Monday May 5, 2014(SPEEDWAY 1 – SUNDAY REVIEW)

WORKINGTON overcame the absence of former Newcastle star Rene Bach to post a sensational 49-44 win at Brough Park in their first Premier League away fixture.Comets No.1 Josh Grajczonek was again in dominant form with a five-ride paid maximum, with Ricky Wells (13+1) and Kyle Howarth (9) adding strong support.The Diamonds hit back in mid-meeting with a tactical ride success from top-scorer Lewis Kerr (12), but ran out of race winners as the visitors took victory.Workington boss Tony Jackson said: “It was a fantastic night for the Comets and our large amount of travelling supporters. Newcastle is always a tough place to come, but to win without Rene was a bit special.“To provide the race winner in the first seven heats was in all honesty unexpected, although we then got a little worried when the Diamonds hit back with an 8-1 in Heat 8, but we hung on to our lead right to the very end. To finish the night having had twelve race winners at Brough Park is something very rare indeed, which proves that it was a full team effort, but special praise must go to Josh whose five-ride paid maximum was the foundation for our success.”Newcastle boss George English said: “This was a disaster in terms of our gating, ability to pass and our ability to pass the chequered flag in first place – which we did only on three occasions out of 15. This situation is plainly far, far from satisfactory and it has to be rectified as this was only our third League match, but things have got to improve rapidly!”Glasgow continued their steady improvement with a 51-39 win over Redcar at Ashfield, fired-up by a stunning 18-point haul from reserve Anders Thomsen. The Tigers took their win comfortably despite a 15-point maximum from Bears No.1 Richard Lawson.Thomsen said: “This is a big step for me. I bought a new engine on Saturday and I rode in Germany in a big meeting. It’s so quick, and it worked for me. I think we will win more meetings now, and when Dimitri (Berge) comes back we will have such a strong team.”Rye House completed the Southern group of the League Cup with a 49-43 win over Peterborough, although the result did not affect the overall standings with the Panthers progressing to the semi-finals.Edward Kennett (14) and Jason Garrity (12+1) led the way for the Rockets, and Garrity said: “I feel so much better on the bike now again. Everything is coming back. My engines came back for the British Semi-Final, and I had a good night there, and I felt that I could go out and give it a real go again today.”Peterborough co-boss Trevor Swales said: “We had a number of things go against us and they were the difference between a narrow defeat and a win. All in all we can count ourselves unlucky not to get more from the meeting, but we have accomplished our target of going through to the semi-finals as group winners.”In the National League, Dan Halsey and Brendan Johnson both scored maximums as Mildenhall overcame Devon 60-33 at West Row.Fen Tigers chairman Kevin Jolly said: “Brendan’s performance was exactly the reason why we signed him, we know he is a good gater and his performance today was a big boost to him and the club. His ability in the middle order could well make a big difference to our chances of winning trophies and today he was excellent.”Stoke, meanwhile, ran up a bumper scoreline at Buxton with a 64-30 success including a paid maximum for Chris Widman (10+2) and 14 points from veteran Jon Armstrong.Buxton manager Jayne Moss said: “You can see an improvement even since the Cradley meeting. Stoke are a very experienced team and it was always going to be tough, but there is cause for optimism for the matches to come.”(SPEEDWAY 2 – MONDAY PREVIEW)

WORLD Champion Tai Woffinden will take his place in Wolverhampton’s team for their Bank Holiday clash with Poole – despite a crash in Poland on Sunday.Woffinden suffered should damage and has delayed his return to the UK in order to have physiotherapy, but will still line up at Monmore Green.Promoter Chris Van Straaten said: “We are naturally relieved that Tai will be riding for us, even if he will be in some discomfort. He will stay for treatment in Poland and get a later flight.”Poole, meanwhile, make two changes at reserve with Charles Wright and Kyle Newman coming in for the injured Kyle Newman and the unavailable Lee Smart. Newman, who rode in last week’s home match against Birmingham, admits he is still struggling with a thigh injury.He said: “I think I am paying the price for returning too soon. Unfortunately that fall in Heat 2 against Birmingham certainly didn't help. I am going to have to take more notice of my head and not my heart and make sure I am fully ready before trying to ride again.”Coventry host Lakeside at Brandon with the Bees keen to hit back against the Elite League leaders, having suffered a 44-51 defeat at Purfleet on Saturday – whilst the Hammers can extend their advantage beyond the current three-point margin with a positive result.Bees star Kenneth Hansen said: “We were so close to getting a point on Saturday and I really feel sorry about the last race, we wanted a 4-2 and I felt like I let the team down although I tried my hardest.“Unfortunately we didn’t get the point but now we’re hungry for Monday, we want to repay the favour and that’s what we’re going to do.”Swindon and Birmingham are both desperate to regain ground on the pace-setters as the clubs in ninth and tenth place meet at the Abbey Stadium, with admission reduced to £10 for adults.Robins reserve Steve Worrall faces a rapid dash from his afternoon Premier League fixture for Scunthorpe, whilst the Brummies include Kalle Katajisto as a guest for the unavailable Daniel Nermark.Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “As soon as it was off on Thursday we looked at the forecast for the Bank Holiday and we immediately decided to go for Monday. We hope the gesture of slashing admission prices will see the Abbey Stadium packed for what should be a good meeting.”Birmingham owner Alan Phillips said: “Obviously it’s a blow to lose Daniel, but we will go to Swindon to give it our best and we thank Kalle for coming into the side. It will be interesting to see how he goes.”In the Premier League, Scunthorpe make their attempt to become the first team to stop Edinburgh this season – and boss Dave Peet is optimistic that the Scorpions can do just that.He said: “We can beat Edinburgh. The Monarchs are a strong team, but so are we, and our riders will want to prove themselves after the defeat we suffered at Edinburgh on Friday.”Ipswich and Newcastle meet at Foxhall with both sides looking to hit back from disappointing results earlier this weekend, with the Witches having been heavily beaten at Somerset and the Diamonds losing out at home to Workington.In the National League, Scunthorpe take on Devon in the second half of a double-header at the Eddie Wright Raceway.Meanwhile Kent will be without injured duo Benji Compton (hand) and Brandon Freemantle (concussion) for their home clash with Mildenhall, who operate the rider-replacement facility for the unavailable Joe Jacobs.Fen Tigers chairman Kevin Jolly said: “We head to Kent for the Bank Holiday meeting in good form and I am sure we can give a good account of ourselves and come away with something positive from the meeting.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

LAKESIDE and Ipswich youngster Adam Ellis just missed out on a place in the World Under-21 Final after competing in Saturday’s qualifier in Germany.18-year-old Ellis, who recently took the runners-up spot in the British Under-21 Final, finished eighth in the Straslund meeting on eight points, including a race win in his final outing.GB Youth co-boss Neil Vatcher said: “It was a very creditable performance from Adam in a very tough semi-final. He was left to rue one last place, as he only missed out on qualification by two points.”British hopes now rest with Josh Bates and Stefan Nielsen, who compete in their qualifier at Leicester on Saturday May 10.

(SPEEDWAY 4)

BENJI Compton is facing over a month on the sidelines and will therefore be ruled out of Kent’s forthcoming fixture schedule.Compton has been diagnosed with a broken scaphoid, and although he was able to complete a match for the Kings at Coventry on Friday, he pulled out after one ride at Stoke the following evening.Compton said: “I had crashed out while guesting for Swindon at Lakeside the previous Friday and hurt my hand, but thought it was just muscle damage. So I rode up at Coventry because I didn’t want to let the boys down in such a hard match; but the truth is my hand was in complete agony there. “Up at Stoke it was just as bad and then when I fell in my opening ride I knew I needed to seek a medical opinion. I got myself to hospital and they’ve diagnosed a broken scaphoid. It looks like I’m out of action for up to five weeks – I am completely gutted that this has happened.”

(FIXTURES)

MONDAY MAY 5:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Lakeside 7.30, Swindon v Birmingham 7.30, Wolverhampton v Poole 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Newcastle 2.30, Scunthorpe v Edinburgh 3pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Mildenhall 3pm, Scunthorpe v Devon (follows PL fixture)

TUESDAY MAY 6:PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Edinburgh 7.30

WEDNESDAY MAY 7:ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Wolverhampton 7.30, Poole v Belle Vue 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Buxton 7.30

THURSDAY MAY 8:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Redcar v Plymouth 7.30, Sheffield v Berwick 7.45

FRIDAY MAY 9:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Swindon 7.30, Lakeside v Wolverhampton 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Somerset v Workington 7.30