(SPEEDWAY 1 – WEDNESDAY REVIEW)
COVENTRY turned the tables on Poole with a 50-41 win at the home of the Elite League Champions to move level on points in the overall standings.The Bees had been beaten at Brandon by the Pirates last week but raced into an early ten-point lead at Wimborne Road and then fended off a fightback from the hosts.Poole got the gap down to one point with three heats to go, but Coventry hit back with successive 5-1s to bank all four points from the meeting.Hans Andersen (11+2) and Chris Harris (10+1) led the way for the visitors with Kevin Doolan adding a vital 8+2 as guest, whilst the Pirates were left out of double-figures with Chris Holder notching nine.Bees boss Gary Havelock said: “When I talk about team spirit, these are the type of occasions where it comes into play – tight, hard away matches when there are crashes, and there’s no doubt that team spirit won us this meeting.“Kevin Doolan popping out of the start in Heat 1 and winning it with Hans (Andersen) for a 5-1 just set us up, and that makes the home team think ‘we’re in for a tough night tonight.’ We laid a marker down straightaway, and the boys were just sensational, every one of them.”Birmingham got their National League campaign off to a dream start with a 49-39 victory against Rye House.The meeting was close throughout but a Heat 12 5-1 and a Heat 15 5-0 proved pivotal in the end.Home reserves Zach Wajtknecht (12+3) and Alex Wilson (9+2) dominated the lower order and the Raiders were left with no points from the meeting when Luke Chessell and the previously unbeaten Rob Branford both fell in the final race.Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: “If that's what the National League is all about, then I'm really going to enjoy this year. It had everything - tension, drama, falls, passing, some great battles - it really was an enjoyable night.“To top it all off we got the win and it was an excellent performance by all of the team and there's a real buzz around the place.”King’s Lynn are through to the National League KO Cup quarter-finals after a 54-35 second leg win over Mildenhall at the Adrian Flux Arena.The Young Stars already led by 14-points from the first leg and extended that throughout the meeting with Tom Stokes (13) and James Cockle (11+1) leading the scorechart, whilst Dan Halsey scored 11 for the Fen Tigers.King’s Lynn boss Dale Allitt said: “It was a great win and one I am very pleased with. It was our first home meeting and to start off with a win over our rivals is pleasing to see. “All the boys rode well tonight and scored some good points. At reserve Ryan (Kinsley) did a good job for us, he and Layne (Cupitt) are still learning at this level and I can only see them getting better.”(SPEEDWAY 2 – THURSDAY PREVIEW)
SHEFFIELD host a crunch clash with Newcastle in the Northern section of the League Cup at Owlerton on Thursday.Both sides already have a maximum-points away win on the board, with the Tigers having been victorious at Scunthorpe and the Diamonds at Redcar, and Sheffield have also won both of their home fixtures so far with Newcastle yet to race a League Cup fixture at Brough Park.Sheffield star Ty Proctor said: “There's a long way to go but everyone is feeling good about things and we believe we can be challenging for silverware at the end of the season.“That's what sport is about, winning trophies, and we believe we've got a team capable of doing that for Sheffield this year. Hopefully we can keep our good run going against Newcastle on Thursday and get another good win.”Elsewhere in the group, Redcar host Scunthorpe with both teams looking to get off the mark after early home defeats.Bears boss Jitendra Duffill has admitted his concerns but refuses to press the panic button at this stage, whilst the Scorpions’ management expect a busy run of four matches in four days to prove beneficial.Duffill said: “We are being punished for coming in so far under the points limit and unfortunately I don't think things are going to get much easier as there are some very strong teams about. “I believe that we have no chance of reaching the next stage of the League Cup now so my attention is now focussed on getting a home win under our belt and getting things turned around before our Premier League campaign starts next week against Peterborough.”Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “When you put together a new team like this, the riders need laps, simple as. But this team is just going to improve in every meeting. For starters, the two reserves, Nike (Lunna) and Ellis (Perks) are going to get better and better. They both have massive potential, we’ve already seen that.“We know people like Alex Davies don’t travel 5,000 miles around the world to score nothing, and he just needs laps after his year out of the sport. We will move on, and see what the four meetings this week bring.”The action in the Southern group continues at Foxhall with Ipswich looking to gain ground on the leaders when they host Plymouth.Former Witches rider Morten Risager returns with the Devils, whilst the home side expect Ritchie Hawkins will be fit to take his place after aggravating a rib injury last week. Dan Halsey replaces the injured Sam Chapman at reserve for the visitors.(SPEEDWAY 3)
PETERBOROUGH number one Olly Allen has revealed his 2015 season is over.Allen suffered serious ankle damage in a crash at the East of England Showground at the end of March. He initially expected to be in plaster for six weeks, but further medical assessments have led to his recovery time being set at six months.He wrote on Twitter: “I am absolutely gutted to say my season is over. The ankle injuries are worse than expected with badly torn tendons being the biggest issue.“It is going to be six months before I can do weight-bearing exercise. I wish Panthers all the best, they have been fantastic to deal with and have the makings of a great club.”Peterborough chief Ged Rathbone said: “Olly remains part of the Peterborough team and will be present at meetings whenever his injuries and work commitments allow, and it goes without saying that I would love to see him back on track in Panthers colours in the future.“Moving forward we now have to plan for the rest of the season and we have some big decisions to make.”(SPEEDWAY 4)
CRADLEY Heathens Speedway chiefs are to hold further talks with Dudley Council officials later this month to step up the search for a new site.The Heathens, who are currently track sharing with Birmingham at Perry Barr Stadium, are still hoping to return closer to their old Dudley Wood home with a new track - and council leader Councillor Peter Lowe has put together a meeting of Council officials and Heathens Director Nigel Pearson.Said Pearson: “Councillor Lowe wants this to happen, regardless of the outcome of the General Election and what his own position may be. He has driven this with great desire and the next step will be for discussions to map the borough of Dudley, both in terms of council and private land, to go through a process of elimination.“I don’t believe enough effort and energy has been put into the Cradley Heath Speedway project by Dudley Council officers in the past, but thanks to Councillor Lowe’s desire I feel that is about to change.”
(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY APRIL 16:LEAGUE CUP: Ipswich v Plymouth 7.30, Redcar v Scunthorpe 7.30, Sheffield v Newcastle 7.30
FRIDAY APRIL 17:LEAGUE CUP: Edinburgh v Berwick 7.30, Plymouth v Rye House 7.15, Scunthorpe v Newcastle 7.30, Somerset v Ipswich 7.30
SATURDAY APRIL 18:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Scunthorpe 7pm, Rye House v Sheffield 7pmLEAGUE CUP: Workington v Glasgow 7pm
SUNDAY APRIL 19:LEAGUE CUP: Glasgow v Edinburgh 3pm, Newcastle v Scunthorpe 6.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Eastbourne v King’s Lynn 3.30, Mildenhall v Kent 3.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Stoke v Rye House 3pmCHALLENGE: Coventry v Cradley/Birmingham Select 4pm
