(SPEEDWAY 1)
SWINDON are celebrating their first league title for 45 years after overcoming Poole in the Elite League Grand Final.The Robins took a seven-point led into Mondays re-arranged second leg at Wimborne Road and led for much of the meeting itself, clinching overall victory in Heat 12 with a 3-3 from Peter Kildemand and Sebastian Alden to leave them 16-up with three races to go.Poole finished the meeting with a series of advantages to win 45-44 on the night, but the Robins were 95-89 aggregate victors.Kildemand (11) and Simon Stead (8) were the Robins heroes as the Dane won his first three rides with Stead settling any nerves by winning Heat 1, whilst Krzysztof Kasprzak (16) top-scored for the Pirates thanks to wins in the last three heats.(SPEEDWAY 2)
SWINDON co-promoter Gary Patchett paid tribute to team manager Alun Rossiter as the Robins finally ended their wait for a top-flight title.Rossiter returned to Blunsdon last winter after two years with Coventryironically having won the 2010 Elite League with the Bees at Poole, before repeating the feat with his hometown club to spark emotional scenes.Patchett said: Its been a team effort and weve had ten great guys in the team who have all done their bit, but Roscos enthusiasm is infectious. I was disappointed when he left the club in 2009 but he had good reasons for doing that, and its great to have him back. Hes a great guy to work with, hes a very close friend and we just bounce off each other.As soon as we got the result beyond doubt, after we had said a bit to the riders the first people I wanted to share us with were the fans. Theyve been fantastic and stuck by us through thick and thin over the last two years. They really are our eighth man on our travels and theyre a credit to the club.
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POOLE skipper Chris Holder admitted a lack of lower-end strength had been the deciding factor in the Pirates having to settle for runners-up spot in the Elite League.The Pirates topped the regular table for the third year running but were beaten on aggregate in the Grand Final by a more solid-scoring Swindon side.Holder said: I think the top three guys did our job, but the other three just didnt do well enough. You cant win a Final if you are not scoring points all through.Three guys can maybe win a meeting sometimes, but against a top team like Swindon over two legs it is never going to happen. They were more solid all the way through and that is what you need to win these things.
(SPEEDWAY 4)
PETERBOROUGH remain optimistic of reaching the Knockout Cup Final despite being forced into a host of changes due to injuries.The Panthers travel to Poole on Wednesday before hosting the Pirates at the Showground 24-hours later with Ryan Sullivan, Krzysztof Buczkowski, Linus Sundstrom and Tomas H Jonasson all on the sidelines.Manager Jan Staechmann said: I have never known a season like it, with respect to the amount of rain-offs we have had, and the run of injuries is just never ending. Our thanks go to the respective clubs of our guest riders, and to the riders, for coming to our rescue.It will be a tough test against the Pirates, but this competition is slightly different in so much as the result is decided on aggregate points over the two legs, and we will know on Thursday what we will have to achieve in order to progress to the Final against Coventry.(SPEEDWAY 5)
DUDLEY and Mildenhall will contest the National League play-off Final this week with the first leg at Monmore Green on Tuesday.The two sides finished well clear in the table before overcoming Stoke and the Isle of Wight respectively in the semi-finalsand the opener also features the second leg of the KO Cup Final with the Fen Tigers holding a 28-point lead.Dudley coach Jan O Pedersen said: We need to hit the ground running on what is a massive night on Tuesday. The priority is for a handy lead, then we can defend it the following night at Mildenhall.Fen Tigers boss Robert Henry said: The boys know they need to keep things as tight as possible at Monmore Green. If we get the right result in the Grand Final I am sure well still have enough in the tank to defend our lead in the KO Cup.
(FIXTURES)
TUESDAY OCTOBER 23:NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF FINAL 1st leg: Dudley v Mildenhall 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Dudley v Mildenhall (follows previous fixture)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 24:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Poole v Peterborough 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF FINAL 2nd leg: Mildenhall v Dudley 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 25:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Peterborough v Poole 7.30LEAGUE CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Ipswich v Somerset 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 26:ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Coventry v Peterborough/Poole 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF FINAL 1st leg: Somerset v Scunthorpe 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Workington v Berwick 7.30
