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POOLE will clinch top place in the Elite League if they win at Birmingham on Mondaybut the match is also highly significant for the home side.Victory would ensure choice of play-off semi-final opponents for the Pirates, but the Brummies need a point to be sure of a top four place, whilst defeat would leave them under threat with one meeting to follow.Poole promoter Matt Ford said: We need to win at Birmingham so that we can be in charge of our own destiny. There have been too many cliffhanger and rollercoaster meetings this season already and we don't really want to be sweating on how Swindon fare on Wednesday.Brummies boss Phil Morris said: I want the lads to finish the job against Poole and then the pressure is off when we take on Swindon. I want the win which will take us there and Im not even thinking about points difference with two defeats. Theyd have to be narrow defeats for sure.
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PETERBOROUGH co-promoter Trevor Swales says his side are desperate to book a place in the Elite League play-offs as soon as possible.The Panthers travel to Belle Vue on Monday and are currently two points adrift of the top four, with their final fixture at Coventry on Wednesday.Swales said: You cannot take any team lightly. Belle Vue are not as bad a team as their record might suggest while Coventry showed their strength at home by coming back to beat Birmingham on Friday. Wednesday will be the final night of the regular season so if the meeting is postponed, we wont get another bite of the cherry. Ideally we will get it done and dusted on Monday. We have to go there looking for the win.
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NEWCASTLE are well-placed to finish top of the Premier League table having completed their home programme with a 53-39 victory over Edinburgh.The Diamonds have dropped just one point at Brough Park throughout the campaign and have now moved ahead of Somerset, who have competed their fixtures.Scunthorpe are one point behind with both clubs having one match to go, whilst Leicester could also overhaul them with a string of big away wins this week.Newcastle finish their regular fixtures at Plymouth on Friday with Scunthorpe at home to Glasgow, whilst Leicester face trips to Redcar, Edinburgh and Workington.(SPEEDWAY 4)
LEICESTER will look to create a partisan atmosphere when they host Tuesdays International Test Match between Great Britain and Australia at Beaumont Park.The stadium will be decorated with flags and bunting in support of GB, who are led by Ben Barker, Lewis Bridger and Josh Auty against an Australian side including Ty Proctor, Nick Morris and Sam Masters.Leicester co-promoter Alan Jones said: This may not be the Olympic Park and there will be no gold medals up for grabs but every effort is being made to create a special Terrific Tuesday atmosphere for speedway fans for this first ever international meeting at Beaumont Park. We have our race night presenter Rob Sensicall to thank for sourcing the bunting and flags.When you study the line-ups it is evident that the two national Team Managers, Phil Morris and Mark Lemon, have not only looked to see who was available but have checked out the form guide at Leicester because a number of the riders have excelled on previous visits to Beaumont Park.
(SPEEDWAY 5)
RYE House have moved into the National League play-off places with a dramatic win at Stoke on Sunday.The Raiders needed all four points from the meeting and achieved their target with a last-heat 5-1 from Jason Garrity and James Sarjeant for a 48-41 winmeaning they can now only be overhauled by the Isle of Wight, who require a point at Kings Lynn on Wednesday.Rye boss John Sampford said: It is a wonderful, wonderful result. We knew what the score was beforehand in terms of knowing exactly was required, and everyonesimply everyoneplayed their part and chipped in.Jason and James beat Ashley Birks and James Cockle emphatically, (and) after Stoke did the same to us in Heat 14 I said to the same pair before the nominated race, If you want to have any chance of making the play-offs, youve got to do the same again in this final heat. And thats exactly what they did.
(FIXTURES)
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 17:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Peterborough 7.30, Birmingham v Poole 7.30, Kings Lynn v Coventry 7.30
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 18:INTERNATIONAL TEST MATCH: Team GB v Young Australia, Leicester 7.30
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 19:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Swindon 7.30, Coventry v Peterborough 7.30LEAGUE CUP S/F 1st leg: Somerset v Newcastle 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kings Lynn v Isle of Wight 7.30
