(SPEEDWAY 1)
SOMERSET manager Garry May says the Rebels will go into Sunday’s Premier League Fours at Peterborough with confidence high that they can successfully defend their trophy.May’s team are drawn in the second semi-final where they go up against Glasgow, Rye House and Newcastle, and they have named Brady Kurtz, Josh Grajczonek, Richie Worrall and Charles Wright as their quartet with Leigh Lanham as reserve.May said: “Looking at the line-ups I think we have as good a chance as anyone of winning, but it is the type of meeting where one piece of bad luck, especially in the semi-final round which consists of just eight heats, can really scupper your chances of progressing through to the 12-heat Grand Final.“The main thing is to avoid running those last places and to keep your side of the score-chart continually ticking over and we should be there or thereabouts come the final reckoning as we strive to keep the Fours trophy residing at the Oaktree Arena.”
(SPEEDWAY 2 - THURSDAY REVIEW)
SWINDON moved back into the Elite League play-off places with a hard-fought 50-39 win over Lakeside at the Abbey Stadium on Thursday.The Robins were given a tough time by the Hammers who refused to be shaken off, so much so that the scores were level after ten of the fifteen races before Swindon finished strongly.Darcy Ward scored 13+1 for the home side after losing out to Andreas Jonsson in Heat 1, and Grzegorz Zengota was in double-figures again with ten.Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “We are always stronger at the end, but it just goes to show you can never under-estimate anyone no matter what their position in the league.“I think the turning point was probably Robert Branford’s win in Heat 12, but fair play to Lakeside, and I think they’ll be disappointed they didn’t get anything out of the meeting - in fairness, they probably deserved something.”Sheffield consolidated their fifth place in the Premier League table with a 55-37 win over Rye House at Owlerton.In-form reserve Josh Bates continued his remarkable run of scores as he bagged paid double-figures for a sixth consecutive Tigers’ team meeting at Owlerton, winning five of his six outings on his way to a 16-point total, whilst David Bellego added 11+2. Nikolaj B Jakobsen top-scored for the Rockets on 12+1.Sheffield co-promoter Damien Bates said: “Realistically we expected to win tonight and we pulled off a very good win in the end. Rye House battled well at times but for one reason or another they never seem to travel well here.“It was a great team performance and everybody scored well. Even though Paco (Castagna) only scored two, he deserved a better score than that but that will come with time.”Rye House boss John Sampford said: “A hard night at the office, although we achieved a fairly respectable score-line in the end, thanks to our guest Josh (Grajczonek), Nikolaj and Robin (Aspegren) chipping away.“But full credit to Sheffield. They were very much on-song tonight, and their two reserves were something else.”Ipswich also strengthened their position in the play-off places with a 59-33 win at home to bottom club Scunthorpe, with Danny King racing to a six-ride paid maximum (17+1) and Nico Covatti close behind on 15+1.Ryan Douglas was top scorer for the Scorpions on eight, with the visitors limited to just three heat wins.Ipswich boss Phil Hilton said: “That went pretty much as expected. A bit of a slow start but there were a lot of positives tonight. “R/R covered very well for Rohan (Tungate) and both Gino (Manzares) and Cam (Heeps) looked a lot more confident out on track. If they can keep this momentum going we could do well in the Fours on Sunday.”Scunthorpe manager Dave Peet said: “I think we rode better than the final scoreline suggests. Ipswich had two outstanding riders in Danny King and Nico Covatti, but we were at the races with the rest of them.“In Heat 7, when we used our tactical ride, we had an 8-1 for a bit, after Theo (Pijper) pinned Covatti to the inside. But Covatti then produced an absolutely stunning ride, to pass Theo and then Wilko (Carl Wilkinson) as well.”
(SPEEDWAY 3 - FRIDAY PREVIEW)
COVENTRY look to extend their lead at the top of the Elite League when they host third-placed King’s Lynn at Brandon on Friday.The Bees, who are currently two points ahead of Poole, will be without Stuart Robson following his crash at Lakeside earlier in the week, and have booked their former rider Aaron Summers to guest.The Stars are still in a comfortable position in the play-off places, but manager Rob Lyon knows they need to step up their performance levels away from home.Coventry boss Gary Havelock said: “Stuart has had a few knocks to the head this season, and it’s absolutely the right thing for him to get a proper scan. Two things you don’t take any risks with are your head and your back so we wish him well and hopefully he’ll be able to return soon. “Aaron is in good form, he knows the track well of course and I’m sure he’ll do the job for us. King’s Lynn normally go well around Coventry so there will be no complacency from our boys.”Lyon said: “Away from home our form has been patchy, we know that, but we have got a team that can go anywhere and get a result.“We have been so inconsistent really and it is a concern heading towards play-off time. We will approach the meeting in the same way that we have every match, our form is good at home and we are unbeaten, but we need to pull some more points in on the road.”Elsewhere Lakeside and Swindon meet for the second time in 24-hours with the Robins seeking to boost their play-off prospects with an away win.The Hammers have called in their former rider Piotr Swiderski to replace Mikkel Bech, who was injured at Belle Vue on Wednesday, whilst rider-replacement operates for Kim Nilsson and Ben Morley guests for Ashley Birks at reserve.Swindon are also forced into changes with guest bookings for Lewis Blackbird, Carl Wilkinson and Robert Branford as Czech youngster Eduard Krcmar has a fixture clash, Nick Morris remains on the sidelines (for which the Robins will use rider replacement) and both reserves are also ruled out.Lakeside chief Jon Cook said: “The appearance at the Raceway of Darcy Ward is always the season’s highlight and we look forward to an entertaining night and, hopefully, more League points for the Hammers.”Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “It’s another big meeting and going to Lakeside is never going to be easy.“We’re hindered by the loss of both reserves and the options are very limited, but I’m still looking to get something out of the meeting.”In the Premier League, Somerset host Plymouth in a West Country derby which would see the home side close in on the top three if they can maintain their 100 per cent record at the Oaktree Arena.The Rebels recently got the better of the Devils in the Travel Plus Tours KO Cup but boss Garry May is urging no complacency as the sides meet again.May said: “While the two Cup matches against Plymouth count for nothing as far as this weekend’s fixtures are concerned, it can give you a bit of a psychological edge - but with Plymouth strengthening up for Saturday’s return match that does obviously put a different complexion on things.“However, in saying that the boys have shown in recent weeks that they are very much on-song and riding well, so we will be looking for all three points from our home match on Friday as well picking up points from Saturday’s match back at their place.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
SHEFFIELD have named Danish rider Nicolai Klindt as a replacement for the injured Andre Compton.The 26-year-old, who had a spell with Scunthorpe last season, has agreed a deal with the Tigers after their club skipper was ruled out for the near future with wrist injuries.Said Klindt: “I’m really excited about joining Sheffield; they are a very professionally run club and despite all their injury problems they’ve had a really good season.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
REDCAR have announced the signing of French international Dimitri Berge for the remainder of the season.Berge recent left Glasgow and comes in for the Bears at in place of Ben Morley in a move which puts Jan Graversen and Adam Roynon into the reserve berths - but there are injury concerns over both of those riders.And club No.1 Lasse Bjerre has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after suffering a dislocated hip in a crash last week.Redcar chief Brian Havelock said: “I was over the moon when the news came through about Berge but our efforts have all fallen on stony ground as the idea was to push Roynon and Graversen down to reserve, which would have given us much needed strength there, but now both of them are injured.”
(SPEEDWAY 6)
LEICESTER have officially confirmed the appointment of Neil Machin as a co-promoter at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium.Machin, who joins from Sheffield, has been working alongside Lions owner David Hemsley for several weeks, and his position was ratified earlier this week.Hemsley said: “Neil will be working on the marketing and commercial side of our business to improve the sponsorship budget and increase the profile of the sport across the East Midlands.”(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY JULY 31:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v King’s Lynn 7.30, Lakeside v Swindon 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Somerset v Plymouth 7.30
SATURDAY AUGUST 1:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Somerset 7.15, Rye House v Newcastle 7pm, Workington v Sheffield 7pmTRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Edinburgh v Redcar 7pmNATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Eastbourne v Kent 7pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 2:PREMIER LEAGUE FOURS: Peterborough 2pmCITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Kent 3pm
