(SPEEDWAY 1)

SWINDON gave their Elite League play-off hopes a massive boost with a 51-41 win at King’s Lynn on Thursday.Skipper Jason Doyle struck a 12-point maximum for the Robins with Nick Morris (11) also in the major points at the top of a strong display from the visitors.Home boss Rob Lyon admits the Stars’ play-off chances are now minimal after another home defeat, with Niels-Kristian Iversen top-scoring on 10+1.Lyon said: “It was disappointing and just not good enough. Four heat winners on your own track is not what you expect, and we were just beaten by a better side on the night.“We’re very unlikely to make the play-offs now, but we just have to keep trying to win some meetings to get some confidence and pride back into this team.”Swindon boss Alun Rossiter said: “We’re very pleased. We had a few strong words before the meeting but they were constructive and it was a great response from the boys.“The determination was great, we were fast out of the gate and all the boys played their part in a superb result.“This was a must-win, it gives our chances of making the play-offs a big boost and we need to carry that momentum forwards now.”

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SHEFFIELD survived last heat drama to snatch a vital 47-43 home Premier League win over Edinburgh.The Tigers led by eight points with two races to go, but a 5-1 to the visitors in the penultimate heat took the encounter right down to the wire.When Edinburgh duo Sam Masters and Erik Riss made the gate and sat on another maximum in heat 15, it looked like the Monarchs would pull off a draw.However, a determined ride from skipper Simon Stead and flying star Jason Garrity salvaged a crucial 3-3 to secure three more points.Team manager Eric Boocock: "It really was a terrific ride from those two and it just about got us the win in the end."It was a much needed three points for us, and while we're grateful of the win, we're a little bit disappointed we let them get a consolation point - but they did deserve it if I'm being honest.”Edinburgh boss John Campbell said: “After last night’s most dreadful performance at Somerset it’s nice to have a bit of spirit about it, and come very close to getting more than just a point out of it. “A much, much improved performance and we probably didn’t miss Ryan (Fisher) too much on this occasion as we got paid nine from his rides.“Erik’s upset because he was holding the position to draw the match, but Stead and particularly Garrity were very, very good tonight. As soon as Stead pushed Erik over, Garrity was through like a rocket.”Meanwhile Newcastle picked up what could prove to be a vital 45-44 away win at local rivals Redcar.The Diamonds recovered from conceding a 5-0 in Heat 7 and led by three points going into the last race, only for Steve Worrall to be disqualified for a clash with Tobias Busch.But Robert Lambert successfully split David Bellego and Busch in the re-run to ensrue the visitors edged the victory.Boss George English said: “We were well in control of this match and looking comfortable until that disastrous Heat 7 when we lost both Robbo (Stuart Robson) and Matej (Kus) to exclusion, but how you can disqualify a rider who gets shown the fence with no way of avoiding it as Robbo was in that race is beyond me.“So it was a massive hiccup which could have derailed us totally, thankfully we pulled it back round and just took the win as there were a few heart-stopping moments in that last heat too, but every point from every Newcastle man mattered tonight!"Ipswich ran up a huge 69-23 win over Workington at Foxhall to boost their points difference as they chase a top six finish.Danny King recorded his sixth successive home maximum with Nico Covatti, James Sarjeant and Ben Barker also unbeaten in a totally dominant display against the Comets.Witches boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “Workington struggled but we rode really well. The string of home meetings has really helped us. It’s a great shame we didn’t have that at the start of the year. Confidence is high especially at Ipswich and it was another dominant performance.“It was a night of firsts really; that was the first maximum Nico has ever had in British Speedway and I think it was Sarj’s first paid 15 point maximum and obviously Danyon (Hume) got his first heat win. “I’m really pleased with everyone and it’s not very often you go through a whole meeting where you don’t run a last.”In the Travel Plus National League, the Isle of Wight raced to a 61-29 win over Rye House – whose boss Peter Schroeck admitted they had suffered a tough night.Schroeck said: “We were really caught out by the track. I don’t want to use it as an excuse, but it was certainly a factor for us.“Branny (Rob Branford) had a good meeting, apart from the one race where he went through a hole into the boards. Luke (Priest) gave a good display as well until his own fall, and we pulled him out of his last ride, but the rest of the boys really did struggle to get around in fairness.”

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ELITE League leaders Belle Vue face Swindon on Friday – meaning they go up against the only opposing side to take an away win from the National Speedway Stadium.The Robins triumphed in May and arrive in a high after their victory at King’s Lynn on Thursday.Former Belle Vue rider Patrick Hougaard makes a guest appearance for his old club with Max Fricke on World Under-21 Team Cup duty.Aces star Steve Worrall said: “Obviously the preference is to have our full team in action at home, but Patrick certainly seemed to enjoy himself when Leicester were here last month so I’m sure he’ll do a great job.“In our last home meeting with Swindon, I think they caught us off guard to be honest because it was very early in the season and we were all still trying to familiarise ourselves with the new track.“Now everyone’s up to speed with their machinery and set-ups. I believe we’ll be able to handle them as efficiently as we’ve done every other team that’s come here. It’s something we have to do.”Meanwhile Coventry host Lakeside at Brandon with the Hammers desperate for away points to boost their own play-off hopes.The Bees are without No.1 Krzysztof Kasprzak, with Michael Palm Toft guesting as the Pole is racing in the Speedway Euro Championship – but boss Gary Havelock says they can still overcome that key absence.He said: “We’ve battled adversity before, and if we ride as we did against Swindon last Monday then we can win this match, and winning at home is very much the main thing.“I know Lakeside are desperate for points, especially away, and they’ll be looking at this fixture as a golden chance, exactly as I would be doing if I was going somewhere in a similar situation.“But it’s important to us to keep winning our home matches and keep entertaining the public, which is something I feel we have done this season. It’s still a match we are very capable of winning.”Lakeside star Richard Lawson said: “We’re desperate to get some points at Coventry and hopefully get the win at Lakeside on Saturday.“We’ll all determined to make it to the play-offs, and it all comes down to these last few meetings now.“It’s going to be tight so every point will count. If we could get something from the away meeting that’d put us in a good position, and we have to make sure we don’t have any more slip-ups at home as well.”

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EDINBURGH expect to stage one of the matches of the Premier League season when they host Somerset at Armadale on Friday.The sides have frequently contested major silverware in recent campaigns and it was the Rebels who were firmly on top when they met at the Oaktree Arena on Wednesday.Meanwhile Plymouth will aim to climb out of the bottom two when they face Rye House at the St Boniface Arena.The Devils have two enforced changes from the side that lost at home to Glasgow last Friday. Jack Holder is in Sweden for the World Under-21 Team Cup meeting and Stefan Nielsen will be racing for his Elite League club Swindon.Holder’s absence, however, means there will be a welcome return for former Plymouth favourite Ben Barker, who comes in as a guest replacement. Ryan Douglas deputises for Edward Kennett for the visitorsDevils boss Lee Trigger said: “Steve (Boxall) struggled with his equipment against Glasgow, but he tried a different machine after the meeting and will hope to do a job on his parent club.”“Rye House have a side packed with track specialists at the St Boniface Arena.”Rockets boss Peter Schroeck said: “We’ll be taking a different looking line-up to Plymouth than the one in April, but the aim will be the same. Yes, Eddie had a big score there in the League Cup, but Ryan is really breaking through now in the sport. “We’ve got Rob (Branford) in the team now as well, which we didn’t in April, and he will also help to balance out any absences.”

(FIXTURES)

FRIDAY AUGUST 19:ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Swindon 7.30, Coventry v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Somerset 7.30, Plymouth v Rye House 7.15

SATURDAY AUGUST 20:ELITE LEAGUE: Lakeside v Coventry 7.45, Leicester v Poole 8pm PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Somerset 7pm, Workington v Redcar 7pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Rye House v Coventry 2pm, Stoke v Mildenhall 7pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 7: Eastbourne 6pm

SUNDAY AUGUST 21:PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Somerset 3pm, Newcastle v Peterborough 6.30, Scunthorpe v Workington 6.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Isle of Wight 3pm, Mildenhall v Cradley 3.30