(SPEEDWAY 1)
SWINDON co-promoter Gary Patchett says the club are still doing all they can to bring in a new signing.The Robins have gone into the campaign without talented Polish rider Grzegorz Zengota due to a broken leg sustained pre-season, and they started their Blunsdon racing with a 46-46 challenge match draw against Lakeside on Thursday.Patchett said: "We have to take the positives from this, we were up and down but we have shown some encouraging signs and there was some good racing."And we have been working hard at making a new signing, but for one reason or another it's not been possible. We have talked to several riders and the question of availability is the major factor, but we are still working on it."
(SPEEDWAY 2)
SOMERSET reserve Dakota North scored a stunning seven-ride paid-21 maximum as the Rebels confounded expectations with a 51-42 win at Ipswich.The Witches are the hot Premier League title favourites but dropped to a home defeat with North outstanding and fellow Australian Sam Masters dropping just one point.Rebels boss Steve Bishop said: "The boys were really up for this meeting and carried the form they showed at Newport last weekend into this match with them. Dakota was just superb tonight, his ride in Heat 6 to hold off Kevin Doolan showed maturity beyond his years."We must, however, remain focused on that fact that Ipswich now come to Somerset tonight night (Friday) and they will be out for revenge, so we've had our moment of celebration, but tomorrow we will need to put our thoughts of our win to one side."
(SPEEDWAY 3)
FORMER Redcar man Ben Wilson shone on his return to South Tees as his new club Scunthorpe collected a useful away Premier League point.The Scorpions showed a significant improvement on their previous matches on the road as they held the home side to a 48-45 win, with Wilson unbeaten in five of his six rides.Team boss Richard Hollingsworth said: "It makes it all worth while when you claim a league point away from home. This was a much better display and credit to all six riders who made it happen."If I could have predicted Viktor's (Bergstrom) great gate in Heat 14 then I would have maybe given him his seventh ride but he'd had two last places prior to that. Hopefully we can take that encouraging display into tonight's (Friday) meeting against Rye House."
(SPEEDWAY 4)
BERWICK director John Anderson has given his full backing to all of his riders as they prepare for Saturday's home clash with Premier League champions Edinburgh.Anderson was pleased to put a win on the board against Redcar last weekend and says there are no plans to change the team in the long or short-term.He said: "There are some people who apparently disagree with our choice of our seven riders this year. That is their privilege, although I would hope to have their support for any rider we hand a black-and-gold race-jacket."In the case of locally-based rookie Tamas Sike, we have every faith in his ability to develop over this first season into a rider who will become a solid scorer for years to come. Each time he has raced this year he has shown an improvement, he's here to stay."
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY APRIL 8:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Belle Vue 8pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Redcar 7.30, Scunthorpe v Rye House 7.30, Somerset v Ipswich 7.30
CHALLENGE: Plymouth v Team Viking OFF
SATURDAY APRIL 9:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Birmingham 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Edinburgh 7pm, Newport v Ipswich 7pm, Workington v Sheffield 7pm
CHALLENGE: Coventry v Peterborough 7.30, Rye House v USA Touring Team 7pm, Stoke v Dudley 7.30
SUNDAY APRIL 10:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Leicester v Scunthorpe 7pm, Newcastle v Rye House 5.30
CHALLENGE: USA Touring Team v Team Viking (at Newcastle) (follows PL fixture)
MONDAY APRIL 11:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Eastbourne 7.30, King's Lynn v Lakeside 7.30, Wolverhampton v Swindon 7.30
TUESDAY APRIL 12:
CHALLENGE: Dudley v USA Touring Team 7.30
