(SPEEDWAY 1 - WEDNESDAY REVIEW)

POOLE hit back from their defeat at Wolverhampton earlier in the week by romping to a 60-33 win in Wednesday’s return Elite League fixture at Wimborne Road.The result moves the Pirates to within three points of leaders Coventry, with both teams having eight matches remaining of the regular campaign.The home side recorded all but two of the race wins and had two paid-maximum men in Dakota North (14+1) and skipper Maciej Janowski (10+2) whilst Jacob Thorssell scored 11 for Wolves, whose run of heavy away defeats continued.Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “That was more like the Pirates we know. The lads knew they had to put in some big performances tonight and they sure did that. “It does however illustrate just what a big opportunity we missed with that defeat on Monday, for we could, and should, have been sharing top spot in the league tonight. It means we can ill-afford any further slip-ups but the guys proved they were up to it by picking themselves up from that huge disappointment earlier in the week.”Wolves skipper Peter Karlsson said: “We are not good enough to take points away from home at the moment, that’s the bottom line.“It was always going to be tough after only beating them by one point at home on Monday, and they were in control for the whole meeting really. It’s not very enjoyable when you are losing from the start and never really have a chance.”Meanwhile Belle Vue chief Chris Morton expressed his disappointment after the Aces narrowly missed out on taking a league point at King’s Lynn.The Stars maintained their unbeaten home record with a 49-41 win, but the visitors looked set to boost their play-off push until home No.1 Niels-Kristian Iversen overtook Craig Cook on the last lap of Heat 15 with Vaclav Milik holding off Matej Zagar for third place, which left the Aces point-less from the meeting.Morton said: “Frustrating, I think, is the best way to put it. We gave it everything we had and the boys really put up a terrific fight, one which we thought would almost certainly get us a point“That’s something that has made this defeat all the more annoying for us. In those first few heats we knew we had them concerned but for some reason we struggled to get a grip on the meeting.”In the City Gearboxes National League, Cradley consolidated second place in the table with an emphatic 61-31 home win over Buxton, with captain Max Clegg scoring a 15-point maximum.Reserve Ellis Perks also reeled off five wins after falling in his first ride, whilst Ryan Blacklock collected two race wins for the Hitmen on his way to a 12-point score.Cradley boss Will Pottinger said: “It's great to break that 60-point barrier; we've come close a couple of times this season and we were really glad to finally do so tonight.“Our gating wasn't at its best but that made for some really good, entertaining racing. There were plenty of encouraging signs for all six of our riders and it's another confidence boosting night for us as a team.”Buxton manager Jason Pipe said: “Cradley are so good around here, they have their bikes so well set up for Perry Barr and they are so hard to beat. “We had a little bad luck in Heat 15 when Liam (Carr) was excluded but we had too many riders not quite there tonight whether it be set-ups or recovering from knocks.”

(SPEEDWAY 2 - THURSDAY PREVIEW)

TWO of the Premier League’s play-off contenders meet at Foxhall on Thursday as sixth-placed Ipswich take on Glasgow, who are two places and eight points higher.The visitors would, in fact, move into second spot with an away win whilst the Witches will seek to consolidate their position, with impressive away form ensuring they are nine points clear of their nearest challengers for a top six finish. The home side are at full strength whilst Rafal Konopka and ex-Witch Adam Ellis guest at reserve for the Tigers, who are boosted by the return from injury of Nick Morris at No.1.Morris said: “I'm just happy to be riding again. I've been quite lucky with it - I've only been out for a couple of weeks - but I'm looking forward to riding and hopefully I'll do well.“I've been off the bike for a bit now so I'm keen to start again. I've been so busy this year so it's been good to have a couple of weeks off - but I've missed more meetings than I wanted to already and it's a busy month, so it's good to be back.”In the Travel Plus Tours KO Cup, Redcar host Edinburgh in what has become a first-leg quarter final tie after the initial clash at Armadale was abandoned after five races last week.The Bears defeated the Monarchs 47-43 the last time they met at the Media Prime Arena, and Bears boss Jitendra Duffill is seeking a bigger win on this occasion. Robert Branford returns from injury for the visitors with Richie Worrall guesting for the injured Sam Masters.Duffill said: “We all believe that we can beat Edinburgh especially after defeating them once already a few weeks ago. “It will be another very close meeting but we will need to take a decent lead with us to Armadale if we are to progress to the next round. Edinburgh are very good around on their own patch though we did keep them honest last Friday before the meeting was abandoned.”Meanwhile Sheffield hand a debut to new signing Paco Castagna in a challenge match at Owlerton, with a select Tigers team taking on a Cradley Select, with £10 admission for adults.Sheffield co-promoter Peter Mole said: “To a degree there will be torn loyalties for me this evening. The club I supported throughout my childhood years and grew up with, racing against the club I now co-own and have followed since marrying into a Sheffield family many years ago!“It has to be Sheffield all the way though, and one thing is for sure, I know we’ll have a great evening of entertaining speedway and great racing.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

STOKE skipper Jon Armstrong will continue racing for the club after friends and supporters assisted with mechanical issues.Armstrong looked set to call time on his career after his latest engine blow-up during last Saturday’s home match against Eastbourne.Potters boss Malcolm Vasey said: “I’m so pleased that things have turned out right for Jon as he is an integral part of our team and we don’t want to lose such an influential rider and captain. Jon was distraught on Saturday and was truly in bits and I’ve never seen him so down.  “We really cannot thank everyone enough for rallying around since the announcement on Saturday night and we are extremely pleased to have Jon back in the side for the meeting against Kent (this Saturday) which is one we must win for the fans.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

BUXTON have named David Speight as a new signing at reserve.The Hitmen have been seeking a replacement for injury victim Paul Bowen, and Speight comes in for Friday’s KO Cup trip to King’s Lynn with boss Jason Pipe stating he has three matches to prove himself.Pipe said: “David turned up to practice last week and we thought nothing of it. But then Dale Lamb told me last Sunday that he didn't want to ride NL anymore. I spent two days in the early part of this week trying to see which 3.00 point rider I could bring to the club. “There were one or two riders who ticked all the boxes, but unfortunately they are currently injured or not available for a few weeks and there are riders out there that we could have brought in, but they just aren't ready yet for NL racing. I must stress though, that it is still our aim and to continue trying to bring young riders to this club as our own assets.” 

(FIXTURES)

THURSDAY JULY 23:PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Glasgow 7.30TRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Redcar v Edinburgh 7.30CHALLENGE: Sheffield Select v Cradley Select 7.30

FRIDAY JULY 24:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Rye House 7.30, Scunthorpe v Plymouth 7.30, Somerset v Ipswich 7.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 7.30, King’s Lynn v Cradley 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: King’s Lynn v Buxton (follows previous fixture)

SATURDAY JULY 25:PREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Edinburgh 7.15, Workington v Peterborough 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Berwick v Rye House 7pmCITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Rye House v Birmingham 7pm, Stoke v Kent 7pm

SUNDAY JULY 26:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Peterborough 3pm, Newcastle v Rye House 6.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Eastbourne 3pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 4: Rye House 5pm