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RYE House are chasing a major event double when they compete in the National League Pairs at King’s Lynn on Saturday.The Raiders’ quartet clinched Fours glory at Coventry earlier this month, and they will now be represented by Ben Morley and Robert Branford at the Adrian Flux Arena – Morley having taken the Pairs title in Kent colours last season.Manager Peter Schroeck said: “It’s an open field, and anything can happen, so it wouldn’t be right to put any unnecessary pressure on Ben and Rob. We want them to go there and enjoy the occasion. “All I will say is that they have a great understanding of each other, and I do think that they have a very good chance in the event.”
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WOLVERHAMPTON moved back up to third in the Elite League table with an impressive 52-40 win at King's Lynn.The visitors secured all four league points available on another crucial night in their play-off bid, with guest Rohan Tungate piling up 14 points as he stood in for the injured Peter Karlsson.World Champion Tai Woffinden added 14+1 although the Stars’ one real moment of celebration came when Woffinden was beaten by home reserve Carl Wilkinson – but the Stars could not prevent a third successive defeat on their own circuit.Wolves captain Freddie Lindgren said: “After beating Lakeside at home on Monday, it was always important to come here and get something out of the meeting.“But to win as convincingly as we did and get all four points was awesome and that could be important.“Everyone chipped in and I think we have to give special credit to Rohan; he came in at late notice and rode magnificently.”Wilkinson said: “That was one of the rides of my career there's no doubting that! It's nice to know I've still got enough in the tank to pull off a race win like that and I was really happy with my own performance tonight.“Unfortunately it was another disappointing night at home for the team. After winning at Belle Vue, we really thought we could get back to winning ways at home tonight but we just didn't do enough over the course of the meeting.”(SPEEDWAY 3)
COVENTRY stage a double header on Friday with prices held at Elite League levels.The Bees host Lakeside in a re-arranged top-flight clash, followed by National League action involving the Storm and Mildenhall.Krzysztof Kasprzak is available to ride for the home side at No.1 despite his Wild Card for the Grand Prix of Poland tomorrow, whilst the Bees use rider-replacement for Chris Harris and the Hammers, who need away points, bring in Scott Nicholls to guest for Andreas Jonsson with r/r in operation for Richard Lawson.Coventry star Danny King said: “It’s been a tough year for us, but it’s important for us to keep fighting until the end and try to end the season strongly.“We need to put on a show for the fans because they’ve given us fantastic support home and away all season.“Hopefully we can make the most of the meetings we have left and get a good win against Lakeside on Friday.”Lakeside’s Robert Mear said: “We were gutted to come so close to a point at Wolverhampton, and it was probably a worse feeling than getting annihilated away from home.“The play-offs is a big thing for any rider, it’s where we want to be so we have to pick up as many points as possible in our last few meetings. “It’s going to be tough going to Coventry without AJ and Richard (Lawson), but hopefully we can all do our bit and come away with something.”The following National League match sees Coventry hand a guest appearance to Tom Bacon as a replacement for injured No.1 Dan Greenwood.Bacon is the son of former Bees junior and reserve Mike, and has made rapid progress with Birmingham this season.Storm boss Laurence Rogers said: “I know many Bees fans have not watched the Storm, but hopefully they will stay on Friday to cheer our youngsters on, and then come along to our remaining fixtures. “The action is exciting and we have some emerging talent who one day hope to be wearing Bees colours.”Meanwhile Belle Vue host Kent in a crunch clash between the sides currently fifth and second in the table.A home win will see the Colts move into the top four, and they once again bring in Nathan Greaves to guest for Dan Bewley, who is on Premier League duty.The Kings call upon Robert Branford for the injured Luke Bowen, whilst Ben Hopwood comes in for David Mason and rider-replacement operates for Danny Ayres.Belle Vue boss Graham Goodwin said: “It’s one of the toughest matches of the season for us and now more than ever we need the fans to get behind the boys and support them with a vengeance.“Kent are a strong outfit. They’re second in the league and even though they’re bringing a couple of guests with them, their side is still just as formidable as it would be with a full septet.”(SPEEDWAY 4)
SOMERSET complete their regular-season Premier League home fixtures by hosting local rivals Plymouth at the Oaktree Arena on Friday.The Rebels top the table by six points with three matches in hand on Glasgow as they go into back-to-back clashes with the Devils.Somerset boss Garry May said: “It goes without saying that we will be looking to get maximum points from these two matches.“But although Plymouth’s hopes of reaching the play-offs seem to be fading away, there is nothing they would like more than to get one over us, and so I think the fans will have two cracking matches to enjoy.”Plymouth boss Lee Trigger said: “Somerset are very strong opponents and they will be up for the meetings against us after we did the double on them last year.“We will have our full team of seven riders on duty and they should be full of confidence after the home win over Rye House last Friday.”Meanwhile promoter Ged Rathbone has told his Peterborough riders it is time to stand up and be counted.The Panthers begin a run of four make or break home meetings in the space of nine days, which will almost certainly decide their Premier League play-offs fate, when they chase revenge against Newcastle at the East of England Showground.Not only will Peterborough be fuelled by the disappointment of a 59-34 defeat at the hands of the Diamonds last Sunday, they also need to address their below-par home record after suffering five Alwalton defeats so far in 2016.Rathbone said: “We have been ever-present in the play-off positions since the start of the season and we have to ensure we stay there.“We have four successive home meetings in which to pick up the points we need to keep ourselves inside the top six and in with a chance of winning the league.“Myself and the rest of the management team are well aware that we haven't quite been getting the performances we expect from some areas of the team."Now it is up to the guys to stand up and be counted by getting the result we need tonight, again on Bank Holiday Monday, and in the double-header next weekend.”
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EDINBURGH boss John Campbell insists the Monarchs’ Premier League KO Cup quarter-final tie is far from over heading into the second leg.The Armadale side face local rivals Glasgow and have a 24-point deficit to pull back courtesy of a heavy first leg defeat at Ashfield.Both sides are set to be at full strength with Ryan Fisher expected to line up for the Monarchs despite breaking two bones in his foot in a crash last week.Campbell said: “We’ve got a mountain to climb if we are to make the semi final but it’s not over until it’s over and that’s the way we are looking at it.”Our riders will still want to win races and score points because it’s their wages, but the word is sensible – we can’t give them the momentum and let them get off to a good start.Glasgow boss Stewart Dickson said: “Our riders will still want to win races and score points because it’s their wages, but the word is sensible – we can’t give them the momentum and let them get off to a good start.“We need to get race wins in the first few races and put a marker down, because hopefully by seven or eight races in, Edinburgh will realise that they’re not going to turn it back and it’ll settle down a bit.“But we can’t afford to let them get off to a flying start, because we’ll make a hard night even harder. We’ll be going there to defend it sensibly, but at the same time to put on a good show for the fans.”
(FIXTURES)
FRIDAY AUGUST 26:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Lakeside 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Peterborough v Newcastle 7.30, Somerset v Plymouth 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Kent 7.30, Coventry v Mildenhall (follows EL fixture)
SATURDAY AUGUST 27:PREMIER LEAGUE: Plymouth v Somerset 7.15NATIONAL LEAGUE PAIRS: King’s Lynn 7pmBORDER TROPHY 2nd leg: Berwick v Workington 7pmBRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 8: Redcar 2pm
SUNDAY AUGUST 28:PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Edinburgh 6.30, Workington v Berwick 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Birmingham 3pm, Mildenhall v Rye House 3.30
