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SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter admitted an element of relief after seeing his side held to a home draw by Kings Lynn on Thursday.It was the first time the Robins had failed to win at home this season but they came back from six points down to take the lead after Heat 14, with the visiting duo snatching a 4-2 in the last race for the 45-45 outcome.Rossiter said: We had a lot of problems with bikes and so on tonight, and in the end Im quite pleased to get a draw because at one stage I couldnt see us getting that.Credit to Kings Lynn, we knew it was going to be ultra-tough because of the way (Niels-Kristian) Iversen is going, and with Mads (Korneliussen) and Magic (Janowski) back here, so chuck in Daniel Nermark going well and they gave us problems. At least we didnt lose the match.
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PETERBOROUGH edged to a narrow home victory over Wolverhamptonwith their recent Polish signings very much to the fore.Krzystzof Buczkowski and Norbert Kosciuch both scored double-figures as the Panthers overturned an early six-point deficit, going in front with a Heat 13 5-1 from Buczkowski and captain Kenneth Bjerre, with the final two races shared for a 46-44 result which also gave Wolves a league point.Bjerre said: I am happy that we won the meeting. After the way we started it was pretty tough, so at least we got the win."We would have liked to get all three points, and it would have helped our play-off chances if we got all the points, but in the end the main thing is we won.
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LAKESIDE co-promoter Jon Cook says Wolverhamptons top two riders will offer plenty of threat to his side when the teams meet at Purfleet on Friday.The Hammers give a 2012 home debut to Jonas Davidsson and will have Kauko Nieminen at reserve, but Cook expects a big challenge from Freddie Lindgren and Tai Woffinden.He said: In Lindgren and Woffinden Wolverhampton have probably the toughest top two pairing at our Raceway other than Pooles Holder and Ward and with Wolves having a track similar to ours this meeting looks like one that will go down to the wire.Elsewhere in the Elite League, second-placed Swindon travel to Coventry who hand debuts to recent signings Josef Franc and Mathias Thornblom.(SPEEDWAY 4)
BERWICK have signed former Newport and Swindon rider Robin Aspegren as a replacement for the injured Alex Edberg.The other effect of Aspegrens arrival is that Lubos Tomicek has been released to keep the Bandits within the points limit, with local youngster and club asset Liam Carr set to come in at reserve.Manager Ian Rae said: Robin had been racing with Swindon in the Elite League this year until a clash of dates (he also races at home for Griparna) forced a recent parting of the ways.We remember Robin from his racing at Newport over the past two seasons where he achieved his current average of 5.73, a figure that will replace Alex very nicely indeed. Lubos has done everything we have asked him to do, and he most certainly departs with our grateful thanks and good wishes.
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GLASGOW have recruited Henning Bager following his release from Elite League Coventry - having been the very first signing of the current promotion back in 2000!Bager returns to the Tigers as a replacement for Chris Mills, and will make his first appearance in the big Scottish derby against Edinburgh on Sunday.Co-promoter Stewart Dickson said: I could sense that Chris was struggling with confidence and the bottom line is we cannot really afford to lose any more home fixtures so we were forced to look at altering things in the team. When Henning became available we decided that he could do the job we require, which is mainly to score to his average home and away. If he can do that then I think we will be a better side for it. In signing him on a 5.76 average it still gives us a little leeway for other areas of the side if we need it, but being honest I think we are a little stronger now.
(SPEEDWAY 6)SOMERSET overcame the absence of injured duo Claus Vissing and Sam Masters to notch a crucial away win at Redcar.The Rebels made a wise choice of guest in Craig Cook, who scored paid-17 and teamed up with Jason Doyle for a last heat 5-1 to give the visitors a 47-43 victory.Manager Steve Bishop said: Both Doyley and Craig were tremendous. Jason has been banging in big scores all season and he put in another dominant performance - and as for Craig, his paid-17 speaks for itself. You couldnt have asked for any more from a guest rider. Whilst the two of them dominated the score-chart, there were valuable contributions from everyone else in the team - they could have so easily let their heads drop following the injuries sustained by Claus and Sam earlier this week, but instead they pulled together as a team, which was just as pleasing as the actual result itself. I believe we were fully deserving of our victory.
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FRIDAY JULY 20:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Swindon 8pm, Lakeside v Wolverhampton 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Workington 7.30, Plymouth v Rye House 7.30, Scunthorpe v Glasgow 7.30, Somerset v Newcastle 7.30
SATURDAY JULY 21:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Birmingham 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7pm, Leicester v Ipswich 7.30, Rye House v Glasgow 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Buxton 7pm, Stoke v Dudley 7.30
SUNDAY JULY 22:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Edinburgh 4pm, Newcastle v Berwick 6.30,PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Workington v Leicester 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: Mildenhall 4.30
