(SPEEDWAY 1)

PETERBOROUGH closed in on the SGB Championship top four with a 48-45 win over leaders Edinburgh at the East of England Arena.
It was a night of thrills and spills with some outstanding racing and a frightening crash involving Bradley Wilson-Dean and Monarchs guest Danny Ayres.
They were thankfully both able to walk away from the high-speed spill in the opening bend of heat 14, for which the New Zealand champion was excluded.
The Panthers went ten points up but Sam Masters won a tactical ride in Heat 11 as the visitors remained close enough to take a useful league point.
Jack Holder top-scored for the hosts with 12 points, with Paul Starke on 11, whilst Masters (12+2) and Ricky Wells (10+1) led the way for the Monarchs.
Peterborough boss Carl Johnson said: “We needed to get this hectic run off to a winning start - and we did that. It wasn't our best night by any means, but we still managed to beat the league leaders.
“Improving our home form was a major goal for 2017 and that's now four wins in a row on our own track.
“It was good to be back at full-strength and great to pick up the result even though it was a bit closer than I anticipated.”
Edinburgh manager John Campbell said: “I think we came very close to taking something here with the boys we had, a bit more luck and we might well have done it.
“It was an excellent team performance much more like what we have been doing this year. A good night!”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

BELLE Vue went top of the Travel Plus National League with an emphatic 59-31 win at Buxton on Sunday.
The opening three heats were shared at Hi-Edge before the Colts took charge with reserve Kyle Bickey (12+2), captain Lee Payne (11+2) and Dan Bewley (10+3) all in double figures. Matt Williamson collected 13 for the Hitmen.
Payne said: “A lot of our boys have only been here once or twice and it’s a really tricky track to get to grips with. But everyone had an awesome meeting and I’m really proud of my team today.
“We were confident we could produce the goods and I don’t think we put in more than a couple of last places. That’s key to any victory, avoiding last places, so I’m really chuffed with the result.”
Buxton boss Jason Pipe said: “I’m not making excuses but they had four riders who ride in the Championship and two of our lads were carrying injuries.
“That was not Tom (Woolley) out there today, he started well but his injury sustained last week and aggravated at Kent on Monday played a bigger part than we thought, and Lee Geary shouldn’t really have ridden following his fall at Kent either but wanted to give it ago. Lee Dicken was also a big miss. We have ten days to re-group before our next fixture at Birmingham.”
Meanwhile Mildenhall cruised to a 63-27 win over King’s Lynn in a meeting marred by the serious injuries to Danny Phillips (see separate story).
All of the Fen Tigers collected at least one heat win with 15-year-old reserve Jordan Jenkins completing a 15-point maximum by overhauling Young Stars No.1 Josh Bailey in the final race.
Promoter Kevin Jolly said: “It is difficult to talk too much about the meeting but I was pleased with all the lads especially Danno (Verge), Luke (Ruddick) and Sam (Woods) who all made very positive contribution to our victory.
“Jordan was naturally elated after his first maximum and it is hard to come up with the right words for his pass in Heat 15, it was simply class.”
King’s Lynn manager Scott Campos said: “The lads had made an encouraging start and were in it at 11-7 after three. But that incident with Danny really knocked the wind out of our sails and we had no answer from there on in.
“We're in a real dilemma team wise now and myself and Dale (Allitt) need to have a serious sit down and see what we can do.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

KING’S Lynn Young Stars captain Danny Phillips suffered a broken femur and broken back in a horror crash at Mildenhall on Sunday.
Phillips, who also races for Newcastle in the SGB Championship, came down heavily in his opening ride and received extensive treatment before being taken to hospital via air ambulance.
Mildenhall promoter Kevin Jolly said: “I must praise Jason Gillingham and his paramedic team for their support, care and professionalism today, they are incredibly important to this club and we are very lucky to have them with us.
“Once again our supporters came up trumps, after showing great understanding during the delay whilst Danny was cared for they then responded to an impromptu collection for the Air Ambulance raising an incredible £645.00.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

WOLVERHAMPTON host Somerset at Monmore Green for the first time in top flight history tonight (Monday).
The two sides met in the South West on Friday, with the West Midlands side coming out on top 49-44, sending them to the top of the SGB Premiership table
And while Wolves boss Peter Adams is keen to see his side extend their lead, he insists nothing is certain against the league newcomers.
Adams said: “One thing is for sure, we won't be under-estimating Somerset. Their victory at Belle Vue on Bank Holiday Monday was the result of the season so far and they showed what they're capable of.
“It goes to show if you take your eye off the ball in this game then things can come and give you a big kick up the backside and we don't want that to happen.
“But we're beginning to show our teeth a bit now since making the team changes and we seem to be improving week by week.”
Meanwhile Kent’s regular septet will be joined by former Kings star Ben Morley for the Invicta Pairs at Central Park.
Four pairs race against each other twice apiece for a 12-heat programme with Morley teaming up with Bradley Andrews; whilst Luke Bowen/Luke Clifton, Ben Hopwood/Alex Spooner and Nathan Stoneman/Jack Thomas are the other combinations.

(SPEEDWAY 5)

POOLE will welcome back Kyle Newman for their SGB Premiership clash with Rye House on Wednesday.
Newman has missed the Pirates’ opening six league matches after crashing out of the Darcy Ward Invitational in March, leading to a short-term deal for Lewis Kerr.
Promoter Matt Ford said: “The replacement of Kyle was always conditional that we would look to bring him back in once he was ready and Lewis was always aware of that.
“However I have to say that I am sorry to have to release him as he did not disgrace himself or let us down in any way. He made my decision a very difficult one and I would like to thank him for that.”
But as Newman returns, the Dorset side could be without No.1 Krzysztof Kasprzak for a month with a broken collarbone after the Pole crashed in his homeland on Sunday.
Kasprzak said: “I feel so unlucky at the moment, it hasn’t been a good start to my season at all. My equipment is very good but I have been struggling for the past month to find any form, and now this.
“The x-rays show that I have a broken collar bone and the doctors tell me that I will be out for maybe four weeks. But I hope to get back before then and come back to Poole and start winning races.”

(SPEEDWAY 6)

BERWICK are set to hand David Howe a full-time return to the sport in time for their clash with Workington next weekend.
Howe retired two years ago after a run of injuries but made several early-season appearances in Open meetings this year and will now come in for the Bandits as a replacement for Liam Carr, subject to BSPA approval.
Co-promoter Scott Courtney said: “There's always going to be mixed feelings when team changes are made and this one has been the toughest for me personally.
“On one hand we are super-excited to hand David this opportunity to again show why he has been regarded as one of the great British talents in the last 20 years!
“The other side of the coin has been a tough one. Liam Carr is a Bandit through and through, and in many ways we feel like we're pulling a boxer out of the ring to not sustain any further damage. Liam's confidence has been battered and it's tough to see.
“Liam has now gained a more realistic average that has enabled us to help him get fixed up at Birmingham in the National League, and his clean slate starts now. Rest assured we will assist where we can in helping him get back to the Liam Carr we all know and think a hell of a lot of!”

(FIXTURES)

MONDAY MAY 8:
SGB PREMIERSHIP: Wolverhampton v Somerset 7.30
INVICTA PAIRS: Kent 6.30

WEDNESDAY MAY 10:
SGB PREMIERSHIP: Poole v Rye House 7.30, King’s Lynn v Leicester 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Lakeside 7.30, Birmingham v King’s Lynn 7.30

THURSDAY MAY 11:
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Ipswich v Scunthorpe 7.30, Sheffield v Redcar 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Lakeside 7pm
NATIONAL TROPHY: Swindon v Plymouth 7.30

FRIDAY MAY 12:
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Edinburgh v Glasgow 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Plymouth v Birmingham 7.15

Results Sunday May 7, 2017

SGB CHAMPIONSHIP
Peterborough 48 – Jack Holder 12
Edinburgh 45 – Sam Masters 12+2
Championship points: Peterborough 3 Edinburgh 1

TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE
Buxton 31 – Matt Williamson 13
Belle Vue 59 – Kyle Bickley 12+2
National League points: Buxton 0 Belle Vue 4

Mildenhall 63 – Jordan Jenkins 15
King’s Lynn 27 – Josh Bailey 14
National League points: Mildenhall 3 King’s Lynn 0