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RYE House star Luke Bowen is looking to make up for lost time after a lengthy injury lay-off last year.Bowen was ruled out for the second half of the season with a broken arm after crashing at Birmingham, but returned to the track at his club's official practice on Friday.He said: "It feels great to be back on a bike. I was a bit nervous yesterday at the first practice session, but once I'd had my first two rides I felt like I was getting back to normal."I was signed back to full fitness at the start of December, and I've been going to the gym since then, as well as doing some moto-crossing, but nothing's really the same as doing your speedway. I just want to get back to racing and get the first few meetings out of the way. Then I'll feel fully normal again."

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HACKNEY joint-boss Neil Vatcher is hoping the newly-formed Hawks will be able to make home advantage count as they look to challenge for the National League title.The joint venture between Rye House and Lakeside will see home matches shared between the Hoddesdon and Purfleet circuits, and Vatcher wants his team to maintain a strong record at both.He said: "We're having a couple of days' practice at Rye House, followed by another session at Lakeside in about ten days' time. If we can get the lads tuned into both circuits, and turn them into fortresses, it will be the ideal launch-pad to get us into the play-offs."With these boys also getting stronger as the season goes on, the end of the year could be a prime time for us."