SATURDAY REVIEWEASTBOURNE got the better of South coast rivals Poole with a 50-40 win at Arlington in the only British fixture to take place on Saturday due to the weather.Bjarne Pedersen top-scored for the Eagles with an impressive 13+1 total in a solid Eagles team effort, with Darcy Ward picking up 10 for the Pirates.Manager Trevor Geer said: “Bjarne had a great night as did Danny Halsey. I have not seen him ride as well as that before. This team believes we can make the play-offs and we will be handing out some shocks when we start racing again after the World Cup break.”
The result moves fourth-placed Eastbourne to within a point of Lakeside and Poole in a close battle for Elite League play-off places.Co-promoter Mike Bellerby said: “It has been a great night for the club. We have seen some fabulous speedway and to top it all the crowd was our second highest of the year; beaten only by the Lakeside match on Good Friday.”
SUNDAY PREVIEWPETERBOROUGH chief Mick Horton is bullish over his club’s prospects of ending Edinburgh’s incredible unbeaten run at the Showground this afternoon.The Panthers operate rider replacement for sidelined number one Ryan Fisher and draft in Redcar ace Aaron Summers as a guest for Lasse Bjerre, who cannot find suitable travel back to the UK after competing in the opening round of the World Under 21 Final at Lonigo in Italy last night. Ales Dryml does return from a back injury.The 5pm Premier League clash is preceded by the British 125cc Final, taking place at 2.30pm and featuring several of the sport’s best young rising stars.Horton said: “I could not be more bullish about our chances of ending Edinburgh’s great run. I know we have a couple of important riders missing, but I seriously believe that we are capable of beating them around the Showground.“Our current league position does not do us justice. I’m convinced we will qualify for the play-offs and have a real go at winning the title. What better way to demonstrate that than by doing what no other team has managed to do and beat Edinburgh.”At Brough Park, the teams in the two final play-off places meet as sixth-placed Newcastle take on fifth-placed Berwick, with the Diamonds looking to bounce back from away defeats at Sheffield and Somerset this week – whilst the Bandits saw their KO Cup tie with Edinburgh on Saturday rained-off.Meanwhile Glasgow host Sheffield at Ashfield with both sides knowing they can make progress up the table with a positive result.Sheffield star Ty Proctor said: “We've got to go there aiming for at least a point and if we all perform hopefully we can get something.”In the National League, Buxton face Mildenhall at the Hi-Edge Raceway with Chris Widman standing in for unavailable No.1 Liam Carr for the home side, whilst the Fen Tigers bring in Lee Payne as a guest for Josh Bates with rider-replacement in operation for Joe Jacobs.Buxton’s Tom Woolley said: “I think Sunday will be another tough meeting especially without Liam and Ryan (Blacklock), but the last two meetings against Cradley and Coventry were both tough ones and we didn’t disgrace ourselves, we just need to carry on doing what we are doing and improving as a team and a unit.”Mildenhall chairman Kevin Jolly said: “This is a meeting we really need to win, and even though we are without two of our big hitters I am convinced that we can and should take all four points. The lads have really clicked in the last two meetings against Kent and they need to be in the same frame of mind on Sunday!”RYE HOUSE REVAMP LINE-UPRYE House have revamped their line-up with the return of Anders Mellgren to the club and Oliver Greenwood also joining the Rockets.Mellgren suffered back injuries in only his second match for Scunthorpe this season but has now returned to fitness, whilst Greenwood lost his place at Peterborough due to a recent collarbone injury. They replace Mathieu Tresarrieu and Stefan Nielsen, and subject to approval they will appear in the Rockets’ Northern tour next weekend.Promoter Len Silver said: “I am delighted that we have now been able to fit Anders into our team following a very satisfactory performance during Luke Bowen's Testimonial, and I am pleased too that we have been able to negotiate the addition of Oliver, thanks to great co-operation from Mick Horton at Coventry.“I am very sad that Mathieu has had to be sacrificed along with Stefan. Both of these riders are extremely personable and did their best for the club. I was not disappointed in either of them and they leave under no cloud whatever in regard to their ability. I would not hesitate to re-employ either of them if the opportunity arose, and I wish them well in their new fields.”
FIXTURESSUNDAY JULY 20:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Sheffield 3pm, Newcastle v Berwick 6.30, Peterborough v Edinburgh 5pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Mildenhall 3pmBRITISH 125cc FINAL: Peterborough 2.30MONDAY JULY 21:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Swindon 7.30, Wolverhampton v Lakeside 7.30THE LAURELS: Kent 6.30TUESDAY JULY 22:NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Coventry 7.30WEDNESDAY JULY 23:ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v King’s Lynn 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Berwick v Edinburgh 7.30
