NB. PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF FIXTURE AT NEWPORT ON FRIDAY - AND CONFIRMATION OFSHEFFIELD FIXTURE ON THURSDAY.SPEEDWAY News story 1NEWCASTLE have booked their place in the Premier League play-off Final aftervictory over Birmingham in a thriller at Brough Park.
The Diamonds secured a last-heat 5-1 from Kenni Larsen and Mark Lemon toovercome the Brummies by just two points on aggregate, to set up a clashwith Sheffield in the Final.
Larsen then scored a 15-point maximum in the second meeting of the day asNewcastle established a 23-point advantage over Birmingham in the first legof their Knockout Cup semi-final.
Diamonds boss George English said: "The team pulled well together once theygot to grips with the night and did exactly what was needed in each match,with them just managing to win by sufficient in the play-off.
"They then put in a decent sized win in the Cup to take to Birmingham onWednesday, the day before we're now at Sheffield in the Play-Off Final.We'll be doing our best again, as we've done all season and here's hoping wecan sneak more success." SPEEDWAY News story 2RYE House will face Newport in the semi-finals of the Young Shield aftergetting the better of King's Lynn in a last-heat decider at Hoddesdon.Skipper Chris Neath scored a paid maximum for the Rockets, and his Heat 155-1 with Linus Sundstrom made sure of their progression, with the Stars justtwo points adrift going into that race.
But the win did come at a cost with reserve Kyle Hughes crashing in hissixth ride and suffering a suspected broken collarbone.Neath said: "People wrote us off completely pre-season, but we are fifth inthe League table. We may not have been quite as dominant at home as inrecent years, but all teams have to accept that's going to happen at somepoint. "The boys have knuckled down and got their heads into gear now, and we'reready for one more push."
FIXTURES this week
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 13:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Poole v Peterborough 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE:King's Lynn v Newport 7.30 PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Birmingham vNewcastle 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 14:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF FINAL 1st leg: Sheffield v Newcastle 7.45CHALLENGE: Ipswich v USA Touring Team 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 15:YOUNG SHIELD S/F 1st leg: Newport v Rye House 7.30 KINGS OF THE MIDLANDS:Coventry v Wolverhampton 7.30CHALLENGE: Young Hammers v USA Touring Team (at Lakeside) 6.30 LONDON RIDERSCHAMPIONSHIP: Lakeside 8pm KENNY SMITH MEMORIAL TROPHY: Scunthorpe 7.30WESTERNAPOLIS: Plymouth 7.30
