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SHEFFIELD put in a fine all-around team display to earn a 50-43 away win over local rivals Scunthorpe at the Eddie Wright Raceway.The Tigers made a flying start to their League Cup campaign by earning all four points away from home, led by Jason Garrity (11) and Kyle Howarth (10+1).Josh Auty broke the Scorpions’ all-time points scoring record on his way to a 16+1 haul, but his only real support came from Ryan Douglas (11).Sheffield co-boss Marc Bates said: “It’s good to get our first win in our first meeting against another Premier League team. It’s been a really positive start to the season for us so hopefully we can keep that going.“Kyle and Jason led from the front, and both Richard (Hall) and Dimitri (Berge) were excellent.”Scorpions manager Dave Peet said: “It was a bad day at the office for us. The wet weather meant the track suited Sheffield more than it did us. “But I don't want to use that as an excuse, because even without the injured Simon Stead, Sheffield were, quite simply, the better team on the day and completely deserved the win.”Newcastle edged out Workington for a 46-44 win in the first leg of the Ian Thomas Shield, but both clubs have injury concerns after the Brough Park clash.The Diamonds’ Tero Aarnio was withdrawn with a knee problem, whilst for the Comets Mason Campton suffered a broken collarbone.Robert Lambert top-scored for the home side with 13, including a win in the decisive Heat 15 with Steve Worrall third for a 4-2, whilst Kenneth Hansen racked up 15 for the visitors.Newcastle boss George English said: “I don’t like opening nights and tonight was the reason why. It was an evening full of problems; Aarnio has a serious knee problem that will have to be sorted out as soon as possible and he will see a specialist immediately.“There were some positive signs from all the lads and I thought that Lewis Rose was excellent and Danny Phillips gave it a good go. It is good to get all the mechanical gremlins out the way and begin the year with a victory.”Comets manager Tony Jackson said: “To push strongly-fancied Newcastle so close on their own shale with what was effectively half a team gave us plenty of cause for optimism. The biggest blow was losing Mason after three-quarters of a lap of his opening ride with a cracked left collarbone, which was heart-breaking for the lad.“Then heavy falls for Adam Roynon and Kenneth Hansen – neither of which were their fault, left them very sore and struggling to carry on, as well as causing extensive damage to their machines. But despite everything that happened we all saw enough to make us feel upbeat about the season ahead!”Glasgow took Elite League side Coventry all the way to a last-heat decider at Ashfield before Chris Harris secured a narrow 46-45 win for the Bees in an Inter-League challenge.The Tigers raced into a ten-point lead with a 0-5 reverse in Heat 12 when both home riders, Danny Ayres and Ben Barker, fell proving pivotal to the final outcome.Ayres said: “I think I just got a little bit excited. With knowledge I should have cut back, but I was in there and I was fully committed. I thought it would be an absolutely awesome buzz to go round Danny King - sadly it didn't happen.“We've pushed an Elite League side. You've got Krzysztof Kasprzak, a former Grand Prix rider; you've got Chris Harris who's gone the hardest way to get into the Grand Prix. You've got (James) Sarjeant who's been here last year, so it's amazing.”Coventry boss Gary Havelock said: “Glasgow did very well to get it on to be fair, and I think everyone enjoyed it – I went in the bar afterwards and a lot of the home fans were buzzing that they’d been winning for nearly the whole meeting. “Even when we were ten down I was still confident that we could come back and win – we had a bit of luck, but we also had a bit of bad luck earlier. I’d told the riders before Heat 15 that we needed a 3-3, and Bomber gated and was gone.”A four-team tournament at Scunthorpe following their League Cup fixture was won by the Halifax Dukes, with Jack Parkinson-Blackburn the top scorer in the meeting with 12.
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EASTBOURNE have booked Ellis Perks to guest for the injured Kyle Hughes in Monday’s Travel Plus National League opener at Coventry.The sides clash at Brandon at 4pm with Hughes ruled out with club director Connor Dugard working on options to replace broken leg victim Hughes on a long-term basis – whilst rider-replacement is in operation for Richard Andrews, who is also ruled out.Dugard said: “I working flat out on this. So far I have been turned down by six riders.“I am sure Ellis will do a good job am for us at Coventry. He really wants to put himself in the 'shop window' having been released by the Isle of Wight.”Coventry boss Laurence Rogers said: “Eastbourne are thirsting for revenge for our trouncing of them at the last meeting of 2015 so we should be in for a good afternoon’s racing.“As far as we’re concerned, I feel we’ve got three cracking heat-leaders, two lads in the second-string spots who are going to push them, and two reserves who have a lot of potential.”Meanwhile Cradley mark their return to their adopted home of Monmore Green with a clash with NL newcomers Belle Vue.The Heathens have five new faces in their team, along with Ashley Morris being back with the club, whilst their former heat-leader Matt Williamson now lines up for the Colts.Cradley boss Will Pottinger said: “It's a great track to have because it really can give you a big home advantage once everyone is dialled in. We proved that a few seasons ago when we went unbeaten for a long period over the course of two or three seasons. “It's all about taking one meeting at a time and we want to start as we mean to go on against Belle Vue. A win would give the whole team a confidence boost and hopefully we'll be backed in big numbers.”Colts boss Graham Goodwin said: “It’s definitely a tough start to the season but the boys are enthusiastic and extremely keen to kick on so it’ll be great to finally get a match under our belts.“We know Cradley have a very strong top end, with probably the strongest top duo in the league in Max Clegg and Ash Morris, but then we’re not behind the door for being equally strong in return.”
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BELLE Vue have confirmed 16-year-old Dan Bewley has signed a full contract with the club – and he is now set to gain Premier League experience with Edinburgh.Bewley will make his National League debut for the Colts this season and will also line up at reserve for the Monarchs at the higher level after impressing at their practice session last Friday.Belle Vue co-promoter George Carswell said: “There’s been a lot of interest in Dan from a lot of other clubs in the build-up to this year and we’re very pleased to welcome him to Belle Vue on a full contract.“We knew early on that his talent was attracting a considerable amount of attention beyond the National League and that it wouldn’t be long before someone came along and snapped him up.“Dan’s signing is very much a continuation of the club’s pipeline policy to establish young talent, which we commenced with young Kyle Bickley, and he fits perfectly with our vision for the future.”(FIXTURES)
MONDAY MARCH 28:LEAGUE CUP: Peterborough v Ipswich OFF, Rye House v Somerset OFFTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Cradley OFF, Coventry v Eastbourne 4pm, Cradley v Belle Vue 7.30, Rye House v Mildenhall OFFEASTER TROPHY: Kent v King’s Lynn OFF
TUESDAY MARCH 29:ELITE LEAGUE: Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30
THURSDAY MARCH 31:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Belle Vue 7.30, Swindon v Coventry 7.30LEAGUE CUP: Sheffield v Peterborough 7.30TYNE/TEES TROPHY 1st leg: Redcar v Newcastle 7.30
FRIDAY APRIL 1:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Wolverhampton 7.30, Lakeside v Leicester 8pmLEAGUE CUP: Peterborough v Scunthorpe 7.30TRICENNIAL TROPHY: Edinburgh v Belle Vue 7.30CHALLENGE: Somerset Select v Plymouth Select 7.30
