URGENT SPEEDWAY POSTPONEMENTS
SUNDAY APRIL 16
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP
Glasgow v Berwick - OFF
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP
Scunthorpe v Redcar - OFF
Re-arranged for TOMORROW, Monday April 17, 5.30pm
YOUTH CHALLENGE
Scunthorpe Stags v Halifax Dukes - OFF
(SPEEDWAY 1)
RYE House skipper Edward Kennett romped to a 15-point maximum as the Rockets returned to winning ways against King’s Lynn.
Kennett’s five wins helped his side to a 50-42 victory for their second home win in the SGB Premiership, as they took control of the meeting with a blistering start to go 12 points up after four races.
Kennett was backed up by Chris Harris on ten with reserve Ellis Perks being paid for double figures (7+3) whilst the Stars were unable to do enough for a league point, Nicklas Porsing top-scoring on 10+2.
Kennett said: “It’s always tough, everyone enjoys coming to Rye House and seems to ride it well, but after Swindon we had a little chat and put that one behind us in order to move on with the League.
“We built such a large advantage early on before they came back at us, and then we pulled away again in the crucial heats like Heat 13. It’s obviously nice to finish on a high and get all the points.”
King’s Lynn boss Dale Allitt said: “You go into every meeting wanting to win, or at the very least get a point as the next best thing, so we’re obviously disappointed to leave empty handed.
“We got off to a slow start unfortunately and it took us a few races to get to grips with the track. We managed to claw it back bit by bit, and we always felt we were within touching distance, but it just wasn’t quite enough in the end.
“It’s disappointing but it’s only one meeting, and one meeting won’t make or break our season.”
Meanwhile there was last-bend heartache for Leicester as a Heat 15 puncture for Kim Nilsson sent them out of the KO Cup and enabled Somerset to progress to the semi-finals.
The Lions were on course to overturn their eight-point first leg deficit as Nilsson and guest Nick Morris held a 4-2 in the final race – but the Swede slowed going into the final turn, allowing Josh Grajczonek to lead the Rebels through.
Morris top-scored for the Lions in their 48-42 win on the night, with Grajczonek claiming four race wins for the Rebels on his way to 13, as his side went through 91-89 on aggregate.
Leicester boss Jim Lynch said: “These things happen and we can take a lot from the fact we put up a good fight.
“We were not firing on all cylinders and Somerset rode consistently well all the way through but I think they would be the first to admit we were very unlucky having gone into the last bend on a 4-2.
“I don’t think there can be any question we deserved to go through. We had won the meeting anyway but just got that bit of bad fortune.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
GLASGOW boss Stewart Dickson spoke of his relief after the Tigers snatched a dramatic 46-44 SGB Championship win at Berwick.
Dickson’s side were eight points behind after ten heats but the visiting heat-leaders won four of the last five races and secured victory with a 4-2 in Heat 15 from top-scorer Richie Worrall (14) and captain Aaron Summers (11+1), who were split by Kevin Doolan (14) but Summers crucially kept Lewis Bridger at the back.
Dickson said: “It was very pleasing. We looked dead and buried after Heat 10 - it was really getting away from us.
“But we had a wee chat after Heat 10 and I said to the boys that we felt come Heat 13 and 15 we could get heat advantages, because our heat-leaders were starting to come onto a roll.
“The second strings and reserves weren't really scoring points and we needed a bit of back-up. But we got there and it was a big win for us, because at one point it didn't look as if we were going to do it.”
Berwick manager Gary Havelock said: “We won five of the first six heats, that's nearly more than we've won in the rest of the season put together, but Glasgow are a good side and they applied the pressure when they needed to, to take the points.
“When they applied that pressure it opened up the cracks in our amour again, so I'm very disappointed and congratulations to Glasgow, although I don't think they were the better team as to be honest a draw would have been the fair result.”
Ipswich stormed to a big local derby win over injury-hit Peterborough, the Witches running up a 60-32 victory at Foxhall.
Danny King put his Thursday crash at Sheffield behind him with a 12-point maximum whilst Cameron Heeps (12+2), Rory Schlein (12+1) and impressive reserve Danyon Hume (11) also scored heavily for the home side.
Already without the unwell Kenneth Hansen, the Panthers lost Paul Starke with a shoulder injury after an awkward fall in Heat 4, whilst skipper Ulrich Ostergaard took no further part due to a knee problem after coming down in Heat 10.
Bradley Wilson-Dean (14+1) and Jack Holder (10) dominated the visitors’ scoring as they tasted defeat for the first time in 2017.
Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “It was tight in the first third of the meeting and then we pulled away. It was a good performance and everyone is happy.
“It was a tricky night but we dealt with it really well and professionally but we’ve got to go and do the business on Monday (at Peterborough).
“Danyon has done a lot of laps around here now and that was his best score and he looked at ease on a tricky night. He was mature beyond his years.”
Panthers boss Carl Johnson said: “We were on a roll, but tonight we came crashing back down to earth.
“We knew it would probably happen at some point, but we certainly didn’t expect to be on the receiving end of a scoreline like this.
“It shows how quickly things can change in this sport. A couple of riders who have been flying so far this season have been caught up in nasty crashes.”
Meanwhile Workington made it two wins out of two in the Championship with a 48-45 success over Scunthorpe – who gained a league point thanks to a stunning showing from Michael Palm Toft.
The Dane racked up 17 points from five rides, including a tactical ride triumph when he came from last to first, and Palm Toft also defeated home No.1 Craig Cook from the back in Heat 10.
Cook scored 13+1 for the Comets with his win in Heat 15 securing victory as team-mate Ty Proctor (10) came to grief.
Workington boss Tony Jackson said: “It was certainly closer than we would have liked, but we knew that the Scorpions could push us as their top-five are solid and all of them have had good matches around here in the past.
“There was a drying wind throughout the evening; which caused the track to dry out and slicken off, which probably suited Scunthorpe more than us, and certainly suited Michael Palm Toft, who was outstanding for them.
“However, despite a few of the lads having problems on the night we battled through it and Cookie was excellent once again, while Mason Campton had his best meeting of the season so far having put his recent machine problems behind him and it was pleasing to see Rob Shuttleworth register his first race win as a Comet.
“The meeting certainly demonstrated just how competitive the Championship is going to be this season and if everyone isn’t firing on all cylinders you can get punished, but thankfully we had just enough to hold on and take the win.”
Scunthorpe manager Dave Peet said: “Michael was just superb - he was brilliant all night. He won races from stone last, and his pass on Craig Cook was world class.
“It’s fair comment to say the 8-1 from Michael and Lewis Kerr in Heat 7 turned the match around. After that, we kept it close, and we absolutely deserved the point we got.
“Every rider was putting in maximum effort. That’s actually been the case all season; I’ve never been able to fault the riders for effort, in any of our away matches.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter is anticipating plenty of Easter excitement when Poole visit the Abbey in the SGB Premiership today (Sunday, 5pm).
Rossiter’s side return to full strength as Adam Ellis has been declared fit after missing the KO Cup wins over Rye House with a scaphoid injury.
The Pirates welcome back No.1 Krzyztof Kasprzak who was in Poland on Good Friday, whilst rider replacement operates for Lewis Kerr (SGBC commitment) and Darryl Ritchings guests for the unavailable James Shanes at reserve.
Rossiter said: “It’s going to be a tough one against Poole, it always is. They’ve shown the last few years that they know how to win and do what they have to in order to be at the right end of the table every year.
“There’s always that added spice against Poole, because it’s our local derby and we’ve had a great rivalry the last few years.
“We're pleased to have Adam back, and after a good win against Rye House we're looking for another victory.”
Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “We are running rider replacement at Swindon because we have no option, Lewis is riding for Scunthorpe so Brady (Kurtz) and Nicolai (Klindt) will have to do the covering in the main.
“We will be without James (Shanes) for this meeting too and so I am grateful to Darryl Ritchings for stepping in. As with James I have no real expectations on the number seven but Darryl is familiar with Swindon, but of course at a lower level.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
SCUNTHORPE stage a double-header at the Eddie Wright Raceway today (Sunday) with promoter Rob Godfrey looking to build on recent results.
The Scorpions entertain Redcar in the SGB Championship at 3pm with that match followed by a Youth Challenge between the Stags and Halifax Dukes.
Jan Graversen steps in at reserve for the home side to guest for the injured Fritz Wallner, who remains on the sidelines with a broken hand.
Godfrey said: “It was a massive relief for us to defeat Glasgow last Sunday and get our first win of the season under our belts.
“I always had faith in this set of riders – which is why I brought back the same seven riders this season. It was an excellent victory; I look at the league table, and while it’s early days, I notice Glasgow are currently on top of it. They will still be near the top of the table all season long, and it was a great result for us to beat them.
“We now need to kick on and record another win over Redcar. I think the racing could be just as exciting as last week, since two out-and-out racers in Jason Garrity and Ben Barker are part of a new-look Redcar Bears side.”
Sheffield boss Simon Stead says his side's away trips don't get any easier as they travel to Newcastle on Sunday - but believes a win on the road is on its way!
The Tigers have already lost on the road to Ipswich and Workington and have failed to gain any consolation league points in the process, but have been in strong form at Owlerton.
Stead said: “Newcastle is a tough place to go to as an away team and with the team they've got this year, it makes the task even more difficult.
“Robert Lambert, Ludvig Lindgren, Stevie Worrall are all top performers at this level and the rest of their side isn't too shabby either!
“But our 1-7 is just as strong and while it's not been the best of starts away from home, I believe we are capable of picking up a result wherever we go.”
Leaders Glasgow will be seeking a quickfire double over Berwick when the sides meet at Ashfield.
The Tigers snatched a 46-44 win at Shielfield Park on Saturday but Bandits boss Gary Havelock is urging his side to travel with a positive approach.
Havelock said: “We will be going up there in the full belief we can get a point or more and really there's no reason why we can't take something. We're not lying down to be walked over - no, far from it!”
Meanwhile Mildenhall host Kent at West Row in the second leg of the Easter Chase, with the Kings ten points up from the opening fixture on Good Friday.
(SPEEDWAY 5)
BIRMINGHAM have been dealt a further blow after Chris Hay informed the club that he is quitting the sport.
The 28-year-old completed just one meeting for Brummies before picking up a wrist injury in an individual meeting at Stoke last weekend, and has now officially stood down for personal reasons.
Birmingham promoter Graham Drury said: “I'm more than very disappointed because it's left us in a bit of a predicament now.
“Chris showed a lot of enthusiasm to join us over the winter so for him to quit after just one meeting for us was a total shock.
“That's another rider we've got to look to replace now and at this stage of the season, options really are limited.”
(SPEEDWAY 6)
GREAT Britain youth boss Neil Vatcher is urging promoters to back the British riders who currently are without a team spot.
Stefan Nielsen won the Vince Mapley Memorial Trophy at the Isle of Wight on Thursday following a sensational six-ride maximum.
The young gun, who is without a side, also broke a nine year old track record in the process, prompting Vatcher to speak out about his predicament along with that of Joe Jacobs.
Said Vatcher: “It was only two seasons ago, in 2015, that Stefan was Britain’s sole representative in the World Under-21 Final, and this season he has no team place.
“Joe was one of Belle Vue’s heroes from last season’s play-offs, and I find it hard to believe that both riders are without a team place thus far in 2017.
“I would urge any promoters who are thinking about trying to make an early change to consider these boys.
“Stefan and Joe are the future for British Speedway, and we need these boys to be riding every week.”
(FIXTURES)
SUNDAY APRIL 16: see above postponements
SGB PREMIERSHIP: Swindon v Poole 5pm
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Glasgow v Berwick 3pm, Newcastle v Sheffield 6.30, Scunthorpe v Redcar 3pm
EASTER CHASE 2nd leg: Mildenhall v Kent 3pm
YOUTH CHALLENGE: Scunthorpe Stags v Halifax Dukes (follows SGBC fixture)
MONDAY APRIL 17:
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Peterborough v Ipswich 3pm
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Mildenhall 7.30
TUNNEL TROPHY 1st leg: Kent v Lakeside 3pm
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Round 1 (150cc/125cc): Peterborough (follows SGBC fixture)
TUESDAY APRIL 18:
SGB PREMIERSHIP: Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30
WEDNESDAY APRIL 19:
SGB PREMIERSHIP: King’s Lynn v Belle Vue 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Birmingham v Plymouth 7.30
CHALLENGE: Poole v Coventry 7.30.
Results Saturday April 15, 2017
SGB PREMIERSHIP
Rye House 50 – Edward Kennett 15
King’s Lynn 42 – Nicklas Porsing 10+2
Premiership points: Rye House 3 King’s Lynn 0
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP Q/F 2nd leg
Leicester 48 – Nick Morris 10+1
Somerset 42 – Josh Grajczonek 13
Somerset win 91-89 on aggregate.
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP
Berwick 44 – Kevin Doolan 14
Glasgow 46 – Richie Worrall 14
Championship points: Berwick 0 Glasgow 3
Ipswich 60 – Cameron Heeps 12+2
Peterborough 32 – Bradley Wilson-Dean 14+1
Championship points: Ipswich 3 Peterborough 0
Workington 48 – Craig Cook 13+1
Scunthorpe 45 – Michael Palm Toft 17
Championship points: Workington 3 Scunthorpe 1
