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A NEW consortium has informed the BSPA of their intention to take the Plymouth Devils forward for the 2016 season.The club’s Emergency Committee held a successful meeting with a team of investors on Thursday, and team manager Lee Trigger has now spoken to riders.Trigger said: “We were on the brink of closure. The supporters have pulled this around and have inspired the Emergency Committee to press forward. “Every single donation will be invested into the club to ensure its long-term survival. Thank you to everyone involved.”Chairman Mike Baxendale added: “A team of investors has come in to save the club of which we are eternally grateful. Plans for 2016 are now up and running but we must lay down the foundations to ensure speedway remains in Plymouth for the long-term.”

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BELLE Vue made a spectacular start to their Elite League season by running up a 54-39 win at King’s Lynn on Thursday.The Aces dominated the early stages at the Adrian Flux Arena and had more than enough of a lead to maintain control despite Kai Huckenbeck’s successful tactical ride for the Stars.Scott Nicholls led the visitors’ scoring with 12+1, whilst reserve Steve Worrall added 11+2. Niels-Kristian Iversen scored 12 for the hosts.Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “Over the last twelve months we've addressed a lot of the issues with our away form to the point where we now travel to places like the Adrian Flux Arena fully expecting to leave with some points.“The atmosphere within the team was very calm and collected. Everyone was focused on the task at hand, and now our first match is out of the way I think the pre-season jitters have dissipated.“King’s Lynn, as I mentioned previously, did have a couple of weak links in their side which we were able to expose and exploit quickly, and the boys were absolutely relentless from start to finish.”Meanwhile Swindon impressed in their first home meeting as the Robins raced to a 55-35 win over Coventry at the Abbey Stadium.Jason Doyle (14) and Josh Grajczonek (12+2) both dropped just one point for the home side in a solid display which saw them suffer only two last places, whilst the Bees were indebted to guest Adam Ellis at reserve with 11+1.Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “I didn’t expect to win by that many, but I’m really pleased. The boys showed they’re racers, and they’re still bedding in.“It’s still early days, it’s only our second meeting together properly as a team so it’s only going to get better, but I was very happy with that performance.“We avoided last places, which was important, and we probably would have won by more if they hadn’t had Adam Ellis in fairness.”Coventry manager Gary Havelock said: “We weren’t at the races at all, and over the last two years I can’t remember being as disappointed as I am tonight.“It certainly wasn’t a lack of effort, but it just didn’t happen even though it started well enough in Heat 1!”In the League Cup, Sheffield and Peterborough finished with honours even after a dramatic 45-45 draw at Owlerton – meaning there has still been no home win in the Midland group fixtures so far.The Tigers looked set to take all three points on offer until Simon Stead's bike packed up when leading Heat 15.Stead still top-scored for the home side with 10, whilst opposing skipper Ulrich Ostergaard notched 12 for the Panthers in a match with swung both ways throughout.Sheffield co-boss Eric Boocock said: “It was a great meeting for the supporters between two evenly matched teams and both teams deserved to get something out of the meeting.“Some could argue we deserved the win and we probably would have if it wasn't for a couple of examples of bad luck; both Simon and Dimitri (Berge) had mechanical problems when winning races but we need to learn from it.”Panthers manager Carl Johnson said: “It was unfortunate for Simon to break down in the last race, but it makes a change for us to have a bit of good luck after not getting any all last season. “The scorecard was very solid all the way through and that is what we wanted when we put the team together in the winter.”Meanwhile the first leg of the Tyne/Tees Trophy at Redcar was abandoned due to rain after eight races, with visitors Newcastle holding a commanding 30-18 lead. The result does not stand.

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LAKESIDE coach Kelvin Tatum is backing his side to make it two home wins out of two as they host Leicester on Friday.The Hammers kicked-off their Elite League campaign in impressive fashion with a convincing 56-36 home win over King’s Lynn last week but then missed out in the return against the Stars.The home side will be at full strength whilst the Lions call in ex-Lakeside rider Adam Ellis as a guest for the unavailable Josh Auty.Tatum said: “A lot of people look at Leicester as an easy touch but we certainly won’t be. They are in a similar position to us in that they had a very disappointing season last year and they’ll be desperate to bounce back. “I’m sure they’ll be fired right up so we’ll expect a tough test, but we are certainly looking for another victory at the Arena-Essex Raceway.”Leicester boss Norrie Allan said: “The Lakeside track is a very technical circuit to get around and it would take someone a couple of rides to find the best way. “We can’t afford that luxury so I have gone for experience and in Adam he is someone who has ridden hundreds of laps there and should immediately make a difference.”Meanwhile local rivals Coventry and Wolverhampton clash at Brandon with the visitors racing for the first time this season whilst the home side are looking to hit back from losing at Swindon on Thursday.The Bees welcome back Krzysztof Kasprzak and Josh Bates, but are waiting on James Sarjeant who has been ill, whilst Wolves have two recent Coventry riders, Joonas Kylmakorpi and Kyle Howarth, in their ranks.Coventry boss Gary Havelock said: “We’ll bounce back, there’s enough character in the team to do that, and hopefully with a good home meeting on Friday we can banish this one (Swindon).”Wolves manager Peter Adams said: “I think aside from Poole and Belle Vue, who seem to be the two stand-out teams on paper, all the other six teams are pretty much of a muchness.“They could all beat each other home or away, so bearing that in mind we’ll head to Coventry on Friday looking to beat them.”(SPEEDWAY 4)

PETERBOROUGH and Scunthorpe meet at the Showground on Friday in what is already proving an unpredictable Midland League Cup group.The Scorpions have won at Ipswich but then took only one point from two home matches, whilst the Panthers drew at Sheffield on Thursday.With Nicolai Klindt unavailable for Scunthorpe, former Peterborough man Richard Hall comes in for the visitors as a guest.Panthers boss Carl Johnson said: “We said it was important not to be caught cold last night and our performance was very encouraging against a Sheffield team already in the groove.“We're in a tough group and this draw could be a key result as it pans out. It is vital we follow it up with a win in our first home meeting tonight and show our fans what we're all about.”Scunthorpe boss Dave Peet said: “Our League Cup group has already been full of twists and turns, and has demonstrated that anything can happen across a 15-race speedway meeting.“We'll head down to Peterborough with an open mind, go into the meeting with a positive approach, and see what that brings. We have a few more meetings under our belts than the Panthers.”Reigning Premier League Champions Edinburgh open the new season at Armadale with a visit from top-flight club Belle Vue in the Tricennial Trophy.The current promotion of the Monarchs are celebrating 30 years in charge, and the visitors include three recent title-winning Edinburgh riders – Craig Cook, Max Fricke and Steve Worrall. The home side have drafted in Ricky Wells and Theo Pijper as guests, as Sam Masters and Max Clegg are required to ride for Wolverhampton in the Elite League, whilst the Aces track their full team with the exception of Matej Zagar, with Matt Williamson coming in.Cook said: “On a personal level, it’ll be nice to get back to Armadale. I've got a lot of support up there and I know that all of the boys are determined to put on a great show for all the fans.“Of course we’ll be wanting the win on the night and there will be pressure on us to make that happen, but in my view it’s not a meeting where we should allow that pressure to get to us.”Meanwhile Plymouth’s riders will gain track time ahead of their proposed return to the Premier League (see separate story) when a Devils Select race a challenge match at Somerset.Rebels boss Garry May said: “On paper Plymouth have a team which has the potential to be up there with the best of them this year, and there has always been a bit of local West Country rivalry between the Devils and ourselves.“So although this is billed as a challenge match, I am sure that the Plymouth boys will still want to put one over us.”(FIXTURES)

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

SATURDAY APRIL 2: ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Lakeside 7.30 LEAGUE CUP: Ipswich v Sheffield 7.30TWEED/TEES TROPHY 2nd leg: Berwick v Redcar 7pm

SUNDAY APRIL 3:LEAGUE CUP: Glasgow v Edinburgh 3pm, Rye House v Somerset 3pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Rye House v Kent (follows LC fixture)TYNE/TEES TROPHY 2nd leg: Newcastle v Redcar 6.30BORDER TROPHY 2nd leg: Workington v Berwick 7.30FENLAND FOURS: Mildenhall 3.30