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LAKESIDE boss Jon Cook has admitted the travel disruption has been a major headache for his cosmopolitan side.The Hammers are hoping to be at full strength for tonight's trip to Coventry and the home meeting with Swindon on Friday.Said Cook: "We've got guys coming back to the UK by land, sea and air and we're confident they'll all be back with us. It's not ideal preparation for us, especially with an important clutch of meetings coming up."
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COVENTRY boss Alun Rossiter could only salute Poole after seeing his side demolished 63-29 at Wimborne Road on Wednesday.The Pirates are clear favourites to win the league title - and Rossiter believes they are the strongest team the Elite League has seen in recent times.But the Brandon chief also admitted he is far from happy with the attitude of certain riders within his own team.He said: "You have to give credit to an exceptional Poole side on their own territory, and I don't think I've seen a team like this for a long time."Having said that I expected to put up more of a fight and I'm disappointed."
SPEEDWAY 3)A SUPERB performance by James Wright, backed up by Dane Patrick Hougaard, couldn't stop depleted Belle Vue from losing 57-38 in an Elite League match at Swindon.Wright scored 13 and Hougaard 12 but the Aces were on a loser from the word go as their top two riders, Hans Andersen and Peter Karlsson, couldn't make the match because of the flight chaos.Team manager Chris Morton said: "There were some plusses to be taken from this match and, without a doubt, this was the best I've ever seen Wright perform. The guys raced well and it would have been a really good match if we'd had our top two riders."(SPEEDWAY 4)GLASGOW boss Stewart Dickson is hoping a hectic weekend of racing will set his side up for the launch of their Premier League campaign.The Tigers are unlikely to qualify for the Premier Trophy Semi-Finals but they have high hopes of a solid and successful league campaign.Said Dickson: "The purpose as far as I am concerned in these three matches is to get our confidence lifted again before we head to Birmingham for the opening league fixture."(FIXTURES)FRIDAY APRIL 23:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Swindon 8pm PREMIER LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Berwick 7.30 PREMIER TROPHY: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30, Somerset v Rye House 7.30 DEVON/DORSET TROPHY: Plymouth v Weymouth 7.30SATURDAY APRIL 24:PREMIER TROPHY: Berwick v Newcastle 7pm, Stoke v Scunthorpe 7.30, Workington v Glasgow 7pm NATIONAL LEAGUE: Newport v Isle of Wight 2.30, Rye House v Mildenhall 7pmCHALLENGE: Weymouth v Plymouth 7.15SUNDAY APRIL 25:PREMIER LEAGUE: Newport v Redcar 2.30PREMIER TROPHY: Glasgow v Edinburgh 4pm, Newcastle v Berwick 6.30 NATIONAL LEAGUE: Bournemouth v Scunthorpe 4pm, Buxton v Newport 3pm, Mildenhall v King's Lynn 5pmMONDAY APRIL 26:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Lakeside 7.30, Wolverhampton v Poole 7.30TUESDAY APRIL 27:NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 2nd leg: Dudley v Scunthorpe (at Wolverhampton) 7.30
