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IPSWICH made a flying start to the Premier League play-offs with a 58-32 quarter-final win over reigning champions Edinburgh at Foxhall.The Witches dominated the first leg tie with Danny King scoring a five-ride paid maximum whilst Nico Covatti added 13+1, with solid scoring down the order.Sam Masters scored nine for the Monarchs, who now face an uphill task to reach the semi-final stage.Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “I was really pleased with their commitment and determination to win. The boys are starting to believe how good they are now and we've come into form at the right time of the season. It was a really good performance.“We've got to go to Edinburgh looking to win. Edinburgh have beaten many a side over the years by more than 26 points. They are the two-time reigning champions but tonight we looked like a side that believed they can win and we were the most determined team to win, and we need to carry that on next week.”Edinburgh boss John Campbell said: “I said beforehand if we were 20 points behind we would still have a chance, thinking we would more likely get within 10. But it’s difficult to get the kind of score we’ve had tonight and suggest we are going to pull it back. “It was all on the gate apart from heat 15 funnily enough. There was no passing – I’m not suggesting our boys were about to pass anyone but the thing was we didn’t make a start.”
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SOMERSET are through to the League Cup Final after a 51-39 win at Sheffield for an emphatic 30-point aggregate success.The second leg was a closer encounter than the final scoreline suggested, as the scores were level with four heats to go.But the Rebels then reeled off three 5-1s in the closing stages to confirm their supremacy, Josh Grajczonek leading the way on 13+1 with Charles Wright on 13 and Rohan Tungate on 12+1.Kyle Howarth top-scored for the Tigers with 9+2, and they now turn their attention to the Premier League play-offs.Somerset boss Garry May said: “We knew that Sheffield would try to hit us hard from the off, but if we could see that initial burst off, then the pressure would build on them as they started to run out of heats with which to come back at us.“When we hit them with those two 5-1’s in heat 7 and 8, you could see that knocked the stuffing out of the Sheffield boys, and that even at that stage of things, we were virtually set for booking our place in the Final.”Sheffield co-promoter Damien Bates said: “Fair play to Somerset; they're a very strong team this year and they showed why they've won so many meetings.“After getting back level after heat 10, we'd have loved to have gone on just to win on the night - but when you're missing your own No. 1 and 5 it's always going to be hard.“When you've got two of your riders (Kyle Howarth and Richard Lawson) who don't get home from their Elite League meetings until four in the morning the same day as well, it's always going to make it tougher for them as well.”Berwick’s Thomas Jorgensen was the winner of the Teesside Silver Helmet at Redcar, with Ricky Wells of Workington second whilst David Bellego was the best-placed home rider in third.
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SOMERSET continue their defence of the Knockout Cup this weekend in a mouth-watering semi-final clash with Glasgow.The sides meet at the Oaktree Arena on Friday before Sunday’s return at Ashfield, with the Rebels being the only visiting team to win at the Scottish venue this season.Somerset are still without Jake Allen as he recovers from concussion, whilst Tom Bacon guests for the injured Zach Wajtknecht.Somerset boss Garry May said: “It is not ideal to go into an important match such as this without Jake, who has been flying around the Oaktree Arena this year.“But the rest of the boys are determined to overcome Jake’s loss in the best possible way, by building up a good first leg lead with which to go to Glasgow.”Glasgow manager Stewart Dickson said: “The weekend is very big. Somerset are as tough as they come. On Friday we'll go there and try to win - that might sound impossible to some people but I think that's the best policy, and we'll see where it gets us.“They're in for two tough meetings and we think the same - and we might need an inspired performance from a certain rider. It might make the difference between the two teams.”Meanwhile Craig Cook makes his long-awaited return to Edinburgh as he lines up for Peterborough in his new club’s final Premier League fixture of the campaign.The visitors make several changes as Anders Thomsen and Richard Hall are both injured, Kenneth Bjerre and Danny Halsey have both gone down with illness and Zdenek Holub is withholding his services.Matt Wethers, Jye Etheridge, Shelby Rutherford and David Wallinger have all agreed to step in as guests. Ryan Blacklock guests for Dan Bewley for the home side.Peterborough boss Carl Johnson said: “We're obviously disappointed to have so few of our own riders available, but tonight will serve as a shop window for our guests to stake their claim for a place in our team for 2017.“It has been tough just to put a side together for tonight and we're grateful to all four riders who have stepped in.”In the Travel Plus National League, Belle Vue host play-off qualifiers Cradley at the National Speedway Stadium.The home side operate rider replacement for the injured Dan Bewley whilst Jack Smith guests for the injured Rob Shuttleworth. Former Heathens duo Tom Perry and Nathan Greaves replace Max Clegg (PL commitment) and the injured Luke Chessell.Belle Vue co-promoter George Carswell said: “Despite the fact they have riders missing, Cradley have got a very strong team and have certainly chosen their guests well for our meeting on Friday night.“We are under-strength but absolutely feel we can give them a run for their money. These two clubs have history that spans back decades so it goes without saying that we’re in for a great meeting.”Cradley boss Will Pottinger said: “It’s never ideal booking guests, but in Tom and Nathan we know what we’re getting and they will give it their all for us I’m sure. They rode for this club with pride during their time with us.“We just want to go to Belle Vue and keep our reasonable run of form going. It would be nice to go there and get a result to finish our league programme well.”Kent stage the County Fours at Central Park with 2015 winners Eastbourne looking to defend the title – and also gain useful knowledge ahead of their National League play-off visit next week. The Isle of Wight and former county club Crayford complete the line-up.Eastbourne boss Connor Dugard said: “Of course, we want to win. Winning is a good habit to have and we want to establish the upper-hand over Kent before the play off semi-final the following week.”
(FIXTURES)FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 23:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Peterborough 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 1st leg: Somerset v Glasgow 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Cradley 7.30, Coventry v Stoke OFF Coventry v Rye House OFFKENT COUNTY FOURS: Kent 6.30
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 24:LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL 2nd leg: Workington v Glasgow 7pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Eastbourne v King’s Lynn 7.30
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25:PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Scunthorpe 6.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Glasgow v Somerset 3pm
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Eastbourne 3pm
