(SPEEDWAY 1 - WEDNESDAY REVIEW)
COVENTRY secured runners-up spot in the regular Elite League table with a 52-38 win over Lakeside at Brandon.The Bees stretched clear in the second half of the meeting with Danny King (14) and Chris Harris (10+3) both in double figures as they build up to the play-offs.Andreas Jonsson and Richard Lawson both scored nine for the Hammers who required a 5-1 from the last race to avoid the wooden spoon - but it was Coventry who took the maximum from that race.King said: “It was a really good meeting, the track was great and although Lakeside pushed us close we fought back and got a solid win.“We’ve got the important play-offs to come on Monday and we said before the meeting that if you ever want to test anything, tonight’s the night to do it, but on the other hand it was still important to get the win. “It was a good team performance considering we were without Hans (Andersen) as well as Joonas (Kylmakorpi), and now we’ll look forward to the big one against Poole.”King’s Lynn signed off their 2015 campaign with a victory, getting the better of play-off qualifiers Swindon 51-39 at the Adrian Flux Arena.The Stars have missed out on a top four finish by just two points, but ended on a high note with Jason Doyle scoring a paid maximum as a guest for Niels-Kristian Iversen, whilst Robert Lambert and Nicklas Porsing provided good back-up.Guest Scott Nicholls top-scored for the Robins with 10, but boss Alun Rossiter admits he will be looking for an improved display in the play-offs.Rossiter said: “We showed a few encouraging signs here and there but overall I think that was quite a poor performance from us as a team.“After the way we rode at Poole on Monday and with the first play-off next week I expected much more from some of our riders. But we need to regroup and make sure the boys get back in form very quickly for the most important part of the season.”King’s Lynn boss Rob Lyon said: “To finish in a high like that against a play-off team is very satisfying. A 12-point win against Swindon is a great result, they were missing Peter Kildemand, but Scott Nicholls did a top job for them. “It was nice to finish that way, but it’s disappointing we have finished the season now in early September.”In the City Gearboxes National League, Cradley got back to winning ways as they overcame a strong Rye House side to earn a 49-41 win at Perry Barr.The Heathens were left short of their No.1 early on with Max Clegg stuck in traffic and missing his opening ride, but having trailed by two points after seven races they dug deep to add three more points to their tally in their final home fixture of the NL season.The Raiders, meanwhile, were left to rue a blown engine for Robert Branford in Heat 11 as they just missed out on a league point but they remain fourth ahead of big matches this weekend.Cradley boss Will Pottinger said: “We were over the moon with that result because the circumstances before the meeting weren't ideal with Max being stuck in traffic, and we were really up against it."It was great to reward the fans with a victory, and it was important we bounced back after a couple of away defeats.”Rye House manager John Sampford said: “Rob’s stoppage undoubtedly cost us a match point; we would have taken a 4-2 or at worst a 3-3 from that race, but it worked out as a 4-2 against.“We thought we had another chance when Ellis Perks broke the tapes in Heat 15, but by then it was all about who gated, and Max Clegg did just that in the re-run. But the drive for the Gold Cup is a long, long way from over.”
(SPEEDWAY 2 - THURSDAY PREVIEW)
PLYMOUTH complete their home Premier League fixtures with a match against Scunthorpe at the St Boniface Arena on Thursday evening.The Devils will be looking for a win to keep alive their hopes of overhauling Ipswich to qualify for the end of season play-offs.Plymouth have home and away meetings with Scunthorpe on Thursday and Friday before completing their away fixtures at Rye House on Saturday, and are currently six points behind the Witches.Plymouth co-promoter Ashley Taylor said: “This is going to be a big week with three important meetings on the bounce.”“We have got to reel in seven points from those three meetings. We really need to make sure of three points from Thursday’s home meeting. Then, whatever happens in the return at Scunthorpe, we will still have four points available at Rye House on Saturday.”Theo Pijper has now been ruled out of Scunthorpe’s final three fixtures, with a guest to be confirmed for the trip to Devon along with rider-replacement for the injured Zdenek Holub.Scorpions promoter Rob Godfrey said: “Theo damaged his shoulder in the Lincolnshire Poacher grasstrack meeting a few weeks ago, but was adamant that it wouldn't stop him riding for the Scorpions, because we still had unfinished business in hauling ourselves off the bottom of the league.“But, following a guest appearance at Berwick last Saturday, Theo's shoulder popped out simply by shaking someone's hand after the meeting. He's realised he's fighting a losing battle, and he is ruled out for our remaining fixtures this weekend.”Meanwhile Redcar close their season with the Teesside Silver Helmet at the Media Prime Arena.Newly-crowned Premier League Riders’ Champion Ulrich Ostergaard is amongst the line-up along with fellow PLRC competitors Jason Garrity, Steve Worrall and Rohan Tungate, as well as ex-Bear Aaron Summers. Jonas B Andersen and Jan Graversen represent the home club.(FIXTURES)
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10:PREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Scunthorpe 7.15TEESSIDE SILVER HELMET: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11:PREMIER LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Plymouth 7.30TRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Somerset v Rye House 7.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Coventry v Buxton 7pm, Coventry v Rye House (follows previous fixture), King’s Lynn v Kent 7.30
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12:BRITISH UNDER-19 FINAL: Berwick 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Plymouth 6pm, Workington v Edinburgh 7pmTRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Rye House v Somerset (follows PL fixture)CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Mildenhall 6pmNATIONAL TROPHY: Eastbourne v Mildenhall (follows previous meeting)
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Rye House 3pm, Peterborough v Scunthorpe 3pmTRAVEL PLUS TOURS KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Newcastle v Edinburgh 6.30CITY GEARBOXES NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Eastbourne 3pm, Coventry v Cradley 12pm, Mildenhall v Rye House 3.30, Stoke v Cradley 6pm
