(SPEEDWAY 1)
POOLE’S bid for a hat-trick of Elite League titles remains on course after the Pirates eliminated Coventry in the play-off semi-finals on Monday.With the scores level from the first leg, the Pirates romped to a 58-31 win at Wimborne Road to advance to their sixth successive Grand Final. The home side registered just two no-scores all evening, both to No.1 Chris Holder who suffered shed primary chains on both occasions.Polish youngster Kacper Gomolski top-scored for the Pirates with 12+2 whilst Davey Watt collected 12+1, with Hans Andersen (9) and Chris Harris (8) the best for the Bees.Poole manager Neil Middleditch said: “The lads did a real professional job tonight. They were sharp out of the tapes and once we had seen off the tactical ride in heat 6 I asked them just to kick on from there. “I was proud of them all tonight, it was a good performance all round. You can't ask for any more than that.”Coventry boss Gary Havelock said: “It’s really disappointing, because for the majority of the season we were top of the league and everything was going well.“But you can’t account for injuries in speedway unfortunately, and I think if we’d had our full team for both legs it would have been a far different story - but that’s all if’s now.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)BELLE Vue will appear in their first Elite League Grand Final since 2005 after completing their semi-final job against Swindon at the Abbey Stadium.The Aces took a 14-point lead into the second leg and never allowed the Robins to narrow the gap as they led throughout the meeting, eventually recording a 47-43 win on the night.Skipper Scott Nicholls led a solid Aces scorecard with 12 points, whilst for the home side Nick Morris scored 11 but skipper Troy Batchelor failed to score on a nightmare evening.Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “We're stoked! Absolutely stoked! It's been a long, challenging season but the reward to make the Final - something we thought we could only dream of - has tonight become a reality.“The Robins are not easy to beat here at the Abbey. They just didn't have the best of nights but our camp was seriously fired up. We came here with the desire to win and the boys delivered.”Swindon manager Alun Rossiter said: “We weren’t good enough – it’s as simple as that. Early on the track was very difficult for both teams and with all the rain we’ve had we just lost our home track advantage. Everyone was all over the shop in the first few races but Belle Vue adapted to it all quicker than we did.“A few of the boys rode well and I know a lot of people will be quick to get on Troy Batchelor’s back because he had an awful night. He has been blighted by injuries, the track wasn’t to his liking and you could quite clearly see he just wasn’t up for it.”
(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23:GOLD CUP S/F 1st leg: Cradley v Birmingham 7.30
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24:16-LAP CLASSIC: Ipswich 7.30
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25:LEAGUE CUP FINAL 1st leg: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30
