COVENTRY ended Poole’s unbeaten home record – which stretched back to last August – with an astonishing comeback to snatch a 48-47 win at Wimborne Road.The Pirates led by twelve points with five heats to go, with their heat leaders in dominant form, but an 8-1 from Kenneth Hansen and Hans Andersen in Heat 11 brought the Bees back into contention.The visitors then reeled off a series of 4-2s with a dramatic finale seeing Darcy Ward crash out of Heat 15 before Andersen headed Przemyslaw Pawlicki in the re-run with Hansen third to turn the meeting around.Coventry promoter Mick Horton said: “The way we came back was amazing. Poole aren’t going to lose many around here, if any, but the tactical ride was the turning point. All of a sudden they were looking over their shoulders and we had the belief, and we had them rocking.“Any team that comes here and gets a point is over the moon, because Poole are a great side. But Hans Andersen’s second bend in Heat 15 was out of this world, and we got the win we thoroughly deserved.”Elsewhere in the Elite League, Birmingham secured maximum points for the first time this season with a 52-44 win over Eastbourne at Perry Barr.The Brummies required a sensational ride by Ben Barker in Heat 15 to prevent the Eagles from leaving with a point, as the home man surged inside visiting No.1 Bjarne Pedersen on the final turn.Birmingham boss Jack Lee said: “Fair play to all the riders, they pulled together and managed to get the job done. They did it the hard way a lot of the time coming from behind but it was a great performance.“This shows we can do it, so we just need to take a lot of confidence from tonight and keep moving forward. We are smiling for a change and we are all on a high so hopefully this can be a sign of things to come.”In the Premier League, Ipswich took all three points from a 41-34 win over Redcar in a meeting curtailed after Heat 12 due to heavy rain.Morten Risager (11) top-scored for the Witches whilst Bears No.1 Richard Lawson won all three of his races, including a tactical ride in Heat 11 which brought his side into contention for a point – but a 4-2 for the home team in what turned out to be the last race of the night proved crucial.Ipswich boss Chris Louis said: “It was another solid team performance and I have no complaints. Despite the weather it was a good meeting and a special mention should go to Morten and Gino (Manzares) who were impressive again.”
(SPEEDWAY 2 – THURSDAY PREVIEW)
KING’S Lynn have booked World Champion Tai Woffinden to guest for the injured Kenneth Bjerre in their Norfolk Arena showdown with Poole on Thursday.The Stars will also continue to use Darren Mallet at reserve with Lewis Rose on the sidelines, whilst the Pirates have confirmed No.1 Darcy Ward is fit to ride despite his Heat 15 crash at Wimborne Road on Wednesday.Lynn promoter Buster Chapman said: “We will go into the meeting with confidence, we've not been beaten at home this season. Poole are a strong side who are not too far behind us in the table, but I am confident we can continue our fine form and race to another home win.“The support this season has been fantastic and it would be great to see a large crowd on Thursday getting behind the team and cheering them on to victory.”Swindon boss Alun Rossiter admits his side need home meetings as they prepare to return to Abbey Stadium action against Leicester.Rossiter said: “We really need the home matches. People keep forgetting we’ve raced the vast majority away so far, we seem to have hardly done any at home whereas various other teams’ points totals are inflated because of racing a lot at home.”Leicester hand a seasonal debut to Lasse Bjerre whilst Ben Barker and Sam Masters guest for Patrick Hougaard and Simon Stead respectively, and Jason Doyle and Mads Korneliussen face their parent club. Simon Lambert stands in for the injured Tom Perry.Lions boss Norrie Allan said: “We are not fooled by where Swindon sit in the league table and will give them every respect, but we are going there with the intention of at least picking up a point and have Jason and Mads who have ridden for Swindon in the past so we have some experience in the side.”In the Premier League Redcar and Ipswich compete for the second time in 24 hours, with the Witches having gained all three points from a 41-34 success in a rain-curtailed fixture at Foxhall on Wednesday.Bears boss Jitendra Duffill said: “We need to make sure we win the home leg on Thursday and ideally take all three points available to us. Good home form is of paramount importance if we are to reach the play offs at the end of the season and we don't want to throw away any of the hard earned points from the superb performance at Newcastle on Sunday.”Meanwhile Sheffield make a third attempt to host Berwick in the Knockout Cup after two previous postponements, with the Bandits 18-points ahead from the first leg.Tigers skipper Simon Stead said: “My form has been good and I’m really pleased with that, but it’s a team sport so you win together and lose together. It’s all well and good me going out and scoring 14 or 15 points, but if the team doesn’t win it’s kind of irrelevant.“I’ll just be trying hard to work with the guys to get everyone up to speed to make sure we do a lot more winning.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
LAKESIDE have responded to their home defeat by King’s Lynn with a change of riding order for their next Elite League fixture at Purfleet.The Hammers face Poole on Saturday and have switched skipper Davey Watt to the No.1 position, with Peter Karlsson moving to No.3.Lakeside boss Neil Vatcher said: “Since Mikkel Bech’s average forced a change of pairings we haven't looked in tune on track with our partnerships, and by moving PK and Watty around we hope we find a bit more harmony.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
WORKINGTON co-promoter Laura Morgan says the Comets’ League Cup semi-final against Peterborough promises to be an exciting contest.The Derwent Park side made it into the last four with their win at Glasgow last weekend, whilst the other semi features group winners Edinburgh and Sheffield.Morgan said: “Whoever we were drawn against was going to be tough but they really do look to be two great semi-finals. “We are delighted to be involved, especially as some pundits thought our chances had gone when we lost to Edinburgh earlier in the competition. Although we have already beaten Peterborough at Derwent Park this season that counts for nothing at all and, in many ways, means that they will be better prepared for their visit this time around.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
EDINBURGH are optimistic of having American rider Aaron Fox available for Friday’s home Premier League fixture against Newcastle.Fox sustained a bad leg gash in an accident last Friday but the damage was not as serious as first feared, with stitches inserted to bind the wound.Now he is hoping to help the Monarchs extend their remarkable winning run at the start of the season to 13 matches.Fox said: “It’s not too bad, it’s not sore, the only thing I am worried about is it opening up but I think with tape and a good wrap I should be OK.”(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY MAY 22:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Poole 7.30, Swindon v Leicester 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Ipswich 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Sheffield v Berwick 7.45
FRIDAY MAY 23:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, Plymouth v Scunthorpe 7.15, Somerset v Sheffield 7.30, Workington v Berwick 7.30
SATURDAY MAY 24:ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Swindon 7.30, Lakeside v Poole 8pm, Leicester v Birmingham 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Scunthorpe 7pm
SUNDAY MAY 25:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Edinburgh 3pm, Newcastle v Ipswich 6.30, Rye House v Plymouth 2pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Buxton 3.30
