(SPEEDWAY 1 – FRIDAY REVIEW)
KING’S Lynn fought back from an early six-point deficit to take a 48-42 win at Coventry as they continued their strong start to the Elite League campaign.The Stars conceded a first-race 5-1 but top man Niels-Kristian Iversen was unbeaten thereafter with several of their less experienced riders shining.Fast-track reserve Lewis Kerr got the better of Bees top-scorer Ryan Fisher to level the scores in a 5-1 with Nicklas Porsing in Heat 12, and the Stars completed victory in the next two races.Coventry promoter Mick Horton said: “We’re not making any excuses, King’s Lynn were better than us on the night and you have to accept that sometimes. We are a good team and we will bounce back.”Lakeside remain top of the table thanks to a thumping 69-21 home win over Birmingham, with three riders scoring maximums.Davey Watt, Mikkel Bech and Lewis Bridger were all unbeaten for the Hammers whilst the Brummies managed just one race win, coming from Edward Kennett in his fourth outing, on a tough night.There was a big League Cup away win for Ipswich at Plymouth, with the Witches now holding a 100 per cent record from four matches thanks to their 52-41 success – achieved without Adam Ellis (EL duty) and Ritchie Hawkins (injury).Morten Risager (14) and Richie Worrall (12+2) both clocked up double figures to the delight of boss Chris Louis.He said: “That was a great effort by the team. Chris Schramm proved to be a good choice to cover for Adam and his two heat wins helped us gain that early advantage. Despite several of the guys either not being fully fit or suffering from one of the viruses that appear to be going around they really pulled together.”Elsewhere in the Southern group, Somerset were held to a 45-45 draw by Peterborough after home skipper Olly Allen crashed out in his first ride.Allen was concussed in the incident but the Rebels still built a lead only for visiting duo Ales Dryml and Ulrich Ostergaard to secure a 5-1 in the last race and snatch the draw.Somerset boss Garry May said: “It was gutting not to get the win, especially given that we were without Olly for the whole match and his rides only yielded three points as they had to be taken by our reserve riders. You cannot fault the way the guys rode to try and overcome Olly's loss, but Peterborough are a strong outfit and took advantage of the situation to sneak the draw in that last heat decider.”Edinburgh remain unbeaten from three matches in the Border group after defeating Workington 55-38 at Armadale – despite seeing captain Derek Sneddon withdraw from the meeting having suffered a back injury.But Craig Cook scored another paid maximum and the home reserves outscored their counterparts 22-4 to set up the victory.Edinburgh boss Alex Harkess said: “It was a great performance – in the end! It was too close for comfort for a while. But what a great pair of reserves we’ve got.”
(SPEEDWAY 2 - SATURDAY PREVIEW)
LEICESTER promoter David Hemsley is hoping his team have learned from recent away defeats as they chase their first win since joining the Elite League.The Lions host Lakeside at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium on Saturday having showed some encouraging signs in defeats at Purfleet and then at Eastbourne last weekend.Hemsley said: “We are a new team that has to get used to one another but my impression is after taking into account the last three fixtures we are close to collecting our first league points of the season and hopefully it will be on Saturday night against Lakeside.”Eastbourne boss Trevor Geer wants his side to entertain as well as win, with a Belle Vue team led by ex-Eagle Matej Zagar visiting Arlington.Geer said: “In our first two meetings there has been racing out of the top drawer. That’s what I love and that’s what the fans love. Yes, we want to win but I want supporters going home talking about the fantastic speedway they have seen.”In the League Cup, Berwick host Glasgow in the Border group with Bandits director George Hepburn aware of the threat provided by Tigers newcomer Kevin Wolbert.Hepburn said: “Wolbert certainly turn it on around Shielfield Park. We are looking for a few of our lads to get the better of him on Saturday – if they can do that, then I think we can take maximum points from the fixture.”Workington take on Edinburgh in the reverse fixture from Friday’s clash at Armadale, and Comets owner Laura Morgan expects a tough meeting with former home star Craig Cook back in town.She said: “They are always close meetings when Edinburgh visit and I am sure this one will be no different. Looking at the two teams this match has all the ingredients for an excellent meeting with plenty of close racing. Both teams have the potential to provide some thrilling entertainment for the supporters.”In the Southern group Rye House have skipper Jason Bunyan back from the New Zealand Grand Prix for his first appearance of the season as they bid to recover form against Somerset, having lost at home to Plymouth last week.Rockets boss John Sampford said: “It’s going to be a tough match, that’s for sure. (Somerset team manager) Garry May doesn’t put together teams that fail, and they have obvious Rye House track specialists in Nick Morris, Olly Allen and Pontus Aspgren. But we are determined to bounce back.”(SPEEDWAY 3)
LAKESIDE and Ipswich youngster Adam Ellis goes into Tuesday’s British Under-21 Final at Cradley as one of the favourites – and has set his sights firmly on top spot in the meeting.Ellis has started the campaign in blistering form for both the Hammers and the Witches, consistently recording impressive scores as one of the fast-track reserves in the Elite League.He said: “I feel like I’ve definitely got a good chance, I just need everything to come together on the day and hopefully I can have a good night.“It's a meeting I'm desperate to win, and I've got plenty more years left at Under-21 level so I'd love to maybe even win it more than once over the next few years.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
BELLE Vue No.1 Matej Zagar has spoken of his nightmare evening in the Aces’ 36-57 defeat at Swindon on Thursday.The Slovenian says he wants to bounce back quickly for the club’s supporters after a new engine blew up in Heat 11, effectively ending his meeting.He said: “I was so disappointed with my personal performance. I had a brand new engine, only just back from the tuners, blow up on me and with the rest of my bikes still in New Zealand, that was the only one I had.“It meant I couldn’t take my place in Heat 13 which was very frustrating but truthfully I'm glad this has happened now rather than later on in the season, and I will definitely be looking to make it up to the fans the next time I'm racing.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
SHEFFIELD co-promoter Damien Bates says the Tigers’ home defeat to Scunthorpe on Thursday was a blip rather than a crisis.A big crowd watched as the Scorpions gave a master class to gain revenge for the defeat in North Lincolnshire last month.Bates said: “I’m disappointed with the result, not just as a management team but as a fan, and I’m still a massive fan. “We were delighted with the turnout and long may it continue, but some of the team are still getting to grips with the Sheffield track, especially the younger lads who have hardly ridden the place. I’m confident it’s just a blip in what has been a very encouraging start to the season and Scunthorpe were well and truly up for revenge.”(FIXTURES)
SATURDAY APRIL 12:ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Belle Vue 7.30, Leicester v Lakeside 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Berwick v Glasgow 7pm, Rye House v Somerset 7pm, Workington v Edinburgh 7pmSUNDAY APRIL 13:PREMIER LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Somerset 3pmLEAGUE CUP: Glasgow v Berwick 3pm, Newcastle v Sheffield 6.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Cradley (follows PL fixture)CHALLENGE: Stoke v Buxton 4pm
MONDAY APRIL 14:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Leicester 7.30, Poole v Coventry 8pm, Wolverhampton v King’s Lynn 7.30
TUESDAY APRIL 15:BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL: Cradley 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Peterborough v Plymouth 7.30
