(SPEEDWAY 1)
SWINDON gained ground on Elite League leaders Poole with a hefty 60-33 home win over Wolverhampton in their first home meeting for more than a month.Troy Batchelor (14), Peter Kildemand (11+3), Hans Andersen (11) and Jason Doyle (10+1) were all in double figures for Alun Rossiter’s side, with Freddie Lindgren (13) supplying the main Wolves resistance.Batchelor said: “Things are getting a lot better now, every meeting I feel like it’s coming back. It’s nice to get that feeling where the bike is doing what you want it to and you are winning races again.”Elsewhere, Peterborough got the better of Coventry 49-41 at the Showground with Michael Jepsen Jensen snatching third place from Chris Harris in the closing stages of Heat 15 to ensure all three points for the Panthers.Both sides were reduced to five riders during the meeting with Panthers’ Olly Allen and Bees’ Kenni Larsen crashing out, with the home side’s scorechart headed by a back-to-form Kenneth Bjerre with 14.(SPEEDWAY 2)
WOLVERHAMPTON have released Polish youngster Lukasz Sowka with immediate effect - and are set to make a new signing in time for Monday’s vital Elite League clash with neighbours Birmingham at Monmore.Sowka once again failed to score in last night’s thumping defeat at the hands of Swindon and was told of the club’s decision after the meeting.Promoter Chris Van Straaten said: “We have been very loyal and supportive to Lukasz and we know there is a rider there because of the way he scores points and beats top opponents in his home country.“I sincerely hope this is not the last we see of him in Wolverhampton colours but as a club we believe this is the right thing to do at this stage of the season.”(SPEEDWAY 3)
SHEFFIELD co-boss David Hoggart was in jubilant mood after seeing his side run up a 58-32 KO Cup win over Newcastle at Owlerton.The home side reeled off eleven heat advantages, led by the in-form Ricky Wells with a 13-point total, to give themselves the upper hand in the tie ahead of Sunday’s second leg.Hoggart said: “We always knew that we had great promise in the side once we all clicked together and tonight every single rider rode brilliantly. Chris Schramm was unlucky with two retirements but still got five from his two other rides, which shows his progress.“We have talked the team up since day one and tonight I think they showed why, we always knew that was there. We have given ourselves a great chance of progressing in the Cup now.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
GLASGOW manager Stewart Dickson is expecting a titanic derby KO Cup clash against Edinburgh this weekend – as the sides meet in the competition for the first time since the 1994 Final.Dickson is looking for his team to improve on their recent form at Edinburgh in Friday’s first leg to enable them to stay in the hunt ahead of the return on Sunday.Dickson said: “Earlier on in the season we went down to a heavy defeat at Armadale and a similar performance would just about end this tie, but undoubtedly circumstances should conspire to make this closer. “We are a stronger side now and they have not ridden at home in weeks. That should mean this tie is in the balance come Sunday.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
RYE House have signed Richard Franklin to join their National League team from this Saturday’s fixture against Buxton.Franklin lines up for the Raiders as a replacement for Nick Lee, who is taking time out of the sport for personal reasons.Manager John Sampford said: “It should have a knock-on effect in several areas. With a handy 4.84 average, Richard will help bolster the middle order, but he’ll also enable Luke Chessell to drop to reserve. “That in turn should bolster those positions, which have been a bit of a weak spot for us.”(FIXTURES)
SATURDAY JUNE 30:PREMIER LEAGUE: Leicester v Sheffield 7.30, Workington v Newcastle 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 2nd leg: Berwick v Ipswich 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Rye House v Buxton 7pm, Stoke v Scunthorpe 7.30
SUNDAY JULY 1:PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 2nd leg: Glasgow v Edinburgh 4pm, Newcastle v Sheffield 6.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v King’s Lynn 3pm
MONDAY JULY 2:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry 7.30, Wolverhampton v Birmingham 7.30
