(SPEEDWAY 1 – TUESDAY REVIEW)
PETERBOROUGH ran out 54-40 winners over Newcastle in a hugely entertaining televised Premier League clash at the Showground.The Panthers trailed early after the Diamonds’ Christian Henry equalled the fastest-ever PL time at the venue in Heat 1, but the visitors lost Swedish star Anton Rosen with heavy bruising after a fearful crash with team-mate Chris Schramm in Heat 9.Henry and Ludvig Lindgren kept Newcastle in contention with a 5-1 in Heat 11 but Peterborough secured victory on the night when Ryan Fisher held Lindgren at bay by the narrowest of margins in Heat 13, and a penultimate race 5-1 from Ulrich Ostergaard and Joe Jacobs made sure of all three points.Peterborough chief Mick Horton said: “It was the perfect night for the club. We picked up our first Premier League win and we could hardly have done it in better style.“That has to go down as one of the best meetings I’ve ever seen and it proves yet again why I always say that the East of England Showground is the best racetrack in the country.”Newcastle manager George English said: “Our lads rode better than the result would suggest and we did have to field a degree of bad luck, not least the awful engine gremlins Lewis Kerr was suffering with an unprecedented four stoppages in four races which cannot be allowed to continue, and the unavoidable crash that saw Chris lift and crash into Anton, who was exceptionally lucky to get away with nothing more than a good battering. We should have taken a point at least from this but it was not to be.”In the National League, Cradley had five riders unbeaten as they ran up a club record 71-19 win over Buxton at Monmore Green.Heathens boss Will Pottinger said: “We've got to be really happy with that - we were always expected to get the win but not by such a huge margin. Full credit to all seven riders for what was a brilliant performance and a record-breaking win in the end.”Buxton skipper Liam Carr said: “Cradley are a class act. It was always going to be a tough opener as we hadn’t ridden and it was their fifth meeting. It was good for the team to get some track time and I’m very much looking forward to the Stoke meeting on Sunday - at least the team escaped without injury or damage to equipment.”(SPEEDWAY 2 – WEDNESDAY PREVIEW)
SEVEN more automatic qualification places for the British Final will be decided on Wednesday as Rye House host the second semi-final at Hoddesdon (7.30pm).World Champion Tai Woffinden heads the field on his old home circuit with the Rockets represented by Steve Boxall, Luke Bowen and Jason Garrity. Nearby Lakeside also have three riders in the field - Lewis Bridger, Richard Lawson and Adam Ellis. LINE-UP: Tai Woffinden, Adam Ellis, Lewis Bridger, Richie Worrall, Steve Boxall, Olly Allen, Josh Auty, Lewis Blackbird, Richard Lawson, Ritchie Hawkins, Carl Wilkinson, Jason Garrity, Luke Bowen, Ashley Birks, Leigh Lanham, Stefan Nielsen.In the Elite League, Poole promoter Matt Ford is warning his side to be on their guard against Birmingham at Wimborne Road, with the Brummies under pressure after a disappointing start to the season.Ford said: “Some of their riders will be riding for their futures if recent reports from the Birmingham management are anything to go by.“There will be no complacency in the home camp. We beat them by 21 points in Elite League Play-off final first leg the last time they were here. I will be happy with anything above an eight-point win and three Elite League points.”The Pirates are set to welcome back reserves Kyle Newman and Lee Smart who both missed Monday’s trip to Belle Vue, whilst Birmingham have named Edward Kennett at No.1 as they again seek the winning formula with a trip to Swindon to follow tomorrow.Promoter Alan Phillips said: “Every rider in the team knows they are under scrutiny and we are looking for the right attitude in these two meetings.“The clock is ticking and with May coming and a new set of averages we can look at our options again. I want to see who wants to stay with Birmingham Speedway over the next two nights.”Elsewhere, Leicester are forced into two changes due to injuries ahead of their trip to high-flying King’s Lynn.Ryan Fisher replaces Patrick Hougaard, who remains on the sidelines with a broken thumb, whilst Sam Masters stands in for Peter Ljung who suffered damage to his hand in a crash last weekend. The visitors include Mads Korneliussen and Simon Stead, who both rode for the Stars in 2013.Lions boss Norrie Allan said: “King’s Lynn went about their team building in a different way to Leicester. Whereas they have top-end strength we went for a more even spread of scoring throughout the side. After our performance against Eastbourne at the weekend we will be approaching the match in a positive mood.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
GLASGOW are hoping for good news on exciting French teenager Dimitri Berge after a heavy crash at Ashfield last weekend.Berge tangled with Peterborough’s Lasse Bjerre in Heat 15 and was subsequently admitted to hospital due to pain in his side, back and wrist, although it is believed he escaped with no broken bones.Tigers co-promoter Colin Hamilton said: “We're very mindful that we want him to make a speedy recovery, for his own good, and when the time comes - whenever that may be - we can review what his position is. We wish him all the best."“He's been really enjoying racing for Glasgow and wants to continue to do that. We just hope that he gets better quickly and then we get to a position where he can decide and we can talk to him about continuing his development, but that's down the line. We'll just need to see how he gets on this week.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
SHEFFIELD newcomer Ty Proctor says he can’t wait to get started for the club against Berwick at Owlerton on Thursday.Proctor, who initially had a Premier League team place with Somerset this season before a change of heart from the Rebels, is backing the Tigers to challenge for silverware.He said: “I’m looking forward to helping to bring along the likes of Taylor Poole, Simon Nielsen and Josh Bates, so I just can't wait to get started. “In my opinion this is a team capable of winning the Premier League, so I just want to try and do my bit now to make that happen.”
(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY APRIL 30:BRITISH SEMI-FINAL: Rye House 7.30ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Leicester 7.30, Poole v Birmingham 7.30
THURSDAY MAY 1:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Birmingham 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Edinburgh 7.30, Redcar v Somerset 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Sheffield v Berwick 7.45
FRIDAY MAY 2:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Scunthorpe 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Plymouth v Peterborough 7.15, Somerset v Ipswich 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Kent 7.30
