(SPEEDWAY 1)
PETERBOROUGH skipper Ulrich Ostergaard says his side are capable of giving the home supporters success in the Premier League Fours this weekend.The Panthers will be watching the action on Saturday as the league’s other 12 clubs contest the semi-finals, before taking their place as hosts in the Final on Sunday.Ostergaard said: “The Fours is always a really big event, and it’s always one we always look forward to being at home.“We haven’t really had the success we wanted to in the competition in the past given it’s on our home track, so we definitely want to make up for that a bit this year. “I think we have a team who can do well and make the most of being at our home track. It’s always difficult, and quite a lot of riders seem to enjoy coming to Peterborough, but we’ll see what we can do.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
KING’S Lynn can give their play-off push a major shot in the arm with a win against Swindon at the Adrian Flux Arena on Wednesday.The Stars have re-ignited their top four ambitions with back to back wins including a tremendous away triumph at Coventry – whilst the Robins remain third despite crashing to a heavy defeat at Wolverhampton on Monday.The Stars have re-introduced German ace Kai Huckenbeck into their side for the meeting at the expense of Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen, with Kyle Howarth guesting at reserve in place of the injured Simon Lambert. Joe Jacobs replaces the injured Stefan Nielsen for the Robins.King’s Lynn boss Rob Lyon said: “We go into the meeting with a fair bit of confidence in the camp after our two wins last week. This is a key match, probably more so for us than Swindon I would say, and we’re totally focused on winning the meeting.“There’s a good feel about the team at the moment, but ultimately it comes down to results.”Swindon manager Alun Rossiter said: “It’s going to be a tough meeting at King’s Lynn, they have some strong riders and have had some good results recently.“Hopefully we can respond to Monday’s defeat with a good performance and make sure we come away with some points.”Meanwhile Poole return to full strength for the first time since late May when they host Coventry at Wimborne Road.The two sides fought out a close contest at Brandon last week with the Bees edging it 47-43, but Kyle Newman returns from injury for the Pirates tonight.Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “I know having the full side together will especially please Middlo (Neil Middleditch) as it always helps generate team spirit. “The guest riders we have used have been superb but to be honest it is always better to have your own riders out there doing the job. Neil knows them well and knows how to get the best out of them and we certainly need a result on Wednesday.”Coventry boss Gary Havelock said: “It’s always tough going to Poole, we know how good their boys are on that track, and we’ll have to give it everything we’ve got because if we lose many more meetings we’ll be out of it.“We still need to do an awful lot more – ideally we need to go on a five or six match unbeaten run, home and away, so Friday was the first leg of that!”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
BIRMINGHAM can move seven points clear at the top of the National League with a home victory over Stoke at Perry Barr on Wednesday.The Brummies picked up an impressive 43-41 win at Kent on Monday as they became the first team to beat the Kings in the league around their own circuit this season.They defeated the Potters 57-33 in the National Trophy earlier in the season although Stoke have since made changes, and the visitors are set to hand a debut to Chris Hay at reserve.In-form Birmingham reserve Jack Smith said: “"I feel like I'm progressing every single lap I do and in recent weeks I've started beating some of the top riders in the league."I'm full of confidence right now, as are the rest of the team and hopefully we can get another big result against Stoke."They've got some better riders in their team now but I do think we look much stronger lower down if I'm being honest."Potters boss Malcolm Vasey said: “This is going to be a very difficult meeting for us against a Birmingham side who have only lost once this season and who have recently won the National Trophy. “We are going to Perry Barr looking to get something out of the meeting, but we know we will all have to be at our very best.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
KENT promoter Len Silver says he acted with the club’s long-term future in mind at the end of Monday’s controversial National League encounter with leaders Birmingham.The Brummies were declared 43-41 winners after Heat 14 with the last race unable to take place due to the curfew after delays throughout the meeting.Silver said: “Controversy is the life-blood of our sport, a factor often overlooked by those in charge. “I was tempted to ignore the curfew as I considered that a 5-1 in Kent's favour was more than a possibility in the nominated race, but I had to consider the bigger picture of our planning consent, now permanent, but easily reversed - so I bit my tongue and suffered the controversial defeat.”(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY JULY 20:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Swindon 7.30, Poole v Coventry 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Birmingham v Stoke 7.30
THURSDAY JULY 21:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Belle Vue 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Peterborough 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Sheffield v Newcastle 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Coventry 7pmJULIE LEWIS MEMORIAL: Redcar 7.30
FRIDAY JULY 22:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Belle Vue 7.30, Lakeside v Swindon 8pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Scunthorpe 7.30, Plymouth v Redcar 7.15, Somerset v Workington 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 2nd leg: King’s Lynn v Eastbourne 7.30
