(SPEEDWAY 1 – FRIDAY REVIEW)
SOMERSET dropped just three points in fifteen races on their way to a 72-20 demolition of Rye House in the only fixture on Friday to beat the weather.Brady Kurtz was one of five unbeaten riders for the Rebels, with the 17-year-old also going within half a second of the long-standing Oaktree Arena track record held by Leigh Adams in his opening ride.Somerset boss Garry May said: “To be honest, there is nothing much you can say about a performance like that apart from the fact that the boys were in absolutely superb form. The score-line and rider scores tell you everything you need to know about this match.”“Our boys were really on it, as the majority of race-times would show, and I doubt if many other clubs, let alone Rye House, could have lived with us being in the sort of form we showed tonight.”Rockets promoter Len Silver had no complaints about the outcome, with the visitors using the rider-replacement facility for No.1 Edward Kennett who was ruled out with a shoulder injury.Silver said: “20 points were as many as we deserved. Obviously, we missed Edward tremendously – he is the calibre of rider who would have scored points around here – and I think that with him in the side we could well have reached 30, but no more than that. They are just too powerful around their own track.“The only bright spark from a dark night was once again Oliver Greenwood, who rode extremely well for the few points he got.”
(SPEEDWAY 2 – SATURDAY PREVIEW)
LEICESTER welcome back World Cup stars Mads Korneliussen and Jason Doyle for Saturday’s Midlands derby against Wolverhampton at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium.The Lions do go into the match without Simon Stead due to Sheffield’s Premier League match at Berwick, but have booked Craig Cook to guest – whilst Nathan Greaves stands in for reserve Josh Bates.Wolves include Lasse Bjerre, who spent the last two seasons at Premier League level with the Lions and also had a brief spell in their team this year, and are keen to respond after a heavy home defeat to Poole on Monday.Leicester boss Norrie Allan said: “Lasse, we all know, was possibly the most exciting rider on Leicester’s books and in full flight around here there was no better spectacle. I am sure that on Saturday he will want to prove me wrong as to why we let him go after just four matches. “I hope that it all works out for Peter (Karlsson) and Lasse and they prove to be astute signings - but not until after we have ridden against them!”Wolves manager Peter Adams said: “We carried too many passengers on Monday and we need to hit back at Leicester. We have to show some resolve and we want to see character from the team because it was a pretty poor show on Monday.”Stead lines up for Sheffield at Shielfield Park, with the home side commencing a run of three home matches in eight days from which they will look to advance from their current fourth place.The visitors bring in Justin Sedgmen, Mason Campton and Chris Widman to cover for their acute injury problems.Berwick have achieved success this season despite an incredible total of 16 rain-offs both home and away, and co-promoter Dennis McCleary is calling on supporters to back their team.He said: “Our club is achieving great things on the track in 2014. What is now needed is for supporters to get behind them in greater numbers between now and season's end, and ensure the riders' achievements become the talk of the town, and the loudest noises heard around Shielfield are the merry clicking of our turnstiles.”Sheffield boss Joe Screen said: “It's going to be hard work with the injury problems we've got, but we've shown that with the right guests you can do well. We'll go there and give it our best shot and hopefully we can come away with something.”Rye House welcome Edward Kennett back for their home clash with Somerset at Hoddesdon – seeking a major improvement on their 20-72 humbling in the reverse fixture on Friday.Rockets promoter Len Silver said: “We’ve got to put this behind us, not get too downhearted and come out firing again on our own track.“I have spoken to Edward, who has been to see his physiotherapist. His shoulder injury has been determined as a trapped nerve, which has now been released. He is obviously still in some pain – but the sharp, shooting pain he experienced at Ipswich will now be gone – and he will be riding against the Rebels. That means we’ll be back to full strength, and it’s a huge boost to us.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
SHEFFIELD have signed former Birmingham rider Nico Covatti in a deal for the remainder of the season.Covatti, who impressed for Italy in the recent World Cup, comes in for Ty Proctor who is on the sidelines for at least the next month with a thigh injury, and will make his debut against Edinburgh at Owlerton on Thursday.Co-promoter Damien Bates said: “This is an exciting move for the club and it means we have two riders in our team who rode in the World Cup! Nico is super keen and was desperate to secure a new British club after Birmingham closed. We are delighted to welcome him.“You have to feel sorry for Ty. He came back from a serious injury this season and was just starting to find his feet, he showed a lot of courage to come back like he did after missing half a season.”(FIXTURES)
SATURDAY AUGUST 9:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Wolverhampton 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Sheffield 7pm, Rye House v Somerset 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Devon v Coventry OFF, Devon v Stoke OFF
SUNDAY AUGUST 10:PREMIER LEAGUE: Workington v Scunthorpe 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP: Glasgow v Newcastle 1.30, Newcastle v Glasgow 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE FOURS: Coventry 2.30
MONDAY AUGUST 11:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry 7.30, Eastbourne v Swindon 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Scunthorpe 6.30RETRO FOURS: Wolverhampton v Heathens v Birmingham v Oxford 7.30
TUESDAY AUGUST 12:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Edinburgh 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Mildenhall 7.30
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 13:ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Newcastle 7.30, Somerset v Edinburgh 7.30
