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LAKESIDE moved back into the Elite League top four with a convincing 57-35 win over Coventry at the Arena-Essex Raceway.The Vortex Hammers put in a dominant display against an under-strength Bees side to keep their play-off hopes well and truly alive.Edward Kennett and Kim Nilsson both struck faultless paid maximums, whilst skipper Andreas Jonsson suffered his only defeat when he retired at the tapes in heat 11.Jason Garrity top-scored for the Bees on 11 with reserve James Sarjeant impressing on 8, but the visitors were without three of their regular riders at Purfleet.Lakeside coach Kelvin Tatum said: “Coventry were depleted, but the most important job for us was to come away with the win and we did just that. “When we are at home at full strength we know we’re strong, and even though we made heavy weather of things initially by throwing some points away it was a pretty comfortable win.“With double figures coming from four riders, that shows the strength we have at home and in truth it could have been more if not for some bad luck for Richard Lawson and Lewis Kerr being hampered by illness.”Sarjeant said: “The track was hard, but it’s the best I’ve ridden here so I enjoyed my racing.“I was unlucky in a few and I could have come away with a few more points, but I’m still happy with today. At least I can come here next year and be a lot more confident.”
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RYE House produced a dramatic comeback to defeat Coventry 49-41 in the National League on Saturday afternoon.The Storm led by six points with four heats to go, but the Raiders secured 5-1s in each of the last three races to leave the visitors with nothing to show for their efforts.Ben Morley and Robert Branford both completed five-ride maximums for the home side, whilst reserve Jamie Halder clocked up 11+1 for the visitors.Rye House Team Manager Peter Schroeck said: “To come from eight points down to win by eight points; I’m really pleased for the guys, especially on the back of what we also achieved on Sunday (National League Fours Champions). Coventry are a pretty strong side too, and although they had a little bit of bad luck, so have we in the past.“We always seem to go into matches as the underdog, and it’s nice to see the young kids bringing something to the party as well today – and what a difference that makes. It wasn’t just Branny (Rob Branford), Ben (Morley) and Luke (Priest). “At this level every single point is important, and I can’t pick one of them out, really. They all did well.”Coventry boss Laurence Rogers said: “We’re very disappointed. We thought we were on our way to another victory, but credit to Rye House. “We had plenty of bad luck, twice with JPB (Jack Parkinson-Blackburn) including a puncture when he was winning his last ride, and things just didn’t go our way in the end. “We’ll take plenty of positives out of it, particularly Jamie and Callum (Walker) at reserve.”In the Mitas British Youth Championship both Kyle Bickley (500cc) and Leon Flint (250cc) are declared 2016 Champions after winning the seventh and penultimate round in their individual classes at Eastbourne.Neither can be caught in their respective standings and will be presented with their trophies at next Saturday’s final round at Redcar.Meanwhile Nathan Ablitt (150cc) and Jordan Palin (125cc) were also winners of the Arlington round.
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RICHIE Worrall says fans are in for their biggest treat of 2016 when Somerset visit Glasgow in a top-of-the-table Premier League clash on Sunday.The Tigers star will face his old club, bidding to knock them off their perch at the summit, with the Rebels frustrated by rain-offs at Edinburgh and Berwick earlier in their Northern tour.Worrall said: “If I was a fan, that would be the match to see. Both teams are top of the league, hopefully the weather is nice and the track is good, and there will be some brilliant racing - no doubt about it.“We are both fighting for the top of the league. They have a very strong team but around our place, but the way we're going, I don't think we'll have any problems.“It's a massive psychological boost to finish top going into the play-offs and I think it would be a brilliant achievement. Other teams would be looking at that and thinking, ‘These guys aren't here to mess about.’”Meanwhile Peterborough promoter Ged Rathbone has called on Zdenek Holub to prove he is a match winner – starting at Newcastle on Sunday.The Czech rider has endured a tough spell since being snapped up by the Panthers in June, as his 10 appearances for the club so far have yielded just 24 points from reserve - but Rathbone remains convinced that Holub is capable of better.He said: “We've had a long chat with Zdenek and his mentor, Tomas Topinka, to try to get to the bottom of why he has been struggling."Zdenek has a good pedigree and his performances on the continent suggest he should be capable of scoring big points at reserve in the Premier League.“We'll monitor his progress in the next three meetings, but I'm not going to rule out late changes to the team before the August 31 deadline if I feel they are necessary.”Scunthorpe boss Rob Godfrey is targeting wins in their last four home matches of the campaign, starting at travel-sick Workington.The Comets were hammered at Ipswich on Thursday and Godfrey believes the Scorpions can prevail at the Eddie Wright Raceway.He said: “No-one has gone home from the Eddie Wright Raceway feeling short-changed in terms of the racing on display, because the action has been top-notch.“But there’s such a massive difference in mood, between if you win a meeting or lose it. Wins bring smiles to the faces. We’ve been so close against Edinburgh and Somerset, without getting over the line.“I’ve looked at our remaining four home meetings this season, and I honestly believe we can win them all. And if we do that, I think it will haul us off the bottom of the league.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)MILDENHALL and Cradley finally meet at West Row on Sunday in one of the most anticipated meetings of the Travel Plus National League season.The meeting was initially called off earlier in the campaign, for which the Fen Tigers were docked three league points, and they now meet again with reduced admission of £10 as specified by the penalties.Mildenhall boss Kevin Jolly is keen to move on from that indiscretion, as they face a visiting side who bring in former Heathens rider Ellis Perks to guest for the unavailable Ashley Morris.Jolly said: “Much has been said and written but we have moved on now and I look forward to welcoming the Cradley riders, management and supporters to Mildenhall on Sunday for what should be a fantastic afternoon of speedway. “I feel that both sides are pretty evenly matched and a close match is definitely on the cards. “Hopefully the terraces will be full, the banter lively but friendly and the meeting is played out in the right spirit that will represent everything that is good about National League speedway.”Cradley boss Will Pottinger said: “We’ll be looking to get back to winning ways as soon as possible after our defeat at home to Birmingham on Monday.“That was a disappointing result for everyone, but we have to move on from that now and show how well we can respond to that setback.“It will certainly be a tough ask without Ash, but if we want to be in the play-offs we need to be picking up points away from home.”Meanwhile Buxton boss Jason Pipe believes the long wait for a home win for the Hitmen in the National League could end when they take on the Isle of Wight.Pipe has called up Jack Parkinson-Blackburn to guest for Oliver Greenwood, and believes his reserves could play a crucial part.He said: “All the boys are really looking forward to the meeting and it's one they truly believe they can win and so do I. We are long overdue a home win and it would certainly be a very nice Wedding Anniversary present for me from the boys if it was to be this Sunday!“I still say, and especially at home, we currently have two very good reserves who are possibly one of the best reserve pairings in the league, behind Birmingham's pairing. “Shelby (Rutherford) and Davey (Wallinger) could have a big say in who wins the battle on Sunday and we’d best make good use of this pairing because once we go into September, they will both be in the top five.”
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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
MONDAY AUGUST 22:ELITE LEAGUE: Swindon v Poole 7.30, Wolverhampton v Lakeside 7.30THE LAURELS: Kent 6.30
TUESDAY AUGUST 23:TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Birmingham 7pm
