(SPEEDWAY 1 – FRIDAY REVIEW)

POOLE have moved to within two points of Elite League leaders King’s Lynn after a dramatic 45-45 draw at Lakeside on Friday.The Pirates looked set for victory as they were 44-40 up going into the last race – and despite Maciej Janowski being disqualified from Heat 15 after falling, guest Peter Kildemand looked set to take victory in the re-run.However, Lewis Bridger moved inside Kildemand on the final bend and the Dane shed a chain, allowing Danny King through for second place to draw the meeting.Bridger scored 13 for the Hammers, who are two points outside the play-offs with just a trip to King’s Lynn remaining, whilst in-form Fast Track reserve Kyle Newman racked up 14+2 for the Pirates, with colleague Benji Compton withdrawn after a Heat 2 crash.In the Premier League, Somerset overcame an early scare against Berwick to defeat the Bandits and extend their lead at the top of the table back to seven points.The visitors raced into an impressive eight-point lead after six races, but four successive 5-1s for the home side turned the meeting and they finished with a convincing 56-34 victory, led by Nick Morris (15+2) and impressive guest Rasmus Jensen (14+1).Somerset boss Garry May said: “We were certainly struggling in those opening heats, but it is a sign of the character of this team in that they came back from being those eight points down to win this match with comparative ease.“For some reason it took a while for us to get into our usual stride and Berwick took full advantage of that, and for a while they had us on the back foot, but the boys got it together and from about halfway on, there was only really one team in it.”Berwick manager John Anderson said: “We made a cracking start to this match and caught Somerset off guard with David Bellego taking two great wins in his first two and Claus Vissing two paid wins with him whilst Matej Kus also weighed in with two victories.“But mid-match the home side seemed to visibly re-group and hit back hard, and we were left floundering to a degree despite some hard and exciting racing.”Edinburgh overcame the early loss of Steve Worrall to run up an emphatic 67-27 win over Sheffield, maintaining third place and with several matches in hand on the teams above them.Craig Cook and Sam Masters were unbeaten from the Monarchs with Derek Sneddon (13+3) recording his highest score of the season, whilst Simon Stead (10) was the Tigers’ only heat winner.Edinburgh boss Alex Harkess said: “As far as we know Stevie’s withdrawal was precautionary and nothing serious, we are hopeful he will be at Rye House tomorrow (Saturday).”Sheffield manager Joe Screen said: “We always knew it was going to be a tough night, and that proved to be the case. We were disappointed we couldn't push them closer, but it was just a bad night all-around for us.“It was definitely one we'd rather forget, so we've just got to put it behind us and move on to the next one now.”Nicolai Klindt broke the track record at the Eddie Wright Raceway as Scunthorpe virtually confirmed their play-off spot with a 58-36 win over Peterborough.David Howe (14+1) scored his third maximum of the season in a solid team display, whilst Ulrich Ostergaard (16) dominated the Panthers’ scoring as their disappointing week on the road continued.Scorpions star Josh Auty said: “The boys seem to be happy with things at the moment. It’s all about getting into the play-offs – and it looks like we are now going to be in those, which is great.“We’ve started to pick up some points on the road, which is a massive help. Some of the tracks we’ve been to - or will be going to - will be in the play-offs, so it’s a good chance to get dialled in, in terms of set-up.”Peterborough manager Carl Johnson said: “I certainly think we would have got a lot closer if Lasse Bjerre and Ales Dryml had been available, but there is no denying the fact that our away performances have been nowhere near good enough in the past week.“Every bad result is making it that bit harder for us to get ourselves up into the play-offs.”

(SPEEDWAY 2 – SATURDAY PREVIEW)

EASTBOURNE host Elite League leaders King’s Lynn at Arlington in the final home fixture of the regular campaign – with the Eagles desperate to make up ground in the race for the play-offs.Trevor Geer’s side can move into the top four with a win, depending on the result at Leicester, and all of their remaining six matches are then away from home.Mikkel Michelsen has been ruled out for the Eagles after a crash in Denmark this week, and he is replaced by Lewis Bridger, whilst the Stars include Scott Nicholls as a guest for the injured Niels-Kristian Iversen.Geer said: “Three points is an absolute must on Saturday. If we fall short, our play-off hopes will take a serious blow.“This is going down to the wire, make no mistake. There is no doubt we need to win away from home to have a chance of getting into the play-offs. Our record on our travels has been poor and there has never been a better time to put that right.”Swindon currently hold fourth place with three matches remaining, and they face a tough trip to Leicester whose recent home form has been good – although a depleted Robins team did win on their last visit to the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium.The Lions will bring in Danny King as a guest for the injured Krzysztof Buczkowski, whilst the Robins are searching for a replacement for unavailable Fast Track reserve Steve Worrall.Swindon manager Alun Rossiter said: “Obviously it's frustrating for us because it's a big meeting for Swindon and we need to go there looking for points.“But we will go there and give it our best, the boys are in a confident mood and we know the prize is a place in the play-offs.”Leicester boss Norrie Allan said: “There will be more pressure on them than us as Swindon cannot afford to drop points because three other clubs are also in the running for a semi-final place, and we want to keep our home winning sequence going. “We showed against Coventry last week that we now have a team to match anyone at Leicester and with Jason Doyle returning I am optimistic that we can win this one.”A big night of Premier League racing sees leaders Somerset visit Workington in the second half of a double header in Cumbria.Glasgow will be on first at Derwent Park with the teams ninth and tenth in the table – and Glasgow boss Stewart Dickson says the weekend matches against the Comets will be crucial to the Tigers’ hopes of snatching the final play-off place, and they won on a recent visit to the venue.Dickson said: “It's the old cliche of taking one match at a time. When we go down to Workington, they're going to be so pumped up to beat us - because I know if it happened the other way around, I'd have my riders so fired up for revenge.“But Workington win at Glasgow a lot as well, so it's going to be a big weekend of speedway.”Second-placed Ipswich visit Plymouth, who have recruited Stuart Robson to guest for the injured Ben Barker, whilst the Witches are waiting on Gino Manzares after a crash on Thursday – and the meeting is also a prelude to a KO Cup semi-final between the clubs.Plymouth co-promoter Ashley Taylor said: “This is a big meeting because of the added importance of those future cup ties. Ipswich have a good record at Plymouth and they know they have the chance to give themselves a psychological advantage.”Edinburgh, in third place, visit Rye House who have been boosted by their displays this week with a home win over Peterborough and a point gained on the road at Redcar as they bid to stay clear of the foot of the table.Rockets boss John Sampford said: “It will be the toughest challenge of all. Edinburgh have a wealth of talent and so many different ways in which they can get you. But our performances against Peterborough and at Redcar showed that we are really up for it.”Meanwhile Berwick and Scunthorpe are both set for the play-offs as they meet at Shielfield Park, with Hugh Skidmore named by the Scorpions as their guest for Nicolai Klindt who is racing in the Elite League.Bandits boss John Anderson said: “Scunny have clearly been checking results, and are aware of young Skiddy's abilities around here. The Scorpions will be a stiff test, but we’re looking forward to it.”In the National League, King’s Lynn will use rider-replacement for the retired Darren Mallett when they visit Stoke looking to keep their top-four hopes alive.And the nation’s best youngsters are on show at Redcar this afternoon with the final round of the British Youth Championships, which will also include trophy presentations for class winners Luke Harris and Lewis Whitmore.

(SPEEDWAY 3)

BIRMINGHAM fans will have a rider to support at the Elite League Riders’ Championship later this month.Skipper Danny King, who has now been fixed up with Lakeside following the closure of the Brummies in July, has been handed a wildcard for the event at King’s Lynn on Thursday, September 25.The move has been made as a goodwill gesture from Elite League bosses and a show of support for the efforts to bring the sport back to Perry Barr next year.Jon Cook, the Lakeside promoter and vice chairman of the British Speedway Promoters’ Association, said: “We have two wildcards, Rory Schlein as the defending champion, but Danny King remains extremely popular with Birmingham fans and he will ride in the meeting as a show of support from the Elite League for efforts to reopen the club next season.”

(FIXTURES)

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 6:ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v King’s Lynn 7.30, Leicester v Swindon 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Scunthorpe 7pm, Plymouth v Ipswich 7.15, Rye House v Edinburgh 7pm, Workington v Glasgow 6.30, Workington v Somerset (follows previous fixture)NATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v King’s Lynn 7pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 6: Redcar 2pm

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Workington 3pm, Newcastle v Peterborough 6.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Coventry 3pm, Mildenhall v King’s Lynn 3.30, Stoke v Coventry 7pm

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 8:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Leicester 7.30, Swindon v Coventry 7.30, Wolverhampton v Eastbourne 7.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Kent v Leicester 6.30

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 9:PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Glasgow 7pm, Peterborough v Workington (follows previous fixture), Scunthorpe v Berwick 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Cradley v Coventry 7.30

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 10:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Swindon 8pm, Poole v Eastbourne 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Workington 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Kent 7.30