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TWO-time World Under 21 Champion Darcy Ward is backing the next generation of speedway stars to shine at the Adrian Flux Arena on Saturday.The Saddlebow Road circuit will host the opening round of the FIM World Under-21 Final with a thrilling evening in prospect.Ward said: “Different names come through every year, but it never gets any easier because in their own age group they are still the best in the world. “I saw the line-up and it could go many different ways. I think there are a number of different riders who could win it, so I’m sure we’ll see some great racing.“It’d be nice to see the two Aussie boys, Jack Holder and Max Fricke, do well and I think they have a good chance.”
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LAKESIDE star Richard Lawson knows a victory could be vital when they host fellow Elite League play-off hopefuls Swindon on Friday. The Hammers will take on the Robins in a crucial clash between first and third at the Arena-Essex Raceway after seeing their trip to Wiltshire on Thursday postponed due to rain.Lawson said: “It’s tough having all these breaks in the fixture list, but we’ll all be looking forward to getting back in action against Swindon.“They are another team aiming to get in the play-offs, so I suppose that makes it extra important for us. Hopefully we can get three points from them because they could be massive at the end of the season.“Our form has been great at home but we can’t take anything for granted, we just have to keep the same approach and ride as we have been.”Swindon star Charles Wright said: “We are in a good position at this stage so there is no need to panic. We’ve picked up some surprising results away and you can’t have things all your own way, so the last couple of meetings aren’t a disaster.“Lakeside are a good team but hopefully I’ll be able to get myself sorted and help us to get a good result.”Meanwhile Belle Vue can move into the top four with a home win over second-placed Wolverhampton at the National Speedway Stadium, with the sides also due to meet in the Midlands on Monday.The visitors are forced into changes with Sam Masters and Max Clegg on Premier League duty, whilst Peter Karlsson has to sit the match out after a crash in Sweden on Tuesday. Kenneth Hansen and squad member Ashley Morris come into the side, whilst for the Aces Steve Worrall moves into a heat-leader berth.Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “We need to draw strength from the situation and I think that without Sam Masters they do have a void in their team, and it’s a weakness I would fully expect us to capitalise on without hesitation.“We’ve been in that position where we’ve missed one of our second string riders and it does put pressure on the rest to perform, but fortunately for us this time the shoe is on the other foot.”Wolves skipper Fredrik Lindgren said: “Belle Vue have got a super strong side and it's probably going to be one of the hardest meetings of the season."Both home and away we will have to deliver a big team performance but I'm really looking forward to riding at the new stadium.”
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EDINBURGH can gain significant ground on the Premier League’s top six Friday when they host Plymouth at Armadale.A win would move the Monarchs level on points with sixth-placed Workington – an incentive also available to the Devils if they could take maximum points.The visitors bring in Victor Palovaara, who has previously been an impressive visitor to the venue, at reserve for the unavailable Stefan Nielsen.Devils boss Lee Trigger said: “We need to start picking up points again. Including the Edinburgh fixtures, we have five league matches between now and the end of the month.”Meanwhile Somerset fill a blank date in their schedule with a challenge fixture between a Rebels Select and a National League Select at the Oaktree Arena.Promoter Debbie Hancock said: “We had this free Friday in the diary as Swindon were already riding that night in the Elite League and we would have been missing a number of our riders, so we decided to put on this challenge match.“The Rebels Select side will using two of our current riders, Paul Starke and Bradley Wilson-Dean and will be bolstered by a number of National League riders.“The opposition side will be led by Somerset’s Jake Allen and also contain some of the current crop of lads coming through the National League ranks, which will give them all a shop window to display their talents.”
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IPSWICH boss Ritchie Hawkins says this weekend’s Northern tour is vital to their hopes of reaching the Premier League play-offs this season.The Witches visit Berwick and Newcastle looking to improve on their lowly eleventh position in the table, and Hawkins hopes the British Final success of skipper Danny King will rub off on the rest of the team.He said: “I think it will boost Danny's confidence for the rest of the season but I'm hoping it has an effect on all the team. I hope after seeing that ride in the Final which was amazing that they can take some of that in and kick on.“It's got to that stage now where we need to get an away win this weekend, a minimum of one really to stand a chance of keeping the play-offs in touch. We need to cut out the silly mistakes and put in a big performance.”
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY JUNE 17:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Wolverhampton 7.30, Coventry v King’s Lynn OFF, Lakeside v Swindon 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Plymouth 7.30CHALLENGE: Somerset Rebels Select v National League Select 7.30
SATURDAY JUNE 18:WORLD UNDER-21 FINAL Round 1: King’s Lynn 7.30ELITE LEAGUE: Leicester v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Ipswich 7pm, Plymouth v Edinburgh 7.15TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Rye House 7.30, Stoke v Buxton 7pm
SUNDAY JUNE 19:PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Ipswich 6.30, Scunthorpe v Rye House 6.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Cradley 3.3
