(SPEEDWAY 1 – MONDAY REVIEW)
LEICESTER recovered from a seven-point deficit to snatch a dramatic 45-44 win over Eastbourne in the first televised meeting at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium.The Eagles led 39-32 with three races to go but had lost Danish star Mikkel Michelsen after a heavy crash in Heat 10, and 5-1s from Lions duo Jason Doyle and Krzysztof Buczkowski in Heats 13 and 15 enabled the home side to turn the meeting around.Doyle completed a paid maximum in the final race as he just held off the challenge of Eastbourne No.1 Bjarne Pedersen, whose late outside move fell just short.Leicester promoter David Hemsley said: “Both teams lost points through falls and exclusions and on balance I am sure that Eastbourne will have felt robbed of a win, but we had the resolve to keep believing we could do it and we delivered. “From where I was standing it looked as though Bjarne Pedersen had caught Jason Doyle on the line and so too did the Eastbourne team, but on the replay I could see that there was something like nearly a bike's length difference. “It was a wonderful advert for speedway and the feedback we received from the Sky Sports production team afterwards was that they were delighted with the whole show and how we made them feel so welcome on their first visit to the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium. Let's hope that Leicester is the venue for more transmissions this season.”Meanwhile Wolverhampton returned to winning ways with a 48-45 victory over Belle Vue at Monmore, with the Aces’ strong finish to the meeting seeing them secure an away point – to the frustration of home boss Peter Adams.Piotr Pawlicki returned from injury for Wolves with 13 points, although a fatigued Tai Woffinden struggled, whilst Matej Zagar dropped just one point for the visitors on his way to a 17-point total as they scored on the road for the first time since their previous trip to Monmore over Easter.Adams said: “We're obviously very disappointed, as we need to be taking all three points from our home meetings. It's a blow to drop more points at home, and the fact Tai was clearly completely worn out and ill cost us in the end.“The points he dropped were the difference unfortunately for us, and it's frustrating we couldn't get all three points.”In the National League, Cradley extended their lead at the top of the table with a 41-37 win at Kent in a meeting curtailed one race short due to the curfew.That was following a series of incidents including the most unusual outcome of a 0-0 in Heat 2 as all four riders failed to complete the race.Guest Ben Hopwood top-scored for the Heathens with 12 points whilst Steve Worrall was unbeaten from his four rides, and Simon Lambert picked up 12 for the Kings.Cradley boss Will Pottinger said: “This was a fantastic effort from such a depleted side. I wasn't happy about having to go there with half a team, but Ben Hopwood was a great guest for us.“We move on to our next home meeting at Wolverhampton against Coventry next Tuesday which I expect to be the toughest meeting of the season. We will be at full strength for that and we need to be.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
KING’S Lynn have dubbed their home fixture with Leicester this week as ‘Pink Wednesday’ in support of captain Rory Schlein’s charity efforts.The Australian is raising money for Breast Cancer Care, and fans of both sides are urged to wear pink at the Norfolk Arena.Schlein said: “Buster (Chapman) kindly agreed that we could have this fixture as ‘Pink Wednesday’ which means that supporters are asked to come to the meeting wearing something pink, if they do then they could win a special prize.“Both teams will be in special one-off pink race jackets that will be auctioned off after the meeting. Local company Adrian Flux will be sending six FluxBabes along to help with the fund-raising - make sure you come along, join in and help raise money for a fantastic charity.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BIRMINGHAM’S Elite League neighbours Coventry and Wolverhampton, along with Premier League Scunthorpe and National League Cradley, will all honour Brummies season tickets at their venues.The Perry Barr side’s 2014 season is over after efforts to secure a promoter willing to take the club forward were ended unsuccessfully, although hopes remain high that they could return this year.The Brummies’ two most local rivals – the Bees and the Wolves - have both confirmed deals for season ticket holders, whilst Birmingham reserve Paul Starke leads Cradley in the National League.And Scunthorpe have offered Brummies fans the chance to again visit the Eddie Wright Raceway, four years after their last appearance at the venue in the Premier League.
(SPEEDWAY 4)
PETERBOROUGH all-time great Ryan Sullivan will make one last appearance at the East of England Showground on Sunday (July 20).The Australian ace, who starred as both rider and manager for the Panthers, will be present for their mouth-watering showdown against unbeaten Premier League leaders Edinburgh before he returns to his native country later this summer.Co-promoter Trevor Swales said: “Hopefully the fans will take advantage of their last chance to say goodbye to the greatest rider in Peterborough history. Ryan was not only a terrific performer on the track, he has always been a top guy off it.“It goes without saying that everyone at Peterborough wishes him a very happy move back to Australia in the next few weeks.”
(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY JULY 16:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Wolverhampton 8pm, Birmingham v Lakeside OFF, King’s Lynn v Leicester 7.30
THURSDAY JULY 17:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Leicester 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Glasgow 7.30, Redcar v Workington 7.30, Sheffield v Newcastle 7.30
FRIDAY JULY 18:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Belle Vue 7.30, Lakeside v Eastbourne 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Workington 7.30, Plymouth v Glasgow 7.15, Scunthorpe v Rye House 7.30, Somerset v Newcastle 7.30
