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WOLVERHAMPTON legend Peter Karlsson is set to return to the club in time for Monday’s Elite League local derby with Coventry.Karlsson has agreed terms to rejoin the Monmore club, subject to BSPA approval, as Mikkel Bech has asked to stand down for personal reasons.Wolves promoter Chris Van Straaten said: “It needs to be emphasised there are no problems between Mikkel and Wolverhampton, I can only speak of him in the highest regard.“He told us of these problems 10-days ago and we asked him to continue riding for us until such a time we had a replacement lined up which he agreed to do.“When we left PK out of the side for this season there were no hard feelings and he did say to us he was on the end of a phone if we hit trouble.“Like a knight in shining armour, he’s made his travel plans and arranged for bikes and other equipment to be at Monmore for the Coventry meeting on Monday.”(SPEEDWAY 2)
LEICESTER pulled off a shock 47-43 win at Swindon to condemn the Robins to a second home Elite League defeat in four days.The Lions hit back from an early eight-point deficit to record three successive mid-meeting 5-1s, inspired by guest reserve Brady Kurtz (17+1) and skipper Nicolai Klindt (12+1).The Robins needed a 5-1 in Heat 15 to snatch victory but skipper Jason Doyle, who had been unbeaten, crashed when trying to pass Kurtz and Klindt to join Josh Grajczonek up-front.Leicester boss Norrie Allan said: “We really turned the formwork upside down and I think we shocked Swindon. “All seven of my riders chipped in with at least one vital ride apiece and we had great contributions from our two guests Brady Kurtz and Richard Lawson together with a captain's performance from Nicolai Klindt.”Swindon manager Alun Rossiter said: “We fell apart, and some of the middle-order boys seem to be really struggling at the moment. I don’t know why that is, I can’t put my finger on it.“Brady Kurtz was the difference, and apart from Nicolai that was about it for them - but that’s life, and you have to get on with it. Losing at home makes things a lot harder, and we have to do much better.”Meanwhile King’s Lynn returned to winning ways with an impressive 48-42 victory over high-flying Wolverhampton.It was a first triumph in five meetings for the Stars and made it four points from their two meetings against Wolves, who themselves took a league point although their hopes of victory on the night ended with Freddie Lindgren’s start-line engine failure in Heat 15.Niels-Kristian Iversen recovered from a Heat 1 fall to be unbeaten for the rest of the meeting, scoring 12, whilst Joonas Kylmakorpi led the way for the visitors on 10+1.King’s Lynn boss Rob Lyon said: “To get four points in the space of a few days against a very strong Wolverhampton side deserves a lot of credit. It was important to back up the consolation point we got at Monmore Green on Monday and I'm very pleased with the win.“The way the two teams lined-up it was always going to be nip-and-tuck but we dug deep and got the three league points.”Kylmakorpi said: “We knew it was going to be tough without Jacob (Thorssell), Mikkel (Bech) and Kyle (Howarth), but we all did our best and I think we deserved at least a point.“If someone had offered us that before the meeting we would have taken it and with everything considered I think it's a fantastic result - and it maybe could have been even better!”
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SHEFFIELD got back to winning ways in convincing fashion with a 53-38 win over Workington at Owlerton.Jason Garrity struck a stunning paid maximum whilst Simon Stead, Kyle Howarth and Dimitri Berge all made double figures as the Tigers overpowered the Comets to move back up to second in the Premier League table.Former Sheffield man Adam Roynon dominated the scoring for the visitors as he piled up 15 points from the reserve berth.Tigers co-boss Eric Boocock said: “It was a good result for us, and although it was very close at times we were pleased to come out on top. “Jason got his first paid maximum of the year and he says that will be the first of many, so we hope that will be the case, and the rest of the top four rode superbly as well.“We’ve got a run of home meetings now which is good for us, and we hope we can keep our strong form going at Owlerton to put together a winning run.”Consolation for the Comets came in the form of the League Cup result at Redcar, where a 45-45 draw for the Bears against Newcastle was enough to confirm a semi-final place for Workington.The Diamonds needed an away win to top the group and did lead narrowly at the halfway stage, but in the end it took a last-heat 5-1 from Steve Worrall and Matej Kus to draw on the night.Worrall scored 13 with Kus adding 12+2 after a first-ride last place, whilst David Bellego scored ten for the Bears.Newcastle boss George English said: “Frustrated - oh yes - this was a match we could have won even with our patchwork line-up, and it was a match we should have won as it would only have taken one more point to get us in to the semis - but that’s not to be by the most slender of margins. “After tonight it's fair to say that when it comes to the remaining competitions this season, we're going all out for success.”Isle of Wight duo Joe Jacobs and James Cockle were both unbeaten by opposing riders in the Warriors’ 63-27 challenge match win over Weymouth at the Smallbrook Stadium. Former IOW rider Ben Hopwood scored nine for the Wildcats.
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SCUNTHORPE promoter Rob Godfrey has labelled Friday’s Premier League clash with Berwick as crucial to their season.The Scorpions crashed to a home defeat against Peterborough on Monday and Godfrey says his side must turn things around against a Bandits’ outfit who bring in Kyle Howarth to guest for injured No.1 Sebastian Alden.He said: “It is still early days and we've only raced five of our 24 Premier League matches so there is time to turn things around. “But by the same token, I'm not daft and we have to be realistic. The league table doesn't lie and we're at the wrong end of it. Things have to change pretty quickly. And that's why the Berwick match is vital.“I read the riot act out to the team following Monday's defeat to Peterborough. They have (Friday) to prove themselves, because we must have a team that is capable of winning its home meetings. I expect a fighting performance.”Meanwhile Somerset will operate the rider-replacement facility for Jake Allen in their home clash with Redcar.Allen is competing for Australia in this weekend’s World Under-21 Team Cup semi-final in Denmark.Rebels boss Garry May said: “Despite the fact Redcar haven’t had the best of starts to the season, we will not be taking them lightly as they have riders in their ranks who have previously shown a liking for riding at the Oaktree Arena.“Of course we would prefer to be going into the match with a full septet, but it just wasn’t possible for Jake to ride for us on Friday night and then get out to Denmark in time.“In saying that, however, all the boys are riding well at the moment, and I am sure that the rest of the team will more than adequately cover for Jake’s absence.”
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EDINBURGH’S American star Ryan Fisher celebrates his Testimonial meeting at Armadale on Friday.Fisher, who first rode in the UK for Coventry in 2002, won a string of honours with the Monarchs in 2008-10 and has returned to the club this season.Included in the line-up for Fisher’s event are fellow countrymen Charles ‘Dukie’ Ermolenko and Billy Janniro who both had successful careers in British Speedway before returning home.Fisher told Speedway Star: “I think I had my best run of seasons here. Everything came together really well. I was just enjoying the speedway and my family life; for us to come back this season was a major bonus.“The promotion at Edinburgh is really good. They try to back you with everything they can, and the club is more like a family than a business partner. That makes a huge difference.”
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY JUNE 3:PREMIER LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Berwick 7.30, Somerset v Redcar 7.30RYAN FISHER TESTIMONIAL: Edinburgh 7.30
SATURDAY JUNE 4:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Lakeside 7.30, Leicester v Swindon 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Redcar 7.30, Rye House v Berwick 7pm, Workington v Plymouth 7pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Buxton 7.30
SUNDAY JUNE 5:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Plymouth 3pm TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Buxton 3.30
