressive recent display at the same venue in the Premier League.He said: “We’ve had an extra week to think about this tie now and all I can think is that we must get a big lead on Friday to take to the return at Newcastle on Sunday. Every point is going to be crucial in this tie.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
SCUNTHORPE will honour former team manager Kenny Smith at their final home meeting of the season on Sunday.The Scorpions take on Sheffield in the Premier League, with National League action against Buxton to follow, and the last race of the Tigers match will have added significance.Promoter Rob Godfrey said: “Kenny did so much for the Scorpions in our first few years at the Eddie Wright Raceway before cancer took him away from us in 2009.“The winner of Heat 15 of our match against the Tigers will win receive the Kenny Smith Memorial Shield for 12 months.”
(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY OCTOBER 9:ELITE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Poole v King’s Lynn 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 10:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS: Somerset v Ipswich 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7pmLEAGUE CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Edinburgh v Peterborough (follows PLKOC fixture)NATIONAL LEAGUE: Devon v Mildenhall 7.15CHALLENGE: Kent v Arena-Essex 6.30
SATURDAY OCTOBER 11:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS: Berwick v Workington 7pm
SUNDAY OCTOBER 12:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS: Workington v Berwick 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Sheffield 5pmPREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Newcastle v Edinburgh 6.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Buxton (follows PL fixture)
