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THE Premier Leagues top riders are all set to do battle at Sheffield on Sunday, September 23.All thirteen clubs will be represented in the PLRC, which is well-established as one of the major highlights on the domestic calendarand a wide-open contest is predicted.SpeedwayGB Events Co-ordinator David Hoggart said: Looking at the list of averages for September, its clear that once again this meeting is going to have a very strong field, and its going to be very hard to find an out-and-out favourite.The top rider from each club will be taking part, and Im sure there will be plenty of interest too in who takes the remaining three places in such a competitive meeting.Lasse Bjerre, for example, is No.2 to Kauko Nieminen at Leicester but the form he has shown at Sheffield this season would certainly make him a contender in his own right should he be involved.We can see that Josh Auty has just taken over as Scunthorpes No.1, and I know this has always been a meeting he has been desperate to be involved in. He rode in 2010 but just missed out on qualification last year when he was going well, and Im sure hell be keen to make an impression.Ricky Ashworth was in attendance for Berwicks recent win at Sheffield to take a look at things, and as a former winner hes really keen to be back from injury in time for the meeting.Wherever you look there are strong riders: Richard Lawson rides Sheffield really well and Ben Barker is on a great run of form at the moment, plus Sheffields own Josef Franc is just back from injury and is capable of beating anyone on his day.Joe Screen is Glasgows No.1 rider and with the tough time theyre unfortunately having up there at the moment Im sure their fans will turn out in force to support Joe and the club.Sheffield also offer extensive restaurant and corporate facilities, and supporters interested in booking for the PLRC should contact the club. Full details are available at www.sheffieldspeedway.co .*THE start-time for the Elite League Riders Championship at Swindon has been moved back by an hour to 6pm.The decision was taken due to Swindon Town FCs League One clash with Scunthorpe on the same afternoon, which will now allow supporters to attend both events.Hoggart said: We felt this was a sensible move not to be clashing with the football, and also starting an hour later will probably lessen the traffic congestion as well.
SPEEDWAYGB EVENTS SERIES:BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: JOE HAINESPREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: BERWICKBRITISH FINAL: SCOTT NICHOLLSPREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: WORKINGTONPREMIER LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield, Sunday September 23ELITE LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Swindon, Saturday October 20
NATIONAL LEAGUE MAJOR EVENT DATES:NATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: MILDENHALLNATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: MILDENHALLNATIONAL LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Rye House, Saturday September 29
BRITISH SPEEDWAY FIM EVENT DATES:WORLD UNDER-21 TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL: AUSTRALIAGRAND PRIX QUALIFIER: CHRIS HARRISWORLD UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP Round 3: MICHAEL JEPSEN JENSEN
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST
BELLE VUE boss Jason Attwood said team spirit had been a major factor in the Aces 55-36 home win over Eastbourne as they bid to restore some pride from a troubled season.Attwood said: We all had a chat before the meeting and Saturday's humiliation at Arlington really hurt the riders. They are all professionals and Rory did a captain's role in the dressing room to set the marker down.I had a nice headache by Heat 15 for once! But I always had Artur (Mroczka) in mind because he won the hardest race of the night in Heat 13. And Mark (Lemon) looked refreshed and probably the best I've seen him ride around here, so they both deserved their place.BIRMINGHAM boss Phil Morris knows the importance of the Brummies back-to-back clashes with fellow play-off hopefuls Kings Lynn this week.Morris said: The point we dropped at home to Wolverhampton last week just puts a bit more pressure on the boys. Hopefully we can make up for it with a good return against Kings Lynn. We need four points from the two meetings, I would happily take a point at Kings Lynn if I was sure we would claim maximum points from the home meeting on Thursday. But Kings Lynn are a powerful team and they are so hard to beat around their own track. COVENTRY boss Blayne Scroggins was frustrated by his side being on the receiving end of another comeback, this time being held to a draw at home to Wolverhampton last Friday.Scroggins said: It was nip-and-tuck all the way but I just thought we were going to get at least two (points) in that Heat 15 to get the win, but it wasnt to be and its a disappointment.To be fair to Wolves, they deserved what they got in the end. They kept battling away and theyve got a strong top two with one or two others who can chip in, so there are no complaints from us there.EASTBOURNE boss Trevor Geer admits the Eagles 36-55 defeat at Belle Vue on Monday was a major setback to their play-off aspirationsand knows they need to respond quickly.Geer said: The result in Manchester was a big disappointment. We had certainly hoped for more following our comprehensive win over the Aces at Arlington on Saturday. Now we must regroup for what is a vital south coast derby (at Poole, Wednesday).Poole, of course, are desperate to win as they are in a huge battle with Swindon to decide who will finish top of the league but we must focus on our own efforts and try and cause a bit of an upset.KINGS LYNN boss Rob Lyon says results elsewhere have thrown the Stars a play-off lifeline as they head into crucial home and away matches against Birmingham this week.Lyon said: Last weeks result against Swindon was extremely disappointing but we now have a chance to make up for it and I will be trying to get the team to come together and grab this opportunity with both hands.We will have a task on our hands though as Birmingham themselves are also in a position to make a late charge for the play offs and will be just as determined. Maybe it will go right down to the wire.LAKESIDE co-promoter Jon Cook admitted there had been several disappointments in the Hammers home defeat by Poole last Friday.Cook said: Whilst I will happily shoulder the blame for us not having a new rider in place for the meeting we still should have won.We have to have serious concerns about going forward into next season with riders I previously would have thought would be Hammers for years to come. Hopefully we will see an instant response in the meetings still to come.PETERBOROUGH co-boss Jan Staechmann says returning club legend Ryan Sullivan fits the bill perfectly as a replacement for injured skipper Kenneth Bjerre.Staechmann said: Guests and rider-replacement is too risky in the long run, especially if we pick up further injuries like we had done for the Coventry match, so signing a number 1 was priority. Ryan fits the criteria perfectly. He is immensely popular with our supporters and will fit in nicely with the rest of the team. He is having a very good season and it's terrific that he can fit in a busy Elite League schedule in his calendar at this stage.POOLE promoter Matt Ford has stressed the importance of finishing top of the Elite League table and gaining first pick in the play-off semi-finals.The Pirates gained home and away wins over Lakeside last week and Ford believes they may also need to win their remaining away fixture at Birmingham to fend off rivals Swindon.He said: Top spot in the league is important to us. It will give us the choice of opponents for the play-offs but I don't think just winning our remaining home meetings alone will be enough for us to finish top.SWINDON have been boosted by the news that Jason Doyle is set to continue racing despite suffering damage to his jaw in a crash in Poland on Sunday.Robins boss Alun Rossiter said: Jason will be okay for Thursday. Weve spoken since he got back to the UK, and although he can feel that something isnt quite right, he says its not his arm or his leg and it isnt going to stop him putting a helmet on!Obviously thats a relief for us because Jason is an integral part of our team. Hes a rider I was keen to work with for a couple of years before I managed to sign him, and its definitely proved to be a good move for us both.WOLVERHAMPTON boss Peter Adams admitted Monday nights home win over Lakeside had been too close for comfort, with his side reeling off 5-1s in the last three races to turn an eight-point deficit into a 47-43 win.Adams said: Im pleased weve won but we shouldn't have been in that position. From the position we were in with three races to go it was a fantastic result but having said that I am a purist and I am disappointed to have dropped a point.We should have closed this meeting out comfortably but for the first ten races I thought we were still at Coventry as we only had four riders doing anything.
PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST
BERWICK are to repeat their special admission promotion at Shielfield Park on Saturday for the match with Newcastle, with adult admission set at 10 and free entry for accompanied under-16s.Co-owner John Anderson said: The fans have come out in their many hundreds over our last two meetings when weve offered our cut-price deals and as a thank you we decided to extend the offer to this coming weekend. It makes a big difference to the whole speedway experience when the stadium is bursting full and wed love to welcome more fansold and newto join the fun on Saturday when there are 19 races on the card.EDINBURGH star Andrew Tully has been hit by the major blow of the theft of one of his speedway bikes, as well as other equipment from his garage.Tully said: Wherever it is sitting, it cant be used because it hasnt got clutch plates in it. Its no use to anyone, but it is my livelihood. Several of my friends in speedway have given me the offer of loans of equipment which of course I am very grateful for. But Id still like to think there might be a chance of getting my own bike back.GLASGOW skipper Joe Screen felt his side had been comfortable in their 54-39 win over Sheffield at Ashfield, although their play-off chances look to be over.Screen said: With the side we have at the moment we know we are good enough to come back and beat teams at home. We were comfortable in the end and the majority of the side scored well. Its just unfortunate the team changes came a bit too late to get into the play-offs.IPSWICH boss Pete Simmons said the 50-43 win at Rye House on Saturday was vital to the Witches play-off chances, with crucial fixtures against Edinburgh to come this week.Simmons said: We could not do any more than we did, and we picked up the maximum four points. Those are vital to the rest of this week, and I will be looking for more of the same on Thursday and Friday.LEICESTER completed a run of twelve home Premier League wins out of twelve with a 54-42 victory over Workington at Beaumont Parkthe first time in the clubs history they have boasted a home record with every match won.Co-promoter Alan Jones said: Collectively it was possibly the best performance at home this season. You aim for all seven to click at once and we were very close to that goal on this occasion. If I was to single one person out it would be Lewis Blackbird who not only scored paid seven, his best yet but the manner in which he earned them.NEWCASTLE showed their strength with an impressive performance from their six-man unit, including rider-replacement for Richie Worrall, to defeat Rye House 62-30 at Brough Park.Manager George English said: This was the match where we returned to prove were a force to be reckoned with and that can only send signals to our fellow play-off contenders that we mean business and are eager once more for glory, and with Ludvig Lindgren in superb maximum form were up for it all!PLYMOUTH promoter Mike Bowden has described the Devils home clash with Glasgow on Friday as must-win as they look to avoid the Premier Leagues basement position.Bowden said: We have to win our final three home matches if we are to avoid finishing with the wooden spoon. We beat Glasgow by 14 points when they came to Plymouth in the knock-out cup earlier in the season and we will be looking for a repeat of that result.REDCAR promoter Brian Havelock is looking for his team to repeat their form from last weeks home win over Glasgow when Berwick provide the opposition this Thursday.Havelock said: We need to keep our momentum up to ensure that we keep ahead of the Border club in our quest to climb the table and avoid the wooden spoon. There is a lot at stake in this fixture.RYE HOUSE promoter Len Silver admits gating is letting the Rockets down as they endured a point-less weekend with a home defeat by Ipswich being followed by a heavy loss at Glasgowalthough he felt there were encouraging signs from recent signing Kasper Lykke at Ashfield.Silver said: We were simply not trapping and leaving ourselves far too much to do from the back. Anders (Mellgren) was superb once again, and very unlucky not to win the final race. Despite only scoring 3 points, Kasper got better as the night wore on, and just as importantly learned so much from the meeting. He and everyone else tried hard. but from the back.SCUNTHORPE will offer thirty races for 10 on Friday as they stage a Premier League/National League double-header against Rye House with reduced admission prices.Promoter Rob Godfrey said: The best way to spread an offer like this is often by word-of-mouth. People tend to be more responsive when told something face-to-face. So it would be great if the clubs fans could talk to their family members, friends and work colleagues, and tell them all about Fridays 30-heat double-header and why they should come along to see the action.SHEFFIELD star Ricky Wells says his winter move to Owlerton has proved to be a successful one as it has improved his all-round performances on different types of circuits.Wells said: My scores at Sheffield picked up pretty quickly and Ive done well at places like Berwick and Glasgow, where I have struggled in the past. Ive made absolutely no money out of the Premier League this year but I have become a better rider, which is the most important thing.SOMERSET insist there will be no let-up in their approach when they face Sheffield at the Oak Tree Arena on Friday with their play-off place already virtually assured.Co-promoter Garry May said: Just because we look to have booked our place in the Play-Offs, we will not be taking our foot off the gas and taking things easy. A winning habit is one I want the team to maintain as we head into those play-offs as it gives everyone that extra degree of confidence that could make the all the difference come the final reckoning.WORKINGTON are facing further injury problems following the loss of Adam Roynon with a back injury while riding for Coventry last week in addition to the season-ending injuries already sustained by Kenny Ingalls and Kyle Howarthand the postponement of both their scheduled home fixtures last weekend due to rain have caused an additional headache for the club.Manager Tony Jackson said: The feeling of good news we received on Wednesday when Kenny Ingalls was allowed to go home from hospital was short-lived when we heard about Adams injury on Thursday. At present we are still unsure how long he will be ruled out for; it could be anything between three weeks and to the end of the season. Meanwhile, the two rained off home matches have added to our fixture headache with the cut-off date looming, and the defeat at Leicester on Sunday with a patched up side meant that we have probably had better weekends. But we will bounce back as there is still a lot to race for this season.FIXTURE PICTURE
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 4:NATIONAL LEAGUE: Dudley v Isle of Wight 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Kings Lynn v Birmingham 7.30, Poole v Eastbourne 7.30
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 6:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Kings Lynn 7.30, Peterborough v Lakeside 7.30, Swindon v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Edinburgh 7.30, Redcar v Berwick 7.30, Sheffield v Newcastle 7.45
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 7:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Ipswich 7.30, Plymouth v Glasgow 7.30, Scunthorpe v Rye House 7pm, Somerset v Sheffield 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Rye House (follows PL fixture)
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Newcastle 7pm, Rye House v Redcar 7pm, Workington v Plymouth 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Mildenhall 7pmMIDLAND FOURS: Leicester v Birmingham v Coventry v Wolverhampton 7.30
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Berwick 4pm, Newcastle v Plymouth 6.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Buxton v Mildenhall 3pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 6: Sittingbourne 12pm
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 10:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Wolverhampton 7.30, Lakeside v Coventry 7.30, Peterborough v Eastbourne 7.30, Poole v Swindon 7.30
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 11:NATIONAL TROPHY: Isle of Wight v Stoke 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 12:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Kings Lynn v Coventry 7.30
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 13:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Eastbourne 7.30, Swindon v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Newcastle 7.30RESERVED: Sheffield 7.45TEESSIDE SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Birmingham 8pm, Lakeside v Peterborough 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7pm, Edinburgh v Rye House (follows previous fixture), Plymouth v Berwick 7.30, Scunthorpe v Redcar 7.30, Somerset v Workington 7.30
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Ipswich 7pm, Workington v Glasgow 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Rye House v Scunthorpe 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Stoke v Mildenhall 7.30
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16:NATIONAL TROPHY: Mildenhall v Buxton 4.30
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 17:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Peterborough 7.30, Birmingham v Poole 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 19:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Swindon 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kings Lynn v Isle of Wight 7.30
