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BERWICK star David Bellego has been handed a late call-up to the second round of the World Under-21 Final at Shielfield Park on Saturday.Bellego comes into the meeting because Russian rider Vladamir Borodulin is ruled out due to injury, and on current form the Frenchman will be well-fancied to give a strong performance.Berwick co-promoter Ryan Anderson said: This is a great honour for David of course, and will do wonders for the stature of French speedway as well as for all of us here in the Borders.British youngsters Kyle Howarth and Adam Ellis take the Wild Card places for the biggest meeting ever to be staged at the venue, with Polish World Cup winner Patryk Dudek leading the competition after the first round.
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BIRMINGHAM returned to the top of the Elite League with a thumping 57-33 win over local rivals Wolverhampton at Perry Barr.Home skipper Danny King scored a paid maximum from four rides with Ben Barker, Jason Doyle and Martin Smolinski all in double-figures, and the King/Barker combination also saw off double-point tactical rides from Wolves top two Freddie Lindgren and Tai Woffinden with 5-1s on both occasions.Birmingham boss Phil Morris said: It's hard to pick out any individuals for praise as all the boys fully deserve it. The scoreline was a big surprise to many but I'm proud of everyone, with Nico (Covatti) and Bomber (Chris Harris) sidelined everyone dug deep and I couldn't be happier with the result.(SPEEDWAY 3)
KINGS Lynn remain hopeful of a push for the Elite League play-offs after adding three points from a hard-fought 52-38 win over Belle Vue.The Aces led the early stages and the scores were level after Heat 8, but back-to-back 5-1s then took the Stars clear, with guest Cameron Woodward (13+3) and skipper Mads Korneliussen (13+1) leading the way for the home side.Kings Lynn boss Rob Lyon said: We have put ourselves in a position where we have a chance of the play-offs. Were back in the mix, we got a win, and it was a great team performance.It was sort of a backs-to-the-wall performance, considering the riders we were missing, but that takes nothing away from the riders tonight. Cameron was a great guest, as was Kozza (Smith).
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CZECH Republic rider Hynek Stichauer is returning to Plymouth for his second spell with the club.Stichauer, who started his British career with Wolverhampton, made nine appearances for the Devils in 2011 and comes in to replace Simon Nielsen. But the Devils have been hit by the news that Cory Gathercole is out for the rest of the season with knee and shoulder injuries.Gathercole said: I have torn a few ligaments and there is a small fracture plus a lot of bruising. The injury should heal itself without surgery but it will take some time.I have had to take the decision to pull out of the remainder of the season. I do not like having to let the team down but I would probably let them down even more if I tried to carry on riding.
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LEICESTER have been boosted by the news that key reserve Alex Edberg will be fit to return for their vital home-and-away double clash with Rye House this weekend.Edberg has been sidelined since early July and the Lions believe his inclusion will strengthen their lower-order ahead of the trip to Hoddeson on Saturday.Co-promoter Alan Jones said: I believe that with Alex in the side we would certainly have collected three match points from the Newcastle fixture and most likely last Saturday against Scunthorpe. When your reserves are not firing it places a greater burden on the number five in the team, in our case Magnus Karlsson, who has virtually been on his own in three of his four rides. That said, the team have coped admirably throughout his absence.
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EASTBOURNE boss Trevor Geer has voiced his displeasure at the displays of two riders in the Eagles defeat at Poole on Monday.Simon Gustafsson and Timo Lahti scored just one point between them and Geer says the pressure is on both ahead of this weekends matches against Lakeside.Geer said: It was surely not too much to ask them to score five or six points each. If they had done, it would have been a different story.Bjarne Pedersen and Mikkel Michelsen did really well, as did Cam Woodward and I have to say Kim Nilsson was fantastic, but Simon and Timo did not beat an opponent. That is just not good enough. I told them that even at this late stage of the season we will make changes, if we can find a suitable rider.
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SOMERSET secured an emphatic home win over Premier League play-off rivals Workington with three riders finishing with paid maximums.Nick Morris, Alex Davies and Josh Grajczonek were all unbeaten by an opponent in the 59-33 victory, with Morris clocking the fastest time of the season at the Oaktree Arena.Rebels boss Garry May said: We simply blew Workington away. After a bit of a setback in Heat 2, the boys were in irresistible form and there was only ever one team in it. Workington ran us close when they came here last month in the KO Cup, but we were a totally different proposition tonight and showed exactly what we are capable of. The team really revelled on a track that was in absolutely superb condition.(SPEEDWAY 8)
FORMER British Under-21 Champion Joe Haines has announced his retirement from the sport.Haines, who has been struggling with a shoulder injury sustained in a training accident, informed Sheffield co-promoter David Hoggart of his decision ahead of the Tigers home clash with Glasgow on Thursday.Hoggart said: Its a shame it hasnt worked out for Joe. Hes a great lad and we wish him well for the future in whatever he decides to do.Hes been struggling with the shoulder injury and people must remember he suffered career threatening multiple injuries in Australia a couple of years ago. He has always given us his best and he very much appreciated the loyal support from the management, his team-mates and on the terraces.
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DUDLEY shot to the top of the National League table with a stunning 52-37 win at the Isle of Wight on Tuesday.The scores were level after ten races but the Heathens surged clear in the closing stages with ex-Islander Paul Starke dropping just one point from six rides, whilst youngster Nathan Greaves (12+2) put in a crucial display at reserve.Heathens boss Will Pottinger said: It was tight to start with, but then the boys pulled away in the last third of the meeting to get a great win.With Max (Clegg) still injured, R/R for Gareth (Isherwood) and no Ash (Morris) we were very depleted, so to go to one of the toughest tracks in the league and win by such a big margin to get all four points is very pleasing.
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NORTHSIDE will stage the fifth round of the British Youth Championship on Sunday with over 25 heats of action on the programme and 30 riders involved across the three classes.Event organisers extend an invitation to supporters heading North for the World Under-21 Final round at Berwick on Saturday, with the chance to visit Northside (CA14 1NG) on Sunday afternoon (2pm) and then head to nearby Derwent Park for the Workington v Scunthorpe Premier League fixture in the evening.Northsides Charlotte Branney said: Entry to the meeting is 5 for adults, and just 1 for children. As Northside is a voluntary, not for profit organisation, you can be sure that every penny of your entry fee will be ploughed back into refurbishing and improving our facilities. Those that visited last year will see that we have added the Jim Roper Executive Viewing Lounge and an air fence in the last twelve months. We are fully committed to creating the best designated speedway training facility that Britain has to offer.
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THURSDAY AUGUST 8:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Birmingham 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Scunthorpe 7.30, Sheffield v Glasgow 7.45
FRIDAY AUGUST 9:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Wolverhampton 7.30, Lakeside v Eastbourne 7.45, Peterborough v Swindon 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Sheffield 7.30, Somerset v Plymouth 7.30
SATURDAY AUGUST 10WORLD UNDER-21 FINAL Round 2: Berwick 7pmSKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Redcar 7.30, Plymouth v Somerset 7.15, Rye House v Leicester 7pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 11:PREMIER LEAGUE: Leicester v Rye House 7.30, Newcastle v Redcar 7pm, Workington v Scunthorpe 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Kent 3pmSPRING TROPHY 2nd leg: Glasgow v Edinburgh 3pmDANNY KING TESTIMONIAL: Birmingham 8pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 5: Northside 2pm
