(SPEEDWAY 1)
PETER Karlsson scored an 18-point maximum as Wolverhampton secured all three Elite League points from a 53-42 win over Lakeside.Veteran Swede Karlsson combined with fellow countryman Freddie Lindgren for a 5-1 in Heat 15 to finally end the Hammers' challenge inspired by reserve Stuart Robson.Wolves promoter Chris Van Straaten said: "Lakeside came here in a very determined mood and worked us hard but we were able to see them off and it was a very solid all-round team performance from the lads."Peter Karlsson was magnificent with his 18-point maximum and it was also a real achievement to get maximum points from Tai Woffinden's four programmed rides."
(SPEEDWAY 2)
STAND-IN Swindon captain Scott Nicholls believes the only way is up for the Robins after their hard-fought win over table-topping Eastbourne.It was Nicholls himself who made sure of maximum points by winning a breathtaking Heat 15 battle with Bjarne Pedersen, as Swindon took the meeting 51-41.Nicholls said: "It's been a tough time for the club in the early stages of the season but you only have to look at last season and the nightmare start Coventry made and yet ended up as champions."It's all about getting into the top four and having beaten Poole and now Eastbourne in successive home meetings we have to have belief that we can get into the play-offs. The team spirit is excellent."
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BELLE Vue stormed back to salvage a 50-42 Elite League win over Birmingham at Kirkmanshulme Lane - after looking down and out at the halfway stage.A fast-starting Brummies side defied their injury problems to lead 29-19 after eight races but the Aces took maximum points from three of the last five races to avoid an embarrassing defeat.Rory Schlein top scored for the home team with 12 (paid 14), and Swedish reserve Ricky Kling was involved in all three 5-1s after making major changes after a dismal start to the match.Kling said: "I'd wanted to drop out of the meeting after my first three races. It was so frustrating. I didn't know what to do so I tried something completely different by changing my sprockets and it worked."
(SPEEDWAY 4)
SCUNTHORPE'S Finnish star Tero Aarnio won the last two races to help his side to a narrow home win over reigning Premier League champions Edinburgh.The Monarchs led 40-38 after thirteen heats, but Aarnio and Thomas Jorgensen turned the match with a 5-1 in Heat 14, and Aarnio completed the victory after skipper David Howe had fallen in the last race.Scorpions boss Richard Hollingsworth said: "It was another nail-biter, that is for sure. There's been a few over recent weeks but apart from when it rained against Workington we've come good in the others. "Edinburgh have some outstanding heat leaders in Wölbert, Cook and Tully but we kept filling the minor places and thankfully beat their top three on enough occasions to claim victory."
(SPEEDWAY 5)
RYE House and Ipswich both have injury concerns after two bruising battles on Bank Holiday Monday in which the Rockets emerged with a larger haul of Premier League points.The Witches held on for a 49-47 win at Foxhall in the afternoon, Rye House taking one point despite the loss of Luke Bowen who crashed in Heat 2 and has suffered a broken L1 vertebra.In the evening, the Witches lost Danish rider Morten Risager with a serious hand injury when he fell whilst leading Heat 7, and the meeting was then abandoned after Rye House No.1 Jason Doyle crashed in Heat 13 and suffered a badly dislocated shoulder.With the home side 45-34 up at that stage, they took all three points from the meeting, but both sides are now awaiting further news on their injuries.
(FIXTURES)
TUESDAY MAY 3:NATIONAL LEAGUE: Dudley v Scunthorpe 7.30 BEST PAIRS: New Holmwood Cup, Isle of Wight 7.30
WEDNESDAY MAY 4:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Eastbourne 7.30, Poole v Lakeside 7.30
THURSDAY MAY 5:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v King's Lynn 7.30 STARS OF TOMORROW: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY MAY 6:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Wolverhampton 8pm, Lakeside v Poole 8pm PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Ipswich 7.30, Plymouth v Redcar 7.30, Somerset v Newport 7.30
