(SPEEDWAY 1 - THURSDAY REVIEW)

BELLE VUE secured a big result in the race for the Elite League play-offs with a 53-39 away win at Swindon.The Aces collected three 5-1s in the first five races to establish control, with the Robins’ hopes of a comeback hampered by mechanical problems.Max Fricke topped a solid Aces scorechart with 10+1, whilst Grzegorz Zengota and guest Dakota North both picked up 11+1 for the Robins.Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “It was a faultless effort by all the boys tonight. Everyone rode out of their skin and if they can keep this momentum going as well as they did tonight it’ll bode well for our remaining season.“It’s awesome to have come away with the full four points. Our ambition was to make the top four in the league and now that we have the key for us going forward is to ensure we stay there.”Swindon manager Alun Rossiter said: “You could see the frustration with Nick (Morris) and Troy (Batchelor), they were out there testing after the meeting, and at the end of the day it’s a bad day at the office.“Belle Vue came at us from the off, and we didn’t get back at them. There was nothing wrong with the track, so there are no excuses there, but we did have a lot of bad luck with engine failures in winning positions.”Premier League leaders Somerset added two more points to their total with a 45-45 draw at Ipswich - a venue which has not previously proved successful for them.The Rebels reeled in an eight-point deficit after the interval and could even have snatched victory but home No.1 Danny King got the better of Richie Worrall in Heat 15.Ipswich boss Phil Hilton said: “There can be no excuses tonight about the riding conditions as the track was very well prepared so I am lost as to why our riders still appear unable to ride on it as we all know they can. “I was expecting this to be a tough meeting but after we had pulled clear I really wasn't expecting us to let it all slip away again.”Somerset manager Garry May said: “The boys rode superbly and even when we went those eight points down, they didn’t let their heads drop, but instead were all the more determined not to let their good work of the early heats go to waste.“There were some great performances by all the boys, but Richie and Paul (Starke) came up with some big wins when we needed them, as well as Josh (Grajczonek) and Brady (Kurtz) combining for that match-turning 5-1 in Heat 13, which seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Witches as it brought us right back in the match, before Richie and Josh ensured that we went home with a well-deserved draw to our name.”Sheffield consolidated fourth place in the table with a comprehensive 59-33 win over Newcastle at Owlerton.Andre Compton returned to double-figures for Sheffield (12+1) as did David Bellego (10+3) and both teamed up for a 5-1 in Heat 15 to round-off the night in style, with Josh Bates adding 10+1 and Jason Garrity 10.Tigers boss Jack Lee said: “The lads rode well and it was a solid all-round performance to beat Newcastle.“Hopefully we can keep it ticking over and the points will keep coming.”Plymouth have set up a Travel Plus Tours KO Cup quarter-final against West Country rivals Somerset after a thrilling 47-41 win over Peterborough for a four-point aggregate success.The aggregate scores were level with three heats to go, with the Panthers then needing a 5-1 from the last race to draw - but home skipper Kyle Newman took the flag in a re-run with the Panthers unhappy that he had not been disqualified.Devils boss Lee Trigger said: “We got through and finished the job we started at Peterborough, but we did not make it easy for ourselves.“We had a bit of luck on the night, but you have to earn your luck and Kyle Newman did a good job for us as captain, dropping only one point from his five rides.”Panthers promoter Ged Rathbone said: “Everyone in the stadium expected Kyle to be excluded, just as Ulrich (Ostergaard) had been for a crash in exactly the same place earlier in the night, but he was allowed in the re-run.“In hindsight we didn’t do enough in the home leg last month when only building up a two-point lead, but I still felt we deserved to go through. It was just a case of too many things going against us.”Meanwhile Max Clegg won the Julie Lewis Memorial Trophy at Redcar, dropping just one point throughout the meeting. Ben Morley was second ahead of Liam Carr and Rob Shuttleworth.(SPEEDWAY 2 - FRIDAY PREVIEW)

COVENTRY can move back level on points with Poole at the top of the Elite League table if they defeat local rivals Leicester at Brandon on Friday.The Bees have called up Josh Bates to guest for James Sarjeant, who suffered bruising in a crash at Wimborne Road on Wednesday, whist the Lions cover their injury and unavailability issues with Ulrich Ostergaard, Grzegorz Zengota, Richard Hall and Oliver Greenwood.Coventry skipper Chris Harris said: “Leicester have been struggling a bit, and we need to capitalise on that and get back to winning ways.“Especially with us being at home on Friday, we need to make sure we start winning again.”Lions boss Norrie Allan said: “During this three week spell of no fixtures we have been looking at various options that are available to complete the team and I was hoping to bring a new rider to the club in time for the match at Coventry. “Alas, this has not been possible despite spending endless hours on the telephone so for now we continue with a facility of a guest or rider replacement whilst the search goes on.”Lakeside welcome back No.1 Andreas Jonsson as a World Cup winner when they host King’s Lynn in the first of three home matches in eight days at Purfleet.The Hammers are also offering fans in attendance tonight reduced admission of £10 for Monday’s match against Wolverhampton on production of the Friday matchday programme. Kyle Newman stands in for the home side in place of the unavailable Richard Lawson, whilst the Stars use rider-replacement for Rory Schlein with new signing Vaclav Milik set to join next week.Lakeside co-promoter Jon Cook said: “AJ's return to fitness and form is terrific to see and this Friday will be like starting the season again after only one home meeting in over a month. The weather is also warming up and we're looking forward to getting back to winning ways over the forthcoming busy period.“We appreciate that so many home meetings after such a long break is not ideal and we hope this encourages our fans, who've been terrific despite our terrible form, to be able to attend both meetings.”In the Premier League, leaders Somerset host Workington, who bring in Matt Williamson to guest for the injured Nathan Greaves.Rebels boss Garry May said: “I know that the boys are all raring to get back in action at the Oaktree Arena, but I am sure that Workington will give us a good test.“They might currently be near the bottom of the league table, but with them having only ridden five matches, it is a bit of a false position, so we will not be taking anything for granted come Friday night.”Second-placed Edinburgh host Redcar at Armadale, with the Monarchs using rider-replacement again for Rob Branford, who hopes to return in the reverse fixture next Thursday. Steve Worrall guests for the unavailable Stuart Robson for the Bears.Meanwhile Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey expects a highly-charged meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway as the Scorpions host Glasgow.The Tigers give a debut to Scunthorpe’s all-time record points scorer David Howe, who suffered an injury at home earlier this year.Godfrey said: “It’s not ideal that David Howe makes his debut for Glasgow on Friday racing against us.  But the decision has been made and we move on. We’re not riding against just one man on Friday; we’re riding against a complete team.“The Glasgow side for tonight does look exceptionally strong, but we will be approaching the meeting with a view to win it. It’s going to be a complete humdinger of a meeting, I have no doubt about it, and we do need the crowd right behind us for this meeting.”Howe said: “I don't expect to get a warm reception, but I've got to go there and just focus on riding my bike and doing my job for Glasgow.“It wasn't that long ago I was an out-and-out No 1. I don't expect to be doing that now, especially now they have two No 1s, but if I can do 75 per cent of my best, that will hopefully be good enough for Glasgow, in the position of the team I'm in.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

BERWICK have signed 20-year-old Argentinean rider Fernando Garcia who will make his debut against Plymouth on Saturday.Garcia has been living in Berwick since early this month having travelled alone to the UK and secured equipment, transport and starting permission.Co-promoter Dennis McCleary said: “He has been riding 500cc speedway since 2011, and in 2012 was wild-carded into the final two rounds of the FIM World U21 Championship although at that time found the going heavy for a 17-year-old rookie against the international riders at the higher end of the score sheet.“Our match-night presenter Dick Barrie was at those U21 meetings in Argentina, and noted Fernando as 'one to watch', now finding - two-and-a-half years on - that he'll be introducing, as well as watching, him on Saturday night.”

(FIXTURES)

FRIDAY JUNE 19:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Leicester 7.30, Lakeside v King’s Lynn 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Redcar 7.30, Scunthorpe v Glasgow 7.30, Somerset v Workington 7.30

ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Plymouth 7pm, Rye House v Peterborough 7pm, Workington v Ipswich 7pm

SUNDAY JUNE 21:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Ipswich 3pm, Newcastle v Plymouth 6.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Stoke 3pm, Mildenhall v Cradley 3.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Eastbourne v Birmingham 3.30