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SWINDON will be without Danish star Peter Kildemand when they travel to Poole for the opening Elite League fixture of a vital Bank Holiday Monday programme.The Robins, who suffered a shock home defeat against Belle Vue on Thursday, still have aspirations of finishing top of the table whilst the Pirates have no room for error as they chase a top-four finish.Kildemand is thought to have suffered mild concussion in his crash in the Aces fixture, and the Robins will operate the rider-replacement facility.Top spot in the table is also within the grasp of Wolverhampton this evening, who hand a seasonal debut to Robert Miskowiak in their home clash with Belle Vue.And Peterborough, the form team in the league, look to take a further step towards the top four when they take their remarkable recent record to Coventry.
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IPSWICH kept up their strong run-in ahead of the Premier League play-offs with a thumping 56-36 win at bottom club Glasgow on Sunday.The Tigers’ team boss Sean Courtney had stood down on the eve of the fixture but the Witches showed no mercy to their hosts, with four riders paid for double-figures including Ben Barker on 13 and Cameron Heeps on 10+4.Ipswich boss Pete Simmons said: “It was a very long day but everyone was up for it and it showed with a great effort in all departments.“We just need the same attitude at Sheffield on Thursday night and we will certainly be pushing to get one of those important top positions in the final League table.”(SPEEDWAY 3)
NEWCASTLE gained swift revenge for their defeat at Workington on Saturday with a 51-41 victory over the Comets on home territory.Both sides are expected to figure in the Premier League play-offs and the Diamonds held the advantage on this occasion despite the absence of the injured Stuart Robson, Richie Worrall top-scoring with 14 points and dropping his only point to Richard Lawson.Newcastle boss George English said: “We knew this match was going to be a tough one and so it proved with Rene Bach and co. really knowing the quickest way round Brough, and we had to fight hard. “Most pleasing was to see how Andrew Tully and Ludvig Lindgren upped their game from the night before, and with Anton Rosen taking his first home win it was a very positive night indeed.”
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LEICESTER maintained their hopes of moving back into the play-off places with a 54-39 home win over Berwick as Magnus Karlsson raced to a six-ride paid maximum.The Lions now face a vital Bank Holiday Monday trip to Scunthorpe, who themselves still have outside play-off ambitions after two away wins last week.Leicester co-promoter Alan Jones said: “The Berwick riders are big-track specialists and always ride our track well so to win by a fifteen-point margin was a surprise and a relief. Nothing less than three match points was acceptable and we achieved our goal. “Every meeting is like a Cup Final at the moment and we have to replicate the form and desire at Scunthorpe today as the Scorpions are also showing good form, so it won’t be easy.”
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DUDLEY made it eight National League wins out of eight this season after overcoming Buxton 46-43 at the Hi-Edge Raceway.Lewis Blackbird scored paid-16 for the Heathens whilst Paul Starke scored eleven points from four rides before making the trip to Leicester for his early-evening fixture in the Premier League for Berwick.Heathens boss Will Pottinger said: “It was a good performance from the lads that were here as we were obviously missing Ash (Morris). Lewis led the team excellently, Dan Greenwood did well and it was another great win for us to keep our good form going.”Reigning champions Mildenhall, meanwhile, are also well-placed for the play-offs after a 50-40 win over Stoke in a meeting which saw both Jon Armstrong and Stefan Nielsen score paid maximums for the Fen Tigers.
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SOMERSET’S Kyle Newman enjoyed success on the European scene on Sunday when he won the Belgian Golden Helmet at Heudsen-Zolder.Newman, who went two places better than last year, dropped just one point from his five qualifying rides before picking himself up from a heavy spill in his semi-final to win the Final ahead of former Wolverhampton rider Krzysztof Pecyna.Newman said: “I really don’t know what to say. I felt good all meeting, and although Pecyna beat me when we met in the heats, I made a slight error in that race which gave him the opportunity to get past.“But I wasn’t going to make the same mistake again when I hit the front in the final, and it was a really great feeling to be stood on the top of the podium.”(FIXTURES)
MONDAY AUGUST 26:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Peterborough 7.30, Poole v Swindon 4pm, Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Berwick 2pm, Scunthorpe v Leicester 3pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Dudley 3pmBRITISH 125cc FINAL: Rye House (follows PL fixture)CHALLENGE: Scunthorpe Select v Halifax (follows PL fixture)
TUESDAY AUGUST 27:PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Somerset v Edinburgh 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Dudley v Isle of Wight 7.30
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 28:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Coventry 7.30, King’s Lynn v Lakeside 7.30
THURSDAY AUGUST 29:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Ipswich 7.45TEESSIDE SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY AUGUST 30:PREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Sheffield 7.15PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Edinburgh v Somerset 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Dudley 7.30
