(SPEEDWAY 1)
DARCY Ward will take over the captaincy of Poole following the serious injuries suffered by fellow countryman Chris Holder on Friday.Ward, at 21, becomes the youngest skipper in the Pirates historycurrent manager Neil Middleditch was 23 when he led the sideand starts his new role in Mondays Elite League match at Wolverhampton.Ward said: It really has been a dreadful season for Poole injury-wise. But I am determined to lead by Chriss example. He carried the team when I was out with a broken shoulder and now its up to me to do the same.Meanwhile Swindon co-promoter Gary Patchett is desperate for his side to gain revenge from a recent narrow away defeat at Belle Vue when the Robins return to Kirkmanshulme Lane in Mondays other top-flight fixture.Patchett said: We had nobody to blame but ourselves for throwing it away last time we met Belle Vue, and we'll want to show everyone what we can do to come away with the result.(SPEEDWAY 2)
NEWCASTLE are through to the League Cup Final after a dominant second-leg display against Sheffield at Brough Park.The Tigers took a four-point lead into the fixture but lost Richard Hall with a dislocated shoulder in his first ride and the Diamonds romped to a 62-34 win with all of their riders scoring at least seven points.Newcastle boss George English said: Solid scoring from top to bottomthats what gave us such a dominant performance.The lads were completely up for a win and a Final placeand a big win at that. All seven Diamonds were at least paid for a win and that strength in depth will bring us success right through to the end of this season Im sure.(SPEEDWAY 3)
CRAIG Cook shattered the Glasgow track record as Edinburgh gained a 48-42 away win in Sundays Scottish derby.Cook, who also broke the record on his home track on Friday, took a full second off the previous best at Ashfield with his Heat 5 win, and his score of 13+1 was backed-up by Claus Vissing with ten and an important eight (paid ten) from Max Fricke at reserve.Monarchs boss Alex Harkess said: Craig commented before Heat 5 that if he got a clean start he would have a go for the record. It just shows the amazing form he is in. Hes happy and so are we.Glasgow manager Sean Courtney said: We gave away a gift 5-1 in Heat 8 and I think if you can keep it close it can turn, but we went six down after that. Its not good enough. Im deflated for our supporters who have been great again.(SPEEDWAY 4)
COVENTRY picked up their third away win of the National League campaign with a close-fought 47-46 victory at Buxton.The home side staged a dramatic late fightback having been nine points down with three heats to go, but the Storms Luke Crang managed to split 21-point maximum man Charles Wright and Adam McKinna in the last race to leave the Hitmen one point short.Coventry co-boss Laurence Rogers said: It was a really tough match, they really threw it back at us with a couple of 5-1s but we held on and credit to all six of our riders.It was a good all-round team performance and Crangy really found belief. He doesnt know hes as good as he is, and hes got to believe thathes doing a great job, and theres more to come.
(SPEEDWAY 5)
ISLE of Wight have confirmed the signing of Brendan Johnson to take the place of Tom Young, with Chris Widman also joining the club.Johnson, a former Islanders rider, will return in Tuesdays KO Cup clash with Kent, whilst Widman replaces Brandon Freemantle who is out with a broken wristand despite holding a first leg lead, home co-promoter Chris Hunt is wary of any slip-ups against the Kings.Hunt said: There's still fifteen heats to go and anything can happen as shown by the fact that Coventry pushed us all the way in last Tuesday's match at Smallbook.And we must remember that we'll be going into the match tracking our two new signings who come into the side following our quite horrendous run of injuries so far his season that's seen Byron Bekker, Tom Perry, Danny Stoneman, Tom Young and now Brandon Freemantle sidelined at various stages.
(FIXTURES)
MONDAY JULY 8:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Swindon 7.30, Wolverhampton v Poole 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Mildenhall 6.30
TUESDAY JULY 9:NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Isle of Wight v Kent 7.30LES POTTINGER MEMORIAL: Dudley v Wolverhampton 7.30
WEDNESDAY JULY 10:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Lakeside 7.30, Poole v Wolverhampton 7.30
THURSDAY JULY 11:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Wolverhampton 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Redcar v Rye House 7.30TOP GUN INDIVIDUAL: Sheffield 7.45JOHN BERRY MEMORIAL: Ipswich 7.30
FRIDAY JULY 12:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Belle Vue 7.30, Lakeside v Swindon 8pm, Peterborough v Kings Lynn 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30, Plymouth v Ipswich 7.15, Scunthorpe v Rye House 7.30
