(SPEEDWAY 1)POOLE have taken over at the top of the Elite League table after a 54-40 win over previous leaders Eastbourne.The Pirates got the better of their south coast rivals at Wimborne Road with Australian duo Davey Watt and Darcy Ward both dropping just one point to an opponent.Ward was involved in a thrilling Heat 11 battle when he got the better of former Poole star Bjarne Pedersen, with the Dane going for double-points.Ward said: “I make life difficult for myself by not making the starts. I have not been gating well and have had to take some chances. If I was making the starts then it would be far easier.”(SPEEDWAY 2)SCUNTHORPE pulled four points clear at the top of the National League after an emphatic 58-34 win at King’s Lynn.The Saints had five riders in double-figures as they racked up twelve heat wins and six maximum 5-1 advantages at the Norfolk Arena.Manager Stuart Parnaby said: “We are a development side so it’s taken us over a season to reach this level. It hasn’t come overnight but we are reaping the rewards from blooding the youngsters. “We were so close to winning away at Wolverhampton (against Dudley) and now we’ve managed it. Hopefully it is the sign of things to come and we can win a few more before the season ends.”(SPEEDWAY 3)SHEFFIELD skipper Ricky Ashworth has joined team-mate Josh Auty on the sidelines as he is still feeling the effects of last week’s crash at Scunthorpe.Ashworth has been ruled out of this week’s two fixtures for the Tigers but is desperate to recover in time for next week with his schedule including the club’s defence of the Premier League Pairs on June 24.He said: “The shoulder has made good progress and feels okay but my hand and wrist have no strength at all."I just couldn't cope with the vibrations of a speedway bike at the moment. I'm hoping to be okay for next week's meetings.”(SPEEDWAY 4)WORLD title contender Greg Hancock will compete in Steve Johnston’s Farewell meeting at Swindon next Thursday.Hancock, champion back in 1997 and just a point off top spot this season, joins the likes of Jason Crump, Fredrik Lindgren, Scott Nicholls and Chris Holder in the meeting just two days before the British Grand Prix.Johnston said: “I never really put any pressure on Greg and I’d have understood completely if he had said it was too close to Cardiff. It’s great that he is doing the meeting.“Greg was always is Mr Nice Guy, it just unbelievable how he gets along with everybody. He never forgets anyone and I am just over the moon to see him doing so well at the moment.(FIXTURES)

THURSDAY JUNE 16:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP 1st leg: Swindon v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Edinburgh 7.30, Sheffield v Newcastle 7.45PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP REPLAY 1st leg: Ipswich v Scunthorpe 7.30FRIDAY JUNE 17:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v King’s Lynn OFFPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Sheffield 7.30, Plymouth v Newcastle 7.30, Somerset v Workington 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP REPLAY 2nd leg: Scunthorpe v Ipswich 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Hackney v Isle of Wight (at Lakeside) 8pmSATURDAY JUNE 18:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP 1st leg: Eastbourne v Wolverhampton 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Ipswich 7pm, Leicester v Glasgow 7.30, Rye House v Redcar 7pm, Workington v Plymouth 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: Newport 7pmSUNDAY JUNE 19:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Ipswich 4pm, Newcastle v Plymouth 6.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Belle Vue 3pm