(SPEEDWAY 1 – FRIDAY REVIEW)
POOLE moved up to second position in the Elite League table with a 48-44 win at Lakeside on Friday.The Pirates inflicted a third successive home defeat on the Hammers to add three points to their total, although a late rally from the hosts with three 5-1s in the last three races prevented the visitors from taking all four.Guest reserve Lewis Blackbird top-scored on 11 for the Pirates with Chris Holder adding 10, whilst in-form Kim Nilsson topped the Lakeside score-chart with 14+1.In the Premier League, Edinburgh overcame Newcastle 52-40 on a drizzly night at Armadale, although the Monarchs had to wait until Heat 14 to seal victory.Sam Masters won his first four rides for the home team, dropping his only point in Heat 15, whilst Steve Worrall enjoyed a successful return to Armadale with a score of 16+1 for the Diamonds.Edinburgh boss Alex Harkess said: “The conditions made it a hard night for the riders but I always felt we had things under control.”Meanwhile Plymouth ended a run of three successive home defeats when they beat Redcar 52-41 at the St Boniface Arena.There were double figure scores for Sam Simota and Jack Holder while Ryan Fisher and reserve Ashley Morris scored nine points apiece. Guest Brady Kurtz scored 13 for the Bears.Devils co-promoter Ashley Taylor said: “We were in control throughout and the win was a big confidence booster for us. We were gating better and all the team chipped in. It was just the lift we needed ahead of our away matches at Workington and Glasgow this weekend.”
(SPEEDWAY 2 – SATURDAY PREVIEW)
THE teams at opposite ends of the Elite League table meet on Saturday as Leicester host leaders Coventry at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium.The Lions have billed the clash as a “must-win” encounter after a heavy home defeat against King’s Lynn on Monday, whilst the Bees are chasing a fifth away win and have booked Nick Morris to guest for Hans Andersen who is absent due to a Danish Championship quarter-final.Leicester boss Norrie Allan said: “It is another difficult match for us as Coventry have set the standard and as the top team in the Elite League on current form they will be targeting a good result against us so we have to be at our very best to make sure that does not happen tonight.”Coventry manager Gary Havelock said: “I know Leicester is one of Nick’s favourite tracks, and that’s one of the reasons we had him on our list of possible guests for Hans. He was quick to accept the booking and I like his attitude.“I certainly feel we can win there again, as I feel we can win anywhere, but it will be difficult. Just because we won there a month ago it doesn’t mean we’ll win there this time, just as the fact that we got thrashed there three weeks earlier didn’t mean that would happen again!”In the Premier League, Rye House host Scunthorpe with a target of making it two wins in a row after defeating Somerset on Bank Holiday Monday.Danish duo Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen and Kasper Lykke are on national championship duty with the Rockets bringing in Paul Starke at reserve and operating the rider-replacement facility – as do the Scorpions for the injured David Howe, whilst former Rye House rider Ben Morley steps in for Ellis Perks.Rye House boss John Sampford said: “It is not ideal to be missing our two Danes, but David Howe’s absence effectively cancels out Nikolaj’s in terms of average.“The mood in the camp is excellent after Monday’s victory over Somerset. We may have surprised a few others, but not ourselves, because we know the potential of this team when it all clicks.”Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “I feel we can win at Rye House. We want to make up for the disappointment of Monday and if we win against the Rockets, it gets us back into the race.“Ben Morley will be a secret weapon, as he flies around the track. We have got to make sure we don’t get left behind which is why we have targeted a win or, at the very least, to take a point.”Workington get their Premier League campaign as they face Plymouth at Derwent Park, although the Comets are another club to be hit by Danish absentees.Skipper Rene Bach will be replaced by last year’s Comets number one Josh Grajczonez and Edinburgh’s Justin Sedgmen, who was an impressive visitor to Workington two weeks ago, will take the place of the injured Rusty Harrison while the Comets will utilise the rider replacement facility for Kenneth Hansen. Simon Nielsen comes in for Nicki Barrett at reserve. The Devils use r/r for Morten Risager whilst Matt Williamson replaces the injured Sam Chapman at reserve.Workington boss Tony Jackson said: “Obviously it is always preferable to go into any match with your own riders, but I feel that we have selected guests that can come in and do a job for us; hopefully getting our league campaign off to a winning start.“We arranged our fixtures to avoid the Danish Championship semi-final and final, however this year for the first time ever a quarter-final round has been introduced. Along with several other clubs we have been affected by the clash of dates, with this fixture not becoming known until after our fixtures were finalised.”In the Travel Plus Tours KO Cup, Berwick host Ipswich with Richard Hall making his debut for the home side having signed earlier this week.The Bandits’ Danish duo Claus Vissing and Thomas Jorgensen miss out, with Richie Worrall stepping in to guest and the rider-replacement facility in operation, whilst Josh Bates replaces the injured Alex Edberg. Richard Lawson and Robert Branford come in for the Witches, who are missing Danny King (EL duty), Gino Manzares (injured) and Nico Covatti (World Cup qualifier).Berwick co-promoter Dennis McCleary said: “It is intriguing. Both teams seem equally changed, but not necessarily disadvantaged, and the racing will be keen as mustard, as a good KO Cup run is a vital part of anyone's season, and everyone will be straining to have their club in front going into the second leg, down in Suffolk on May 21.”Stoke’s fixture with Buxton was an early victim of the weather with promoters Dave Tattum and Jayne Moss swiftly agreeing to a Sunday afternoon re-staging at Loomer Road.(FIXTURES)
SATURDAY MAY 9: ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Coventry 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Scunthorpe 7pm, Workington v Plymouth 7pmTRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Berwick v Ipswich 7pmCITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Buxton OFF (Now Sun May 10)
SUNDAY MAY 10:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Plymouth 3pm, Newcastle v Ipswich 6.30, Peterborough v Workington 6.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Kent OFF, Mildenhall v King’s Lynn 3.30, Stoke v Buxton 3pmNATIONAL TROPHY: Eastbourne v Rye House 3.30BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1: Scunthorpe 3pm
MONDAY MAY 11:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Swindon 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Kent v Coventry 6.30
TUESDAY MAY 12:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Sheffield 7.30
WEDNESDAY MAY 13:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Wolverhampton 7.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Mildenhall 7.30
