(SPEEDWAY 1)
SHEFFIELD will look to seize the upper hand in their Premier League play-off semi-final with Glasgow as they host the first leg at Owlerton on Wednesday.The Yorkshire side are searching for their first Premier League title since 2002, whilst the visitors were defeated Grand Finalists last year with Somerset awaiting the winners over two legs.Sheffield will again include former favourites Ricky Wells and Josh Auty as guests, whilst rider replacement operates for skipper Simon Stead at No.3.Co-promoter Damien Bates said: “We may be underdogs for the tie, but I don’t think we’re underdogs at home. I’m confident we can win, it just depends how many points we can get to take up to their place. “Glasgow are a good team but they’ve had a couple of bad results recently so it all depends how they react to it.“The weather forecast is settled and we are in for a terrific night of racing. It’s going to be hard and fast, we will be going for it right from the first heat and it’s going to be a proper team effort right from the riders through to the fans.”Glasgow star Rene Bach said: “It's a new week and we have all learned from what happened last week.“We still have a lot to play for this season, so even though last week was disappointing, we need to keep our heads up and be ready from heat one.“Both cups would be nice but winning the Premier League would be something special. I won the two others with Newcastle in 2010 but I missed out on that.”(SPEEDWAY 2)
BIRMINGHAM host Eastbourne in the first leg of the National League Knockout Cup Final at Perry Barr on Wednesday.The Brummies will be looking to build-up a lead to take to the second leg at Arlington on October 30 – and the teams are also set to meet this month in the NL Grand Final.Birmingham bring in Mitchell Davey to guest for Zach Wajtknecht and operate rider-replacement for Danyon Hume, whilst Eastbourne have Connor Coles guesting for the unavailable Georgie Wood.Brummies boss Graham Drury said: “Our lads over the course of the season have proven that they’re the best team in the National League this year and I just hope they get the rewards they deserve by doing enough in this Knockout Cup Final as well as in the play-offs.“We won’t approach these sorts of meetings any differently; we’ll go out there to win every race but most importantly I’ll just be telling the lads to go out there and enjoy their racing because that’s what’s got them this far.“It promises to be a thrilling cup tie between two strong teams and hopefully the lads will be backed in big numbers once again.”Eagles manager Connor Dugard said: “The plan is to go to win straight from the first race and take one race at a time. We know it will not easy but are all geared up to win these matches.“It’s a big fortnight for the club and we have been working towards this all season. We are ready.”(FIXTURES)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 19:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 1st leg: Sheffield v Glasgow 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Birmingham v Eastbourne 7.30
THURSDAY OCTOBER 20:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF S/F 2nd leg: Glasgow v Sheffield 7.30
FRIDAY OCTOBER 21:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Birmingham 7pm, Belle Vue v Coventry (follows previous fixture)
