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POOLES top four riders all scored maximums as the Pirates booked their place in the Elite League Grand Final with a 61-30 home win over Lakeside.The unbeaten shows from Chris Holder, Darcy Ward, Krzysztof Kasprzak and Piotr Pawlicki helped the defending champions to a 108-73 aggregate victorybut Holder admits the Final could well be a different matter.He said: We need to be a bit better than we were last night because the Lakeside team was not as strong as the one we will be facing in the Final.Unless something drastic happens, Swindon are going to be in the Final with us. Over two legs, if we are going to have a chance of winning we need all the boys to be scoring points.
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SWINDON will take a bumper 20-point lead back to the Abbey Stadium for the second leg of their Elite League play-off semi-final against Birmingham.The Robins ran up an emphatic 55-35 win at Perry Barr with Danish star Peter Kildemand scoring a paid maximum, and are now overwhelming favourites to progress on Thursday.Boss Alun Rossiter said: What an outstanding performance. It was a great display, very professional, but it is still only half the job done.Peter Kildemand was fantastic and the same goes for Troy Batchelor and Jason Doyle. All of the boys were just outstanding tonight.
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BIRMINGHAM boss Phil Morris couldnt hide his anger at his sides collapse in the first leg of their play-off semi-final.The Brummies went into their clash with Swindon at Perry Barr as underdogs but were expected to give the Robins a run for their moneybut they could provide just three heat wins on their home circuit.Morris said: We are devastated. Simple as. We were outclassed from top to bottom and the better team won. Im not going to offer any excuses and Im not happy about what Ive seen from my riders. We are pleased to have made the play-offs but that is completely dampened by that performance.
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LEICESTER have been boosted ahead of their Premier League play-off campaign with three riders confirming their fitness following the clubs bruising Northern tour last month.Magnus Karlsson, Lasse Bjerre and Jari Makinen all picked up knocks and Karlsson missed the Lions final regular fixture at Workington, but all will be ready for three matches in three days starting at Somerset on Friday.Co-promoter Alan Jones said: Titles are won on performances away from your own backyard when you have to raise your game above the home team. That is where successful teams are judged as to whether they have the mental character to pull it off. In our group all three teams have not lost at home so something has to give. It will be tight and there is no leeway for errors which makes the play-offs an exciting position to be in and hopefully we can do ourselves justice.
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WOLVERHAMPTON Speedway legend Sam Ermolenko will come out of retirement to ride in the clubs Bankss Olympique on Tuesday, October 16.Ermolenko, 51, is regarded as the greatest rider ever to wear the famous gold and black colours and was crowned World Champion in 1993. He said: Im looking forward to it because the way in which the Olympique works with the handicap system means I might be good for a couple of wins anyway!The news was confirmed as Wolves rounded off their home Elite League programme with a 46-44 win over Belle Vue, despite the mid-meeting loss of skipper Freddie Lindgren following a crash.(FIXTURES)TUESDAY OCTOBER 2:NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Isle of Wight v Mildenhall OFF, 1st leg: Stoke v Dudley OFF (Now Wed Oct 10)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 3:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry 8pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: King's Lynn v Stoke 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 4:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Swindon v Birmingham 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Ipswich v Edinburgh 7.30PREMIER CHALLENGE TROPHY: Redcar v Glasgow 7.30, Sheffield v Rye House 7.45
FRIDAY OCTOBER 5:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF: Edinburgh v Scunthorpe 7.30, Somerset v Leicester 7.30
