(SPEEDWAY 1)
SWINDON blasted back to top form with an impressive 51-40 win over previously unbeaten Belle Vue at the Abbey Stadium on Thursday.The Robins opened the contest with two successive 5-1s in a reversal of their recent starts to meetings, and they were 17-points ahead before a late Aces revival saw them narrow the final margin.Jason Doyle top-scored for the home side with 14, dropping his only point to Matej Zagar in Heat 15, whilst Aces reserve Steve Worrall collected 10+2 from a busy seven-ride shift with brother Richie missing the meeting due to injury.Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “It was the right response from the team. We had a few words before the meeting, nothing serious, but it seemed to work well.“Getting a 5-1 in the first race put us on the front foot, and we knew they would come back at us but the boys dug in deep and it was a great performance.“Even with Richie Worrall out, Belle Vue still got six paid seven from his rides which is probably what he would have done, so that made no difference. Overall, I’m delighted with that display.”Aces manager Mark Lemon said: “I’m not going to question the resilience of our boys. They were putting the effort in and everyone was disappointed with the result especially after we started to turn things around.“Unfortunately our resurgence came a little bit too late. Swindon got off to a great start on the night and rode with the determined attitude of a team looking to bounce back from their misfortunes.”Meanwhile King’s Lynn earned their third Elite League win of the season with a hard-fought 51-42 triumph over Leicester at the Adrian Flux Arena.The Stars put in another strong all-around team display, running just three last places as they overcame the Lions and claimed three more points - although the visitors’ hopes of snatching a league point were only ended in Heat 15 when the home side claimed a 5-1.Robert Lambert led the way for the home side with 11+1, with Niels-Kristian Iversen also on 11, whilst guest Freddie Lindgren (10) top-scored for the Lions and Nicolai Klindt won his first three rides.King’s Lynn boss Rob Lyon said: “It was a workmanlike performance and the boys got there in the end which was the main thing.“I was particularly pleased with the reserves tonight, they came to the party and played their part to get us over the line.”Leicester boss Norrie Allan said: “I thought we were unlucky not to pick up a point tonight. “We were making some good starts all night and were still in with a chance going into the final heat but fair play to King's Lynn who just had the edge over us.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
PETERBOROUGH are the early leaders of the Premier League after a 53-40 win at Redcar on Thursday.Captain Ulrich Ostergaard reeled off a hat-trick of heat wins on his way to a 12-point haul and Nicklas Porsing also took the chequered flag three times to rack up an impressive 11, with Nikolaj B Jakobsen on 10+2 as the Panthers notched their second away win of the season.Hugh Skidmore scored 13+1 for the Bears whilst reserve Lee Payne impressed on 10+1.Panthers caretaker boss Dale Allitt said: “A lot of people wrongly seemed to think it was just a case of having to turn up at Redcar to get a result.“I can assure everyone it was considerably tougher than that and we required a good team performance to get the win and maximum points.“It was a tight meeting early on, but we managed to take control with a series of advantages and wrap up the victory with a few races to spare.”Sheffield are through to the League Cup semi-finals after a 47-43 home victory over Ipswich.The Tigers are uncatchable at the top of the Midland section although the clash with the Witches was close-fought with the scores level at 21-21 after seven races.Dimitri Berge headed a solid Sheffield performance on 10, whilst Danny King top-scored for the visitors on 13+1 as they added a point to their group total with a last-heat 5-1.Berge said: “I'm really happy with my score tonight and I felt really good. I was a bit slow in my first one and I missed the gate in heat 15, but I was really quick in between and to get three race wins was very good for me.“A few of the team are disappointed with their scores but every rider scored some important points in the end.“The most important thing for us is that we won and that means we're in the semi-finals of the competition.”Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “It's improvement again. We're obviously disappointed not to get more out of the meeting as we needed to avoid defeat. “There are lots of positives though, the boys are starting to ride better like we know they can and it's going to plan really. “We knew it would take time and it would take a few meetings to get going and that is what is happening.”Kent are in control of the Southern section of the National Trophy after a 55-35 win at the Isle of Wight.Luke Bowen scored a 15-point maximum for the Kings with James Shanes unbeaten from four rides, whilst Lee Smart top-scored for the Warriors with seven.
(SPEEDWAY 3)
COVENTRY captain Chris Harris is seeking a turnaround from his side as they host champions Poole in the Elite League on Friday.The Pirates raced to an emphatic 60-29 win when the sides met at Wimborne Road earlier in the week, and Harris says it’s time for the Bees to respond.The home side continue to use rider-replacement for the injured Kacper Woryna, whilst Poole have Fredrik Lindgren guesting for the unavailable Chris Holder.Harris said: “We’ve got to turn it around on Friday and give the crowd a performance, because lately we haven’t been good enough.“I think the best thing to do before the meeting will be to call everyone in for a get-together and have a chat with ourselves. We’ve got to re-group from Wednesday.”Meanwhile leaders Lakeside will look to maintain their perfect home record as they host Swindon at the Arena-Essex Raceway.The Hammers are back in action at Purfleet for the first time since their spectacular 50-40 win over Poole a fortnight ago, but they went down to a 16-point defeat at Wolverhampton on Monday.Lakeside coach Kelvin Tatum said: “I sense there will be a feeling in the camp that we need to bounce back after Monday.“We’ve been very strong at home, and we are feeling particularly confident after the victory against Poole so we’ll be looking to get back to winning ways.“We are still in a very good position at this stage in the season, so if we can pick up three more points on Friday and keep our excellent home form going then we’ll be pleased.”Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “It’s going to be tough, but Thursday’s result should give our boys some confidence, and hopefully now they can kick on.“Lakeside always seem to start well, the fixtures have worked right for them and they always seem to be in the right place at the right time and get a load of meetings under their belt before everyone else.“I never read too much into things at this stage, so let’s see where everyone is come play-off time.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
EDINBURGH kick off their Premier League title defence with a home match against Workington at Armadale on Friday.The Monarchs are attempting to create speedway history by winning the Premier League for a third season in succession.Edinburgh boss John Campbell said: “Until our team settles down and gets used to riding our track no match will be easy for us.”Comets manager Tony Jackson said: “Home and away fixtures against the reigning Premier League champions is a tough start to our league fixtures and while our recent record at Armadale is not great we will be giving it everything to try and pick up something from that match ahead of the return fixture at Derwent Park the following night.”
(SPEEDWAY 5)
NEWCASTLE have been hit by the news that Finnish International Tero Aarnio has to undergo an operation on his troublesome knee injury - which will rule him out of this weekend and for the foreseeable future.Aarnio, such a crucial link in the Diamonds’ septet, has been plagued by the knee problem all season, failing to complete matches by being medically withdrawn.Newcastle co-promoter Alan Hedley said: “Tero was so looking forward to this season and this is a big blow to him personally as well as the team.“We will have to use rider replacement for him this weekend but George English and I will have to seriously assess the situation, as it would be unfair to put too much pressure on our reserves.“Whether we bring in a short-term replacement or a longer-term solution depends on the availability of riders and the length of time that Tero will be out for, which at the moment is not known.”
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY APRIL 22:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Poole 7.30, Lakeside v Swindon OFFPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Workington 7.30
SATURDAY APRIL 23:ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v King’s Lynn 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Workington v Edinburgh 7pmLEAGUE CUP: Berwick v Glasgow 7pm, Ipswich v Sheffield 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Eastbourne v Mildenhall 7.30NATIONAL TROPHY: Stoke v Birmingham 7pm
SUNDAY APRIL 24:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Redcar 3pm, Peterborough v Somerset 5pm, Scunthorpe v Plymouth 6.30LEAGUE CUP: Newcastle v Workington 6.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Coventry OFFNATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Mildenhall v Eastbourne 3.30, Rye House v Birmingham 6pm
