(SPEEDWAY 1 – WEDNESDAY REVIEW)
LAKESIDE sent out a statement of intent for 2014 with an emphatic 56-37 away win at Birmingham on Wednesday.The Hammers racked up five maximum 5-1 advantages at Perry Barr and skipper Davey Watt dropped just one point from five rides with Danish youngster Mikkel Bech adding eleven from four and reserve Adam Ellis collecting 10+2.Manager Neil Vatcher said: “Credit to all the boys for a huge win, and thoroughly deserved from the start. Spirits are high and we can't wait for Friday when we get back home to take on Leicester.”Birmingham were limited to just four race wins in the match, two from experienced Pole Adam Skornicki, and manager Jack Lee admitted it had been a below-par display.Lee said: “We're extremely disappointed - to lose by such a margin at home is really bad and we've got to do something about it quickly. The riders we've got should be doing better than that and they've got to work on their starts because we were just second best out the gate all night.”King’s Lynn had four maximum scorers in their 67-24 National League KO Cup win over Scunthorpe, No.1 Lewis Rose leading the way with a full 15-point score.Scunthorpe boss Richard Hollingsworth said: “The more competitive rides we give our lads, the sooner they will improve. Again, I felt we finished the night riding better from when we started, and the riders learnt some valuable lessons.”(SPEEDWAY 2 – THURSDAY PREVIEW)
SWINDON have booked Danish star Bjarne Pedersen to guest for unavailable skipper Troy Batchelor in their opening home Elite League match against Coventry.Batchelor is missing due to the New Zealand Grand Prix and with the Bees in a similar position with their captain Chris Harris, Pedersen’s Eastbourne team-mate Cameron Woodward stands in for the visitors. The meeting also features a return to Blunsdon for two 2013 Swindon team members, Hans Andersen and Kyle Howrth, now with Coventry.Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “You know what you are going to get from Bjarne and I’m confident he will do a good job for the team. Coventry have a good side this season and we are desperate to get a win on the board in front of our own supporters.”A busy night of League Cup action includes Sheffield’s first competitive home fixture of the season as the Tigers face Newcastle, still on a high from their away win at Scunthorpe last weekend – but boss Joe Screen is expecting a tough Owlerton opener.He said: “I was proud of the lads on Sunday, it was a terrific result and a dream start to the season. But we need to follow that up at home against Newcastle. We have to make it count.”Elsewhere in the same group, Redcar face Scunthorpe at the South Tees Motorsports Park, whilst in the Southern group Ipswich host Somerset at Foxhall.The Rebels picked up an away point from their trip to Peterborough earlier this week – although skipper Olly Allen was disappointed it was not three after suffering problems in the last race.He said: “I felt the bike start to splutter just after I came off the second bend and Ryan (Fisher) made up loads of ground on me. Going into the third and fourth turns I could do nothing to hold him off as the bike lost power and with it went the match.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
EASTBOURNE co-promoter Mike Bellerby says there is a renewed belief at Arlington this season.Eagles bosses were delighted with their first-night attendance against Birmingham last week and are now calling on their team to maintain the momentum when they face Leicester on Saturday.Bellerby said: “Arlington is the place to be on Saturday nights. That’s the message we are putting across. There is tremendous belief in the pits and throughout the club that we can sustain a genuine title challenge this year.“Supporters really warmed to the racing against Birmingham and it was great to hear the cheers when Lewis Blackbird and Danny Halsey came home for a 5-1. Their efforts all night were impressive and they quickly captured the fans’ hearts.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
SCUNTHORPE are set to include Australian star Ryan Douglas for their League Cup clashes with Redcar this week.Douglas missed the Scorpions’ opener against Sheffield last weekend after his visa issues over the winter, but he received the necessary paperwork on Monday and immediately made plans to return to the UK.Promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It will be great to have Ryan back. As I said to the supporters over the Public Address on Sunday, one rider does not make a team, but he can make a big difference, especially when he’s a high-scoring reserve.“Of course, it was a disappointment to lose at home to Sheffield last week, and no-one likes us losing at home less than me, but there were plenty of positives in there.”(SPEEDWAY 5)
GLASGOW star Rusty Harrison says the Tigers should quickly work through their early-season issues.The Scottish side lost out to local rivals Edinburgh home and away last weekend in the Air Fence Challenge and now face a tough test against Workington on Sunday.Harrison said: “As long as I'm on top of my game, I can maybe help the younger guys a little bit more. It was a bit hard last week - everyone was trying to get their own stuff sorted and you couldn't really help them out so much.“But I'm sure as the weeks go on, if I can just tweak these engines and get them a little bit quicker, who knows? We can do anything. We’ll get there.”
(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY APRIL 3:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Coventry 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Ipswich v Somerset 7.30, Redcar v Scunthorpe 7.30, Sheffield v Newcastle 7.45
FRIDAY APRIL 4:ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Leicester 8pmLEAGUE CUP: Edinburgh v Berwick 7.30, Plymouth v Rye House 7.15PREMIER SHIELD 1st leg: Somerset v Newcastle 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Scunthorpe 7.30
SATURDAY APRIL 5:ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Leicester 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Berwick v Edinburgh 7pm, Rye House v Plymouth 7pmRUSTY HARRISON TESTIMONIAL: Workington 6.30
SUNDAY APRIL 6:LEAGUE CUP: Glasgow v Workington 3pm, Scunthorpe v Redcar 3pmPREMIER SHIELD 2nd leg: Newcastle v Somerset 6.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Scunthorpe v King’s Lynn (follows LC fixture)NATIONAL TROPHY: Leicester v Kent 4pm, Mildenhall v Stoke 3.30
