(SPEEDWAY 1 - MONDAY REVIEW)
KENT collected their first win in seven matches with a 48-41 victory over Coventry in Monday’s National League clash at Central Park.Visiting No.1 Dan Greenwood was the individual star of the night, scoring 16+1 with five race wins out of six and then retaining the Bronze Helmet against the Kings’ top scorer Danny Ayres, who had won his opening four outings, but the Storm just missed out on a league point.Coventry boss Laurence Rogers said: “It was a good performance really and we were unlucky not to get something, but we really missed Conor (Dwyer).“Rider replacement worked well for us with nine points, but we had two tapes exclusions, a plug lead go for Marty (Knuckey), and a couple of falls as well. It’s so close but so far, but we’re still up there and we’ll bounce back.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey says attendance levels at their remaining seven Premier League fixtures this season are critical to the future of the club.Godfrey first issued a warning over the Scorpions’ long-term prospects at the end of the 2014 campaign, but crowd levels have in fact dropped as the club have endured a tough season at the wrong end of the league table.Godfrey said: “Last year, I informed our fans that we needed around 100 more people through the gate a week. This year, the situation has worsened, maybe because we haven't been successful on track. The Bank Holiday crowds have been OK, but our Friday night attendances have been very poor. We no longer need another 100 fans a week, we now need another 200.“Whether we're finished as a club, I don't know. I don't want this to be our last season, but I have to say we're fighting for survival now. No decision has been made yet, but I need to know that people still want speedway in Scunthorpe and that we're going to get the level of support we need to make it viable to continue.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BIRMINGHAM have signed former British Under-21 Champion Josh Bates on a temporary contract. The Barnsley-born rider steps in for captain Tom Perry who crashed out of last Wednesday's meeting against Mildenhall.Brummies manager Graham Drury explained: “I could have used rider replacement for Tom, however I feel a lot more comfortable having made a short-term signing as it doesn't add any pressure on the rest of the team.“Josh is a rider I've watched progress over the last few years and he fits the ethos of Birmingham Speedway perfectly; he's young, keen, enthusiastic and he's got a lot of potential too. I must emphasise that this is a temporary signing and no matter how well Josh does for us over the next few weeks, as soon as Tom feels he is fit and ready to ride, we will re-declare our team once again.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
GARY Cottham is joining Eastbourne and will take the place of Kelsey Dugard at reserve over the coming weeks.Dugard is taking time out of the sport so the Eagles have moved for Cottham, who was a rider they considered for a team place over the winter.Club director Connor Dugard said: “At the time Gary’s average was too high to fit in. However, with the increase in Kelsey’s average, Gary is now able to fit in and cover for Kelsey while he has some time out.“I’ve been told by many people that have ridden with Gary that he will give you 110 per cent and that it has only been his equipment that has really halted his development.”
(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY JULY 8:ELITE LEAGUE: Poole v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Peterborough 7.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Stoke 7.30, King’s Lynn v Birmingham 7.30
THURSDAY JULY 9:PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Rye House 7.30, Redcar v Somerset 7.30, Sheffield v Berwick 7.30
FRIDAY JULY 10:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Wolverhampton 7.30, Lakeside v Belle Vue 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Sheffield 7.30, Scunthorpe v Peterborough 7.30TRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP Q/F 1st leg: Somerset v Plymouth 7.30
