(SPEEDWAY 1 – WEDNESDAY REVIEW)
POOLE avenged their defeat at Wolverhampton on Monday with a 55-35 win in the return Elite League fixture at Wimborne Road.Dakota North picked up his first-ever top flight paid maximum with 10 paid 12, and Chris Holder dropped just one point from five rides with track conditions to the home side’s liking. Reserve Lewis Blackbird led the way for Wolves with 9+2.North said: “Chris had a long chat with the track guys after last Wednesday and they really listened to him. “It was much better tonight and I think that showed in our performances, throughout the team. It was a good result for us and just what we needed.”Wolves No.1 Freddie Lindgren said: “We struggled all night really, and we were disappointed we couldn’t get at least a point. Some of the guys did pretty well though, Jacob (Thorssell) and Tobiasz (Musielak) especially both rode well and showed plenty of positive signs.“I let the team down a bit, I just couldn’t get out of the start and I had a bad night which I was disappointed with, but I just have to put that one behind me and move on to the next meeting.”(SPEEDWAY 2 – THURSDAY PREVIEW)
SHEFFIELD host the first of two British semi-finals at Owlerton on Thursday – with riders chasing top-seven places to qualify for the Final.The Tigers have three riders competing with stand-in skipper Andre Compton lining up alongside Jason Garrity and Ashley Birks on home shale.The meeting also features current Grand Prix star Chris Harris, who finished runner-up to Matej Zagar in the opening round of the series in Warsaw last month.Sheffield co-promoter Damien Bates said: “As a club we are delighted to be hosting this prestigious event and we hope to see a good crowd on the Owlerton terraces.“Naturally I would like to wish our boys well. Andre, Ash and Jason have all played their part in a good few days for the team and hopefully they can carry some confidence forward.“Jason has settled in quickly for us since signing recently and has started scoring points straight away, I see no reason why he can’t make the top seven here on Thursday night.“I’m sure we will see some exciting racing and the fans will go home knowing they’ve been entertained.”LINE-UP: 1 Richie Worrall (Somerset), 2 Edward Kennett (Lakeside/Rye House), 3 David Howe (Scunthorpe), 4 Ashley Morris (King’s Lynn/Plymouth), 5 Ashley Birks (Sheffield), 6 Lewis Blackbird (Wolverhampton/Peterborough), 7 Richard Lawson (Lakeside/Glasgow), 8 Ritchie Hawkins (Ipswich), 9 Adam Ellis (Lakeside/Birmingham), 10 Chris Harris (Coventry), 11 Paul Starke (Poole/Somerset), 12 Andre Compton (Sheffield), 13 Stuart Robson (Coventry/Redcar), 14 Jason Garrity (Coventry/Sheffield), 15 Ben Barker (Berwick), 16 Josh Auty (Leicester/Scunthorpe). Reserves: Josh Bates (Wolverhampton/Sheffield), Oliver Greenwood (Peterborough).Meanwhile in the Elite League Peter Kildemand makes his belated return to the Swindon team in Thursday’s home clash with Belle Vue at the Abbey Stadium.Kildemand said: “It sounds like it hasn’t been an easy start to the season for Swindon with the injuries they had in the first meeting.“It’s been tough, but hopefully I can come in and help us put together some form a do a good job. I want to see Swindon up there in the play-offs where we should be, so I want to try and score plenty of points to make sure we win meetings.”Belle Vue hand a seasonal debut to Josh Grajczonek, replacing the injured Simon Stead, and CEO Chris Morton is hoping to see the Aces build on last week’s draw at Poole.Morton said: “Swindon have had a couple of hiccups in the early season but lately they’ve started to show more of the spirit we’re used to seeing from them, and of course they’re very strong at home.“Having said that, most of our lads really enjoy riding the Blunsdon track and I can’t say it’s a place where we’ve consistently struggled because we've had some great meetings there in the past. I believe we have a very good chance of taking at least something from tonight.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BELLE VUE have signed Josh Grajczonek as a replacement for the injured Simon Stead.The Australian will now double-up with the Kirkmanshulme Lane outfit after ending his 28-day spell with reigning Champions Poole.Aces manager Mark Lemon said: “Replacing a rider like Simon is not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination but Josh is fully aware that riding at No.3 is a tall order and that we're going to be expecting a lot from him.“I just feel that Josh is the piece of the jigsaw that's been missing from the team since the day we lost Simon.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
BUXTON have been forced into an early decision to postpone their National League clash with Kent on Sunday.It means the Hitmen will have to wait until May 24 for their next home fixture, when they host Mildenhall.Chairman Jayne Moss said: “It’s disappointing but we have had to postpone Sunday’s fixture with Kent. It’s for environmental issues that unfortunately can’t be resolved before the weekend but it should be sorted next week. A date for the re-staging will be announced shortly.”
(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY MAY 7:BRITISH SEMI-FINAL: Sheffield 7.30ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Belle Vue 7.30
FRIDAY MAY 8:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Swindon 7.30, Lakeside v Poole 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, Plymouth v Redcar 7.15
SATURDAY MAY 9: ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Coventry 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Scunthorpe 7pm, Workington v Plymouth 7pmTRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Berwick v Ipswich 7pmCITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Stoke v Buxton 7pm
SUNDAY MAY 10:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Plymouth 3pm, Newcastle v Ipswich 6.30, Peterborough v Workington 6.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Kent OFF, Mildenhall v King’s Lynn 3.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Eastbourne v Rye House 3.30BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1: Scunthorpe 3pm
