(SPEEDWAY 1)
SHEFFIELD pushed Elite League club Leicester all the way to a last-heat decider at Owlerton on Thursday, before going down to a 43-47 defeat.The Tigers were bolstered by the inclusion of Jason Doyle, who scored 10+1 whilst Kyle Howarth added 10 and young reserve Nathan Greaves took the scalp of former Grand Prix star Sebastian Ulamek.Ex-Sheffield man Josh Auty top-scored for the Lions on 11+1, whilst Patrick Hougaard collected 10+1.Sheffield boss Eric Boocock said: “Considering it was against a full-blown Elite League side, I was pleased with the performance to run them as close as we did.“It would have been nice to get a draw or a win, but it was probably a fair result in the end and it was a good, close meeting. There were plenty of things to be positive about, the boys are definitely improving so we are looking forward to our League Cup meeting at Scunthorpe on Sunday.”Leicester manager Norrie Allan said: “It was another good work-out before our opening Elite League fixtures against Coventry. “Josh was inspirational and so too was Patrick, who received good support down the line from everyone. If we can reproduce the togetherness that was shown at Sheffield by carrying that through to the league matches then that has to be to our advantage.”Meanwhile Redcar clawed back an eight-point deficit to defeat Berwick 47-43 in the first leg of the Tweed/Tees Trophy.David Bellego starred on his Bears debut with 14 points, whilst Kevin Doolan piled up 14+1 for a Bandits side who were without No.1 Thomas Jorgensen with flu.Berwick boss Scott Courtney said: “This was an excellent meeting for the Bandits, what with losing Thomas to illness and Anders (Mellgren) damaging himself yesterday, not to mention the nasty blow Seb (Alden) took to his groin through the match“But Theo (Pijper) was superb battling his virus and bad breathing for his 11 points. As for Liam (Carr) at reserve, well what can we say, it was an excellent meeting for the lad.”(SPEEDWAY 2)
RICHIE Worrall has spoken of positive vibes in the Glasgow camp ahead of the Ashfield season-opener on Sunday.Worrall has made the move from Somerset to join the Tigers in the Premier League, with their first outing as a team coming in an inter-league challenge against Coventry this weekend.He said: “We're all going for that No.1 jacket. We are a top-heavy team, but looking back at the way Edinburgh have done it in the last few years, they've always had a good top four that have gone and got the double-figures. That confidence is bound to help the other lads.“I really do like the way Stewart Dickson works as team manager - he was a big attraction. He wants to win as much as we do. He's passionate about his team, passionate about his job, and passionate about winning.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
POOLE laid down a statement of intent for the new Elite League season with a 61-31 thumping of Swindon in their opening fixture.The Pirates dominated at Wimborne Road on Good Friday lunchtime with Chris Holder and reserve Adam Ellis both scoring four-ride paid maximums, whilst Hans Andersen and Krzysztof Buczkowski were also in double figures. Jason Doyle was left with little support to his 13-point total for the Robins.Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “I was more than pleased with that performance. The whole team weighed in with important contributions. Hitting them hard from the outset really knocked the stuffing out of them and the boys were relentless in their mission.“We all know it's a long and arduous road ahead and a lot can happen between now and trophy hand-out time but there have been so many positives for us we just need to keep the focus and keep producing the goods.”Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “It was a poor start. We were totally out-gated all afternoon and that is definitely something we need to sharpen up on.“When we gated we weren’t too bad, but we just didn’t get out of the start all day. I’ve had a long chat with the boys, I was quite frank with them in my assessment, and hopefully they’ll be keen to put things right on Sunday.”Lakeside and King’s Lynn shared the points from their home-and-away double, with the Hammers racing to a 56-36 win in the afternoon at Purfleet.Kim Nilsson (13+1) and Richard Lawson (12+1) both scored heavily for the Hammers, with Niels-Kristian Iversen and Mads Korneliussen scoring all but 12 of the Stars’ points between them.In the evening, King’s Lynn took a measure of revenge with a 51-39 victory at the Adrian Flux Arena, Iversen leading the way again on 13 whilst Andreas Jonsson top-scored for the Hammers on 12 – and Lakeside coach Kelvin Tatum was satisfied with the efforts of his team.Tatum said: “It was a fighting display this evening, and it was just unfortunate one or two things didn’t quite go our way. “With the win in the first meeting, I think we can be happy overall with the way our day went and there are certainly a lot of encouraging signs early on.“There is already a good spirit in the camp and a will to win, which was epitomised by the way we finished strongly even when the meeting was lost.”Coventry skipper Chris Harris scored a paid maximum as the Bees edged out Leicester 49-41 in a close-fought local derby at Brandon.The scores were level with three heats to go as the Lions’ reserves impressed, Josh Auty top-scoring on 10+2 and Paul Starke adding nine – but Harris, Danny King and Krzysztof Kasprzak scored 35 (paid 39) between them to leave the visitors pointless.Coventry boss Gary Havelock said: “I’m pleased, it’s nice to get points on the board in the first league match, and I said beforehand that Leicester couldn’t be under-estimated because they have a team of trappers.“Early on before the dirt moved out it was nip-and-tuck, but what really impressed me was the power of our heat-leaders. It’s comforting to go into important races with guys who are more than capable of getting 5-1s.”Leicester manager Norrie Allan said: “We put up a valiant effort that in the end was just not quite good enough, but our performance against one of the fancied teams for a play-off place was encouraging.”In the League Cup, Somerset raced into a 40-20 lead over Rye House after Heat 10 before being pegged in the latter stages, although their 49-40 success was still enough for the Rebels to leave the Rockets without a group point.Charles Wright (10+1) led the way for a solid-scoring home side on 10+1, with Jake Allen making an impressive return from injury on 8+2. Stuart Robson (12) and Edward Kennett (11+2) both hit double figures for the visitors.Somerset boss Garry May said: “First and foremost we won, and whilst Rye House came back into the match in the latter stages as the track slickened off, I am still pleased with what was, in effect, our first competitive outing of the new season.“There were many positives, not least Jake Allen’s performance, which rightly earned him the Rider of the Night Award, and I think that there is a lot more to come from this team, especially once the new boys have settled in.”Rye House manager Peter Schroeck said: “The boys really pulled together at the end. You can always expect a real battle at the Oak Tree Arena, and everyone who goes there can expect a tough run, but this was our best result there for several years and we can be really proud of that.“You have to remember as well that this was only our second meeting in. It’s just a matter of time until all the boys click together, and then we’ll really be up and running.”Birmingham made an impressive start to their National Trophy programme with a 57-33 win over Stoke at Perry Barr.The Brummies used rider-replacement for No.1 Zach Wajtknecht but still pulled clear in the second half of the meeting with Tom Perry scoring 15+1 and Darryl Ritchings 14+1, whilst Tony Atkin and Ben Wilson both picked up 10 for the Potters.Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: “The performance, the score, the turnout on the terraces, everything about tonight was so good. I asked the lads to lay down a marker tonight and they certainly did just that.“I don't like reading too much into early season performances but to score as we did tonight without our No.1 surely bodes well for the rest of the season.”Stoke manager Malcolm Vasey said: “I’m disappointed that we fell away towards the end of the meeting as we did because we were still in with a chance of a point from the meeting up until Heat 11 when we really suffered, losing out to three 5-1’s and a 4-2 in those final four heats and that cost us dearly in the end. “It was always going to be a difficult opening fixture against Birmingham, they are a very good side. We will now look forward to our meetings against Buxton in a few weeks time.”Meanwhile Kent secured a double win over Eastbourne in the Good Friday Chase, with the Eagles’ misery compounded by injuries (see separate story).The Kings ran up a 56-34 win at Arlington in the afternoon, and followed that up by taking a 52-37 victory in the second leg at Central Park.Eastbourne chairman Martin Dugard said: “We had a few gremlins and losing Kyle (Hughes) after two of his races was not good.“It is a learning curve. The boys have got to have some track time but we knew it was going to be hard. It was disappointing to lose because we are not used to it.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
LEICESTER and Coventry meet for the second time in 24 hours in the Elite League on Saturday.The Bees won 49-41 at Brandon on Friday, and both teams will be at full strength again for the return fixture at Beaumont Park as the Lions look to end a run of Coventry victories in the fixture.Leicester boss Norrie Allan said: “We know that we are in for another titanic battle against our near neighbours and it is about time we put one over the Bees who have mostly had it all their own way since we moved up a division in 2014. “I have said before that one of our goals is to improve upon our home form which at the best has been average to say the least over the previous two years. So a winning performance against Coventry will give us a tremendous boost.”Coventry manager Gary Havelock said: “We’ve raced against Poole and Leicester so far, and those are the teams with probably the strongest reserves.“But ours are doing okay, Sarj (James Sarjeant) popped out and won Heat 12 (on Friday) just like he did last week, so overall I’m happy so far. It will be interesting to see how we go at Leicester on Saturday.”Meanwhile Berwick face Redcar in the second leg of the Tweed/Tees Trophy with the Bears taking a narrow lead into the meeting.The home side are hoping to have a full-strength side after Thomas Jorgensen missed Thursday’s clash at the Media Prime Arena with illness.Berwick director George Hepburn said: “Redcar are coming to Shielfield Park aiming to get their hands on the trophy. “But needless to say, our Bandits have every intention of preventing such an audacious act and we are optimistic that, with a big home support turning out, Kevin Doolan will be the man with his hands on the trophy around nine o'clock on Saturday night.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
EASTBOURNE are facing an early-season injury crisis after both Kyle Hughes and Richard Andrews were hurt on Good Friday.Hughes crashed out in his second ride of the Eagles’ home match against Kent and suffered a broken leg just above the ankle, whilst Andrews has a suspected broken wrist and a leg complaint following a crash at Central Park in the evening.Eastbourne chairman Martin Dugard said: “It’s not the best start to the season. It is one of those days where you want to wake up and hope it has all just been a dream.“We will not know the full extent of Richard's injuries until we have heard what the hospital has to say.”
(SPEEDWAY 6)
THE Isle of Wight have made two team changes following the pre-season broken arm suffered by captain Brendan Johnson.The Islanders have moved for the experienced Benji Compton as well as Kelsey Dugard, who was with Eastbourne last year – but it also means they have released Ellis Perks.Manager Neil Vatcher said: “Benji is a rider that we spoke to before Christmas and we are now finally delighted to have him on board. He will be a big hitter for the Warriors in the NL this year and it now gives us a really strong top end to our side.“Benji comes into our side on an 8.95 average and for us to get under the 40 point points limit unfortunately we have had to make a second change. It's unfortunate that we had to tell Ellis Perks that he is the rider to make way for the changes, and we wish Ellis all the best for the 2016 season where ever it takes him.“Kelsey comes from a great pedigree of speedway history, his dad Martin being one of the UK's top riders in the past, and we believe bringing Kelsey to the Island away from the tight turns of Eastbourne's circuit can only help his education.”(FIXTURES)
SATURDAY MARCH 26:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Coventry 7.30TWEED/TEES TROPHY 2nd leg: Berwick v Redcar 7pmIAN THOMAS SHIELD 1st leg: Workington v Newcastle OFF
SUNDAY MARCH 27:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Poole 5pmLEAGUE CUP: Scunthorpe v Sheffield 3pmIAN THOMAS SHIELD 2nd leg Newcastle v Workington 6.30CHALLENGE: Glasgow v Coventry 3pm, Mildenhall v NL Select 3.30FOUR-TEAM TOURNAMENT: Scunthorpe 4.30
MONDAY MARCH 28:LEAGUE CUP: Peterborough v Ipswich OFF, Rye House v Somerset 2pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Cradley OFF, Coventry v Eastbourne 4pm, Cradley v Belle Vue 7.30, Rye House v Mildenhall (follows LC fixture)EASTER TROPHY: Kent v King’s Lynn 3pm
(FIXTURES)
SATURDAY MARCH 26:
ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Coventry 7.30 TWEED/TEES TROPHY 2nd leg: Berwick v Redcar 7pmIAN THOMAS SHIELD 1st leg: Workington v Newcastle 7pm
SUNDAY MARCH 27:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Poole 5pmLEAGUE CUP: Scunthorpe v Sheffield 3pmIAN THOMAS SHIELD 2nd leg Newcastle v Workington 6.30CHALLENGE: Glasgow v Coventry 3pm, Mildenhall v NL Select 3.30FOUR-TEAM TOURNAMENT: Scunthorpe 4.30
MONDAY MARCH 28:LEAGUE CUP: Peterborough v Ipswich OFF, Rye House v Somerset 2pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Cradley 12pm, Coventry v Eastbourne 4pm, Cradley v Belle Vue 7.30, Rye House v Mildenhall (follows LC fixture)EASTER TROPHY: Kent v King’s Lynn 3pm
