(SPEEDWAY 1)

GLASGOW and Ipswich both closed in on SGB Championship leaders Edinburgh with key wins on Saturday night.
The Tigers defeated Peterborough 51-41 at Ashfield led by a perfect 15-point maximum from captain Aaron Summers.
Just eight points split the sides with three races to go, but Summers teamed up with Richard Lawson for a 5-1 in Heat 13 and then won the final heat to ensure the Panthers were left point-less.
Paul Starke continued his strong form for the Panthers with 13+1, after they had operated rider-replacement with planned guest Ben Barker pulling out ill.
Summers said: “The track was a little bit on the slick side with it being so warm and windy. It looked close but they only got there using a tactical ride, so in the end it wasn't that close.
“It's been a while since I had a maximum and I've not been riding that much. Getting a guest booking at Edinburgh last night maybe helped a bit, giving me race sharpness.
“We do have some meetings in hand but we've got to keep pushing on for as many points as we can.”
Panthers boss Carl Johnson said: “There is no disgrace in losing by 10 points at Glasgow when without a number one.
“It was obviously very disappointing to lose Ben as we felt he could be a key man for us at one of his former tracks.
“But the boys still went into the meeting in a positive frame of mind and we gave a decent account of ourselves. There were definitely positives to take from it.”
Meanwhile Ipswich survived a major scare to win 47-45 at Berwick in a dramatic encounter.
The Witches roared into an early 17-6 lead and still held a six-point advantage with three heats to go, only for back-to-back Bandits’ 5-1s to turn the match.
But Danny King and Rory Schlein had the final say for the visitors to break Berwick hearts, Schlein top-scoring with 12+2 and King adding 10. Guest Ryan Douglas collected 11+1 for the Bandits.
Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “We were making the starts at the start of the meeting but we didn’t make enough after the interval.
“We have done well in heat 15 to pull off a win. From the position we were in to have to scrape a win from heat 15 is not great.
“We are lucky to have Danny and Rory to call on for that pressurised heat 15 and they did the business.”
Berwick manager Gary Flint said: “The spirit the guys showed in our pits tonight was something special. We were eleven down after Heat 4 and looked right out of it, but this side are fighters and never know they’re beaten till its over, and that comeback was awesome.
“Well done to Ipswich, well done to the Bandits. Speedway really won tonight with a real thriller of a meeting and it proves we can fight back. Maybe a draw would have been fairest, but what a match!”
Sheffield closed the gap on fourth-placed Redcar with a 46-44 win at Workington in a last-heat decider at Derwent Park.
The Tigers recorded ten race wins but still needed Josh Grajczonek to triumph in the final race after Kyle Howarth hit bike trouble – the same combination having given them the lead for the first time with a 4-2 in Heat 13.
Grajczonek scored 12 and Howarth added 11, whilst Ty Proctor top-scored for the Comets with 11+1.
Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “Obviously we’re delighted. It was just the response we were looking for after the Glasgow defeat.
“We went there believing we were good enough to win as long as we rode to our best, and we managed to get the job done.
“We didn’t make a great start but we grew into the meeting and did what we had to do, so we’re pleased with the three points.”

(SPEEDWAY 2)

STOKE moved above Plymouth in the National League table with a 53-37 win over the Devils at Loomer Road.
Mitchell Davey and Luke Priest both scored 10+1 in a solid Potters display which saw David Wallinger also being paid for double figures (9+2).
Plymouth were well-served by Adam Roynon on 13 points but were unable to challenge for a consolation league point on the night.
Stoke boss Malcolm Vasey said: “I’m absolutely delighted with tonight’s performance, it was a real team effort and everyone played their part.
“Plymouth have had a recent upturn in form and dumped Birmingham out of the cup the other week and in Steve Boxall, Adam Roynon and Benji Compton had three former league riders’ champions in their line-up - but we got our noses in front early on and never really looked back. Tonight we showed what we are capable of.”

(SPEEDWAY 3)

IPSWICH have top spot in the SGB Championship in their sights as they head for Newcastle today (Sunday).
The Witches will overhaul leaders Edinburgh if they avoid defeat at Brough Park, and are looking to make it two away wins in 24 hours having triumphed at Berwick on Saturday.
The visitors remain at full-strength whilst the Diamonds welcome back GB World Cup duo Steve Worrall and Robert Lambert, and hand a home debut to recent signing Alfie Bowtell.
Witches boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “They have strong heat-leaders and at home they are backed up well by the rest of the team who go well at home.
“We are very capable and I look at every match thinking it is in our hands everywhere we go. If all the boys ride to their capabilities, we will score points and win races everywhere.
“We need to focus on our own performance and if we get beaten having ridden to our full potential then they have done very well, it is not a case of the track or anything like that.”

(SPEEDWAY 4)

MILDENHALL host Stoke in the National League KO Cup today (Sunday) facing a ten-point deficit from the first leg.
Ben Morley makes a guest appearance for the Fen Tigers with No.1 Connor Mountain on SGB Championship duty, whilst with both regular reserves on the sidelines the hosts hand a chance to Perth W.A-based 17-year-old Matt Marson, alongside Lewis Whitmore.
Mildenhall promoter Kevin Jolly said: “We should have all but ended the tie in the first leg but let the meeting slip from our grasp and certainly can afford no such blips today if we are to make the KO Cup semi finals.
“Stoke are a decent outfit make no mistake and have riders who go well at our track, we need to get away to a fast start and then keep the pressure on all the way to the end.
“We will have a look at young Matt over this weekend, he only arrived in the UK late on Tuesday evening and he had a spin at Ipswich on Thursday evening where he showed promise and backed up on track the reports we have received about him.”
Stoke star Luke Priest said: “We are going to Mildenhall and looking to get a result there which will take us through to the semi-finals.
“We showed on Saturday we are more than capable and if we can hit Mildenhall hard early on we can perhaps put them under a little bit of pressure.
“We were all determined on Saturday against Plymouth and will be going into this meeting full of confidence and with the same determination.”
Meanwhile Leicester host the latest round of the British Youth Championship with a 40-plus racecard at Beaumont Park over the three classes.
The race for a national title hots up in both the 500 and 250cc’s as both series leaders Daniel Gilkes (500) and Leon Flint (250) failed to win the last round at Scunthorpe only last weekend.
Drew Kemp is hot on the heels of Gilkes, and there are several riders alongside Flint chasing the 250 Championship.

(SPEEDWAY 5)

RYE House have named Scott Nicholls as their new club captain following recent team changes at Hoddesdon.
Nicholls takes over from Edward Kennett, who was released from the line-up last weekend, and will lead the Rockets in Monday’s SGB Premiership trip to Wolverhampton.
Manager Peter Schroeck said: “We’ve appointed Scott as the new team captain to lead us. He’s really positive about that appointment.
“As we all know, he is a very good talker; he works well with the lads and he can do much more than just his riding job.”

(FIXTURES)

SUNDAY JULY 9:
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Newcastle v Ipswich 6.30
NATIONAL LEAGUE KO CUP 2nd leg: Mildenhall v Stoke 3pm
BRITISH YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP: Leicester 3pm

MONDAY JULY 10:
SGB PREMIERSHIP: Wolverhampton v Rye House 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent v Mildenhall 6.30

WEDNESDAY JULY 12:
SGB PREMIERSHIP: Poole v King’s Lynn 7.30
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Ipswich v Sheffield 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Plymouth 7.30 (at Birmingham)

THURSDAY JULY 13:
SGB PREMIERSHIP: King’s Lynn v Poole 7.30, Swindon v Belle Vue 7.30
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Redcar v Scunthorpe 7.30, Sheffield v Berwick 7.30
CHALLENGE: Isle of Wight v GB Young Lions Select 7pm

Results Saturday July 8, 2017;

MONSTER ENERGY FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CUP FINAL, Leszno, Poland

Poland 50 (Maciej Janowski 14)
Sweden 42 (Antonio Lindback 20)
Russia 18 (Emil Sayfutdinov 11)
Great Britain 15 (Chris Harris 7)

SGB CHAMPIONSHIP

Berwick 45 (Ryan Douglas 11+1)
Ipswich 47 (Rory Schlein 12+2)
Championship points: Berwick 0 Ipswich 3

Glasgow 51 (Aaron Summers 15)
Peterborough 41 (Paul Starke 13+1)
Championship points: Glasgow 3 Peterborough 0

Workington 44 (Ty Proctor 11+1)
Sheffield 46 (Josh Grajczonek 12)

TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEGUE

Stoke 53 (Mitchell Davey 10+1, Luke Priest 10+1)
Plymouth 37 (Adam Roynon 13)
National League points: Stoke 3 Plymouth 0