(SPEEDWAY 1 - SATURDAY REVIEW)
LEICESTER ended Belle Vue’s winning run with a 52-40 victory over the Aces at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium on Saturday.Grzegorz Walasek top-scored for the Lions with 12+2, with Jason Doyle (11) and Szymon Wozniak (10) also in double figures, whilst Scott Nicholls picked up 11 for the visitors but No.1 Matej Zagar scored just one.Leicester boss Norrie Allan said: “We applied ourselves from the off and showed real commitment and enthusiasm throughout. “Belle Vue demonstrated what a good side they are by winning comfortably at Swindon on Thursday and I was concerned that in such form we would be hard pressed to hold them but the lads rose to the challenge and we were sharper over the first 30 metres which made all the difference.”Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “It’s exceptionally frustrating, particularly after Thursday, not to see that same powerful team turn up to the races and as a result we were ultimately sent home with our tail between our legs.“Our No.1, for whatever reason, didn't deliver for us and it’s not the first time it’s happened this year. We expected a lot more from our top man and I’m sure tonight he wouldn’t disagree with that.”In the Premier League, Berwick and Plymouth fought out an exciting 45-45 draw at Shielfield Park, giving the Devils their first away points of the season.Amercian star Ryan Fisher overhauled home guest Richie Worrall in Heat 15 to prevent the Bandits from snatching a narrow win, completing an impressive paid maximum for the visiting man.The meeting also saw an emotional return to the venue for Ricky Ashworth, the former Berwick rider visiting Shielfield Park for the first time since his serious crash at Scunthorpe in 2013 whilst in Bandits colours.Berwick boss John Anderson said: “It was such a big night for us in so many ways, but topping the night was meeting Ricky again at a place we feared he would never make the journey to again. It was magnificent to see him back.“After a real see-saw of a meeting where we never had the lead once, but drew level on no less than four times against a Plymouth side who really put the effort in and deserved their just reward, the draw produced some excellent racing and it was the fairest result on the night.”Elsewhere, Workington moved up to ninth place in the table with a 49-44 home win over Ipswich. Kenneth Hansen top-scored for the Comets with 12+3, whilst Danny King’s 16-point haul helped the Witches secure an away point.(SPEEDWAY 2 - SUNDAY PREVIEW)
GLASGOW can move into the Premier League’s top three with a win over Ipswich at Ashfield on Sunday.The Tigers give a home debut to recent signing David Howe, who will ride at No. 4 - and Howe admits his enthusiasm for the sport was rekindled when he watched the club’s recent televised clash with Sheffield.Howe said: “If I'm truthful, I possibly lost a little bit of interest this year - I didn't seem to have the hunger or the keenness. When I stopped riding, I didn't really miss it.“But funnily enough, the turning point was when I watched the Glasgow Sky match. I was sitting there with my wife and I went, 'I actually enjoyed that. I can still do this.'”Elsewhere in the Premier League, Newcastle host Plymouth at Brough Park with the sides currently tenth and eleventh in the table.In the City Gearboxes National League, Cradley are looking to go back to the top of the table in their away match at Mildenhall.The Heathens will return to the summit if they bring any points back from West Row, but will be using rider-replacement for the injured Nathan Greaves.Boss Will Pottinger said: “It's going to be tough for us without Nathan but hopefully the boys have got what it takes to cover his points.“We've got a decent record against Mildenhall over the past couple of seasons and we're looking for another positive result on Sunday.”Meanwhile Buxton race their first home match for a month as they take on near-neighbours Stoke, with the teams both on six points after the Potters won their last two meetings.Home boss Jason Pipe is keen to see a fast start to the meeting from the Hitmen to ensure they are not playing catch-up as has been the case in previous matches on their home circuit.He said: “In our first two home meetings this season we have been losing after the first four heats. This is just not good enough and it has to change quickly. We are making it hard for ourselves. “Also, in our first home meeting against Coventry, we took the chequered flag only four times and against Mildenhall it was only slightly better on six occasions. We need to be winning more races. Our riders seriously need to look at their gating and need to focus more on their starts.”Stoke boss Malcolm Vasey said: “The team is full of confidence after back to back victories over Mildenhall and Kent, and we will be looking for more of the same against Buxton on Sunday. “Buxton have strengthened since we met them at Loomer Road and look a very good side and we will not be underestimating them, but we are going there looking for a win as we do in every match, and we will be very disappointed if we don’t at least get something from the meeting.”In the Knockout Cup, Eastbourne are hoping to have Bradley Wilson-Dean fit to face Birmingham after he suffered internal injuries and bleeding in a crash at Coventry last Sunday.The Brummies take a narrow five-point lead into the meeting and recall Harvie Banks at reserve with Robert Parker suffering concussion on Wednesday.Eagles boss Glenn Martin said: “We have to pick ourselves after what was a pretty disappointing Fours final. Birmingham beat us in the group stage and went on to win the final so we are under no illusions of the challenge we face.“Our strength in depth should pull us through. However, as always, we must try and seek to minimise mechanical problems and avoid throwing points away unnecessarily.”Brummies boss Graham Drury said: “We're going there with confidence because of the winning streak we've been on, but it's going to need one whole team effort if we want to progress in this cup. “I really hope we can give another good account of ourselves and hopefully get the aggregate win.”
(FIXTURES)
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
MONDAY JUNE 22:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry 7.30, Lakeside v Wolverhampton 7.30
WEDNESDAY JUNE 24:PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Glasgow 7.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Birmingham 7.30
