(SPEEDWAY 1 – TUESDAY REVIEW)
BERWICK took maximum points over Premier League leaders Edinburgh at Shielfield Park in a match marred by an horrific crash in Heat 14.Home rider Matthew Wethers clipped the rear wheel of the Monarchs’ Aaron Fox, causing both to fall with Wethers flying over the fence. He suffered a sore hip and concussion.The meeting itself saw the Bandits race into a 39-21 lead after ten races only for the Monarchs to fight back strongly, and their 5-0 in the re-run of Heat 14 – with Alex Edberg having already come to grief – took the match to a last-heat decider at 43-40.But David Bellego and Matej Kus secured a 5-1 in the finale over Craig Cook and Justin Sedgmen to leave the final score at 48-41 and give Berwick all three points as they moved up to third place in the table.Bandits boss John Anderson said: “This was a superb match with a superb result, that had the edge completely wiped off it with that horrendous crash in Heat 14 which saw Matty fly over the fence. “We know he was complaining of hip pain, and we await to hear the full extent of his injury and wish him well for a good recovery as we do indeed equally to Aaron Fox who also needed treatment, but that overshadowed the match and the result which paled into insignificance.”(SPEEDWAY 2 – WEDNESDAY PREVIEW)
POOLE promoter Matt Ford has described his team’s current run of form as “superb” – as the Pirates prepare to host play-off rivals Lakeside at Wimborne Road.The Pirates go into the meeting second in the Elite League table, with the visitors one place and six points behind, with a match in hand.Ford said: “There is a lot left to do this year, nothing has been won yet and it there will be many more twists and turns flowing between now and the end of the season, of that I am certain. “But equally, I have always endeavoured to speak candidly. And it must be said, we have been superb. I have seen some sensational displays in my time but Middlo’s (Neil Middleditch) men have been on fire. Fantastic is the one word that can describe our performances both at Wolves and at home last week.”In the Premier League, the top two teams clash at the Oaktree Arena – and Somerset can take over from Edinburgh at the summit if they take maximum points from the meeting.Rebels promoter Debbie Hancock said: “We really want the Oaktree Arena to be full of Somerset fans. We have had some real classic matches against the Monarchs over the past few seasons, and this match has all the hallmarks of it being another to add to that list.“Outside of the actual play-offs, matches don’t come any bigger than this. Our boys have been excellent all year, especially at home, and have hit a good run of form which has taken us into second place, hot on the heels of the Monarchs, so the call is for all Somerset fans to get to the Oaktree Arena on Wednesday and get right behind the team for this top of the table clash.”Rye House also race a midweek fixture at home, with Newcastle making the trip to Hoddesdon as the Rockets look to get off the bottom of the table, whilst the Diamonds need points on the road to maintain their top six place.Rockets boss John Sampford said: “They are a better side than their League record may suggest, with the likes of Danny King, Stuart Robson, Ludvig Lindgren and last year’s rider of the year Lewis Kerr in there.“We’ll be coming out fighting, though. We really want to prove what might have been last Saturday, and that this side can get results against the better teams.”
(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 13:ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Newcastle 7.30, Somerset v Edinburgh 7.30
THURSDAY AUGUST 14:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Poole 7.30, Swindon v Eastbourne 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Edinburgh 7.30JULIE LEWIS TROPHY: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY AUGUST 15:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 7.30, Lakeside v Belle Vue 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Somerset 7.30, Plymouth v Rye House 7.15, Scunthorpe v Sheffield 7.30
SATURDAY AUGUST 16:ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Coventry 7.30, Leicester v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Somerset 7pm, Rye House v Ipswich 7pm, Workington v Newcastle 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Devon 7pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 17:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Somerset 3pm, Newcastle v Edinburgh 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Kent 3pm, Mildenhall v Cradley 3.30, Mildenhall v Scunthorpe (follows previous fixture)
