(SPEEDWAY 1)
POOLE promoter Matt Ford praised Chris Holder for a stunning Heat 15 effort in the first leg of the Knockout Cup Final at Eastbourne.A late surge by the home side looked set to secure them a double-figure advantage to take to Wimborne Road on Wednesday - but Holder superbly passed home star Matej Zagar to leave the Pirates' deficit at eight points. Ford said: "We had our backs to the wall going into that final heat and whenwe lost the toss for gate positions you couldn't help think that they could easily have been bringing a 10-plus lead with them, and we know from experience how difficult it is to eat into such a large advantage. "But that pass by Chris was something special, and I think that shows his pedigree that he can produce that sort of move when the pressure is really on, and in doing so he has definitely helped the cause."
SPEEDWAY 2)
NEWCASTLE came within one race of upsetting Elite League Ipswich in thefirst leg of the promotion/relegation race-off.The Diamonds, who won the Premier League play-offs, led throughout the meeting and were eight points up after Heat 9 inspired by Danish duo KenniLarsen - who broke the track record - and Rene Bach.Ipswich rallied late-on and took the lead for the first time with a 5-1 inthe last race from Scott Nicholls and Daniel King for a 46-44 victory.Both sides have injury concerns ahead of the second leg with Diamonds skipper Derek Sneddon joining their growing casualty list, whilst ChrisSlabon and Robert Miskowiak both crashed out for the Witches.Newcastle boss George English said: "We may not have won but we did ourselves and the Premier League proud by only going down by two points and all credit to the lads - we know that the return on Thursday is going to bevery hard, but we'll be going for it!"
SPEEDWAY 3)
RYE House will take a twenty-point lead to Workington on Saturday as they look to end the Comets' stranglehold on the Young Shield.The Comets appeared to be doing a good containing job in the first leg of the Final at Hoddesdon only for the Rockets to fire in 5-1s in the last three races for a 55-35 win.Skipper Chris Neath surged to his fourth successive home maximum, whilst Linus Sundstrom was also unbeaten by a Workington rider and Jordan Frampton dropped just one point.Rockets boss John Sampford said: "We were desperate to build a good lead totake up to Cumbria this Saturday. Having lost by 30 points the last time we were there in the League, we knew we needed a healthy advantage and we finally got it, but only after a real fight."
(FIXTURES) WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 27:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Poole v Eastbourne 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL: King's Lynn v Buxton 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Buxton (follows previous fixture)
THURSDAY OCTOBER 28:PROMOTION/RELEGATION RACE OFF 2nd leg: Ipswich v Newcastle 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 29:PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Newport v Buxton 7.30
SATURDAY OCTOBER 30:YOUNG SHIELD FINAL 2nd leg: Workington v Rye House 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS' CHAMPIONSHIP: Rye House 7pm
SUNDAY OCTOBER 31:PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Newcastle v Edinburgh 6.30NATIONAL LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Buxton v Newport 3pm
