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PLYMOUTH manager Lee Trigger is hoping that his side’s success in winning the Premier League Fours at Peterborough last Sunday will kick-start their season.The Devils, who looked set for closure in the early weeks of the campaign, came out on top in the weekend event featuring all 13 PL clubs, finishing a point ahead of Workington in a tense finale.Trigger said: “It was a fantastic achievement for the club and reward for the riders after all the bad luck we have had this year.“It was nip and tuck all the way through and, bearing in mind the problems we have experienced, I had my thumbs crossed during the final race until Brady Kurtz crossed the finishing line in first place.“That is the first major silverware we have achieved with the Devils. Our best performance in the Premier League before that was to reach the play-offs last season. Now we have a trophy to show for our efforts and that will always be in the record books. “Hopefully, it will prove to be a timely boost and the confidence will take us through the rest of the season, meaning people will want to come and support us.”
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KENT moved up to second place in the Travel Plus National League table with a 50-40 win at the Isle of Wight on Tuesday.The Kings collected their third victory of the season at the Smallbrook Stadium with heat-leaders James Shanes (13+1) and Luke Bowen (12+1) backed up well by Jack Thomas with 11+1 at reserve.Guest Matt Williamson scored 10 for the hosts, who remain eighth in the table after their first home defeat in the league.
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BERWICK stage a rare midweek meeting at Shielfield Park with leaders Glasgow providing the opposition in the Premier League on Wednesday.The Bandits are currently fifth in the table and are set to give a debut to new signing Dawid Stachyra, whilst Nike Lunna is back from injury for the Tigers.Berwick boss Scott Courtney said: “All our matches with these Tigers have a special meaning for me. I loved my time as a Glasgow rider, the club treated me well and their fans are great!“This doesn't mean Wednesday will be a relaxed affair, we are very much in the business of getting league points and the Tigers are simply the next club in line on our list of Shielfield Park visitors. “Stewart Dickson and I will shake hands before and after racing, but from Heat 1 to Heat 15 we'll be doing our level best to out-do one another, be sure of that.”Dickson said: “We have missed (Lunna’s) scoring potential with his move to reserve and to have all seven back in the red and white is a boost as we head to Berwick and Redcar this week.“The support has been fantastic home and away this season and we are all determined to give everything we have to go one step further than last season.”
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BIRMINGHAM have booked experienced campaigner Tony Atkin as a guest replacement for Wednesday's National League home clash against Mildenhall.Atkin comes in at No.1 in place of Zach Wajtknecht who sustained two broken fingers in a bizarre incident at Stoke on Saturday.Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: “As things stand, we're still awaiting official word on roughly how long Zach will be sidelined for. However, he is off to see a hand specialist later this week and the early encouraging signs are that he shouldn't be out for too long.“I did seriously look at using rider replacement again, but in case of any injury elsewhere in the team on the night that would put us down to five riders and Mildenhall have the potential capability of pouncing on such an advantage.“We're still riding full of confidence as a team right now though and we're in for another great night of racing I'm sure.”Meanwhile King’s Lynn Young Stars will be back in action after a three-week break as they welcome Belle Vue to the Adrian Flux Arena. The home side snatched a dramatic 46-44 win over Kent in their last outing and will now be looking to pick up where they left-off against the Colts.Young Stars boss Dale Allitt said: “It will be a tough meeting against one of our rivals for a play-off place, and obviously it brings Dan Bewley to the Adrian Flux Arena for the first time. “We’re looking forward to seeing him here, and looking at Belle Vue overall they have three good heat-leaders and a very good second-string in Rob Shuttleworth who we used last year as a guest. “The teams are not dissimilar in the way they are built – maybe we’re a little stronger at reserve, I certainly hope that’s the case, and it’s a match we need to win.”(SPEEDWAY 5
SUPPORTERS can bring their World Cup tickets to get discounted admission to Sheffield’s clash with Peterborough at Owlerton on Thursday.Fans with tickets to Friday’s World Cup race-off at the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester can benefit from a special price of just £10 to watch the Tigers and the Panthers in a crucial Premier League encounter.Sheffield co-promoter Damien Bates said: “It should be a tremendous meeting between ourselves and Peterborough, with both teams looking to get some important points.“With discounted tickets for people heading to the World Cup, we hope we’ll get a bigger crowd for what should be a really exciting night of racing.”
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WEDNESDAY JULY 27:PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Glasgow 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Birmingham v Mildenhall 7.30, King’s Lynn v Belle Vue 7.30
THURSDAY JULY 28:PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Plymouth 7.30, Redcar v Glasgow 7.30, Sheffield v Peterborough 7.30SOLENT TROPHY 2nd leg: Isle of Wight v Exeter 7pm
FRIDAY JULY 29:WORLD CUP RACE-OFF: Belle Vue 7pmPREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Sheffield 7.30, Somerset v Berwick 7.30
SATURDAY JULY 30:WORLD CUP FINAL: Belle Vue 7pm
