(SPEEDWAY 1)
SHEFFIELD marched to a tenth successive SGB Championship win with a comprehensive 55-35 victory over Edinburgh at Owlerton.
Tigers No.1 Josh Grajczonek led the way with a 12-point maximum whilst Kyle Howarth (12) and Lasse Bjerre (11+1) also hit double figures as the home side moved four points clear at the top of the table.
Ricky Wells scored 12 for the Monarchs with Josh Pickering adding 10+1 at reserve, and they remain fourth with a five-point gap over nearest challengers Redcar.
Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “The pressure is on every meeting now because we just want to keep this winning run going.
“It was another strong performance and everyone has chipped in yet again, so we’re very happy with the way things played out.
“Everyone is high on confidence, but we know we need to keep working hard to keep it going.”
Pickering said: “I started off with a bit of a bike issue but we found it straight away and I was happy to get my heat win.
“It is a track specialist type of track and Sheffield riders ride it so well. Lasse, Kyle, Josh Bates and Josh Grajczonek ride it so well it’s like riding against four number 1’s there.
“We are still without Sam (Masters) and that made it harder, but it is what it is and we will regroup.”
Glasgow missed the chance to keep pace with the top two when they were beaten 53-39 by Newcastle at Brough Park.
The Diamonds provided twelve heat winners with Robert Lambert leading the way on 14 whilst both Steve Worrall and Stuart Robson added 11 to move the Diamonds up to seventh in the table.
Worrall’s brother Richie collected 14 for the Tigers, who are left in third place seven points behind Ipswich, although they do have four matches in hand.
Newcastle boss George English said: “This was a fine performance from the lads, who were far from happy when Glasgow took their home record away from them and were single-minded to get revenge.
“Tonight it was sweet as they really knuckled down and got the result we needed.”
Glasgow star Worrall said: “It's a pretty common story right now - we're not all firing, we're doing it at separate times, which is no good for the team.
“Stewart's (Dickson) words are, trophies aren't won in August, so we will come to. Hopefully if it gets the go-ahead, a little idea that we've had for a get-together will be good - a bit of bonding and gelling as a team on the bikes before the meeting next week.
“There are some things lacking and there are a few little things that need working on, and then we might be on the right track.”
Scunthorpe came up with a big finish to see off Peterborough 53-37 with Josh Auty in impressive form at the Eddie Wright Raceway.
Auty racked up 17 points from six rides for the Scorpions, with Ryan Douglas (13+1) dropping just one point from his five outings.
The Panthers were limited to four race wins, including one each from top scorers Paul Starke and Ulrich Ostergaard (8), but only trailed by two points after Heat 11 – until a run of a 4-2 and three 5-1s took the home side clear.
Scunthorpe boss Dave Peet said: “We made hard work of it to begin with, but we kept plugging away, and it all came good at the end and we eventually ended up with the right result.
“Josh and Ryan were on it from the start of the meeting, and then some of the boys came to the party as well, for example Lewis Kerr went really well in his last three outings.”
Panthers manager Carl Johnson said: “We lost our way late on. We went from only being two points down after heat 11 to losing by 16.
“We rode very well for much of the meeting, but Scunthorpe gated better in the final few races and got their rewards.
“We thought we were in a position to pick up an away win, but that quickly disappeared along with our hopes of getting a point.”
(SPEEDWAY 2)
BIRMINGHAM moved up to third in the National League table with a 51-39 win at Buxton on Sunday.
Liam Carr (15) and Jack Parkinson-Blackburn (13+2) both scored maximums for the Brummies, who were given a fright after the Hitmen clawed back an eight-point deficit to leave the scores level with three heats to go.
But the visitors finished with three 5-1s, two from Carr and Parkinson-Blackburn whilst guest Kyle Bickley and Taylor Hampshire secured the win in Heat 14. Reserve Ryan Kinsley top-scored for the Hitmen on 11+1.
Birmingham boss Graham Drury said: “It was certainly ‘squeaky bum time’ in those final few races but due to the strength and quality of our big-hitters, we were always quietly confident that we could snatch something at the death.
“We came here for four points, we got four points and our play-off push continues.
“Some would say we won ugly today, but some times you do have to battle that little bit harder to get what you want and that was the case today.”
Buxton captain Tom Woolley said: “We gave them a close meeting today and it was a pity Matt (Williamson) struggled. He’s been on fire just recently and if he had scored like he has been we could have taken them.”
Meanwhile Mildenhall kept their play-off hopes alive with a convincing 55-34 home win over rivals Lakeside.
Connor Mountain raced to an untroubled 15-point maximum for the Fen Tigers and youngster Jordan Jenkins (12) was unbeaten until tangling with Hammers star Ben Morley in Heat 15.
Morley (10) and Paul Hurry (10+1) were in double figures for the visitors, for whom reserve Connor Locke was withdrawn with an arm injury.
Fen Tigers boss Robert Henry said: “On paper this looked a very difficult meeting for us but I was very pleased with how we went about our business against a decent Lakeside side with a powerful top three.
“Connor was simply untouchable and his experiences in the Championship have helped him take the next step up and he is now without doubt a true out-and-out number one at this level.
“Danny (Halsey), too, is in superb form and looks fast and stylish. As for Jordan, what can you say, with maturity beyond his years he reads races so well and his passes of Morley and Hurry today were further signs of his undoubted talents.”
Lakeside boss Kelvin Tatum said: “Conditions were a little difficult but they were the same for both teams and fundamentally, we did not make starts.
“Mildenhall were very sharp away from the tapes, that was a big plus for them and key to the outcome. It was a disappointing day and one we need to put behind us very quickly.
“Connor withdrew with a focus on getting himself fit for Friday. He is very keen to be ready and I get the feeling he will pull out all the stops to take part.”
(SPEEDWAY 3)
SWINDON star Adam Ellis returns to the top five as the table-toppers host King’s Lynn in tonight’s (Monday) BT Sport-televised SGB Premiership fixture.
Ellis has starred at reserve in the Robins’ remarkable 12-match winning sequence, justifying boss Alun Rossiter’s decision to back him through a tough spell at the start of the season.
James Sarjeant guests for the injured Zach Wajtknecht at reserve for the hosts whilst the Stars – who won at the Abbey at May albeit with a very different looking line-up – call up Tero Aarnio at reserve as Nicklas Porsing is ruled out.
Adult admission is down to just £5 with under-16s going free in a meeting heavily promoted the hosts.
Rossiter said: “We have always had faith in Adam, we know what he is capable of so I have no problem with him returning to the top five at all.
“Being at reserve has really helped him. He will be fine, he had a good meeting at Somerset and has been performing well for us.
“Bradley (Wilson-Dean) has a new engine coming. He has been struggling with motors recently but we need him to get going so with a bit of luck, he will start picking up.”
King’s Lynn promoter Keith Chapman said: “We have gradually improved and had a fantastic meeting against Leicester, the togetherness among the lads and the team riding was amazing.
“There is a new spirit in the camp and hopefully that will help us to ride well and get something at Swindon.
“They have been on a great run so we can go there relaxed and looking to enjoy it but at the same time, we have a chance to get into the play-offs and we want to take it.”
Second-placed Belle Vue are out to end their Somerset hoodoo when they host the Rebels at the National Speedway Stadium.
The Aces have lost all three of the previous encounters between the clubs this season but do welcome back Rohan Tungate from injury – although Max Fricke remains on the sidelines, with rider-replacement in operation. Nike Lunna replaces the injured Jake Allen for the visitors.
Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “Saturday was exactly the result we wanted to keep us within touching distance of Swindon in top spot, and it definitely helped reinforce our overall position in the top four.
“Somerset are of course one of the teams vying for the opportunity to contest the play-offs so I’ve no doubt they will bring a tough challenge, but our boys are raring to go and hungry for success.
“I’m looking forward to this one because both sides are so feisty. Rohan is back with us and the Rebels are fielding riders all too familiar with Belle Vue, so we can’t rest on our laurels.”
Rebels boss Garry May said: “I know Belle Vue are keen to end our 100 per cent record against them, as well as looking to consolidate their place at the top-end of the league table.
“But by the same token we will be going to Manchester with the aim of preserving our unbeaten record over the Aces while also keeping alive our hopes of a play-off place.”
Poole currently have a five-point gap on the clubs chasing a top four finish as they go into action against bottom club Leicester at Wimborne Road.
The meeting features a return for Lions reserve Kyle Newman, who lost his place with the Pirates earlier in the season, and home promoter Matt Ford says it’s imperative his side backs up an improved display against Wolverhampton last week.
Ford said: “We raised our game last week, we needed to, so now it is a question of maintaining that improvement. We need to build on that win, we didn’t make it that comfortable for ourselves despite a good start.
“Looking at Leicester's away form they have hit 40 points on all but three of their travels, including here last time. Of course this time around they will have Kyle, and I am sure he will be keen to prove a point, just as Chris (Holder) and Krzysztof (Kasprzak) accomplished on their respective returns.”
Lions star Erik Riss said: “We were unlucky against Belle Vue, but it pretty much sums up our season. We’ve had a lot of defeats already, and we know now that we can’t do anything.
“All we can do now is keep trying to win as many meetings as we can and just enjoy ourselves for the rest of the season.
“You can see the other teams are stronger than us, so we just have to enjoy the rest of the season and try to do as well as we can for the fans.”
(SPEEDWAY 4)
CRADLEY and Birmingham clash in a massive West Midlands derby between two National League play-off chasers tonight (Monday).
The Brummies went third with their win at Buxton on Sunday, whilst the Heathens go into the meeting fifth in the table but could go ahead of Lakeside with a convincing home win.
Cradley operate rider-replacement for the unavailable Joe Lawlor with Paul Bowen guesting for the injured Tyler Govier, whilst Alex Spooner continues at reserve for the Brummies who have r/r for David Mason.
Heathens boss Will Pottinger said: “We’ve got to win all of our home matches now to stand any chance of getting into the play-offs, so we need a win against Birmingham.
“It’s a massive meeting, not just for our play-off chances but also to get some local pride back because we got spanked at their place early in the season.
“We need to put things right, and I feel we’re a stronger team since that defeat with Richard Hall coming in.”
Brummies star Liam Carr said: “We know how important the Cradley meeting is because they want a play-off place just as much as we do.
“We know we've been a bit below par of late, we haven't been riding as well as we know we can as a team - but we've still been chipping away and putting points on the board.
“Me and Jack (Parkinson-Blackburn) are riding really well of late and Tom (Bacon) comes back into the team too and we all know how well he can ride. It should be an excellent speedway meeting and it's one we're really looking forward to.”
Meanwhile Luke Bowen makes his return from injury as Kent face Wimbledon in the annual John Cearns Cup clash at Central Park.
The Kings also include new signing Dan Greenwood as he comes in for the injured Nathan Stoneman, whilst the Dons are led by Steve Boxall, Dan Halsey and Connor Coles.
(SPEEDWAY 5)
ADAM Roynon’s Testimonial meeting, scheduled for Workington on September 23, has been postponed.
Roynon, who now rides for Plymouth in the National League after leaving the Comets in May, admits he’s gutted to have to put his big day back into next season.
He said: “I would like to thank Workington Speedway for the opportunity to host my Testimonial, but after waiting for several months and not being able to obtain the information needed to stage such a meeting, it's with sadness that the meeting will have to be put on hold until the 2018 season.
“My thanks go out to the sponsors and my committee who had helped organise the meeting and put the effort in organise my big day. I had everything lined up including riders, but I'm now looking forward to organising something even bigger for next season.
“Finally I want to apologise to the many supporters who had made plans to travel to the meeting.”
(FIXTURES)
MONDAY AUGUST 21:
SGB PREMIERSHIP: Belle Vue v Somerset 7.30, Poole v Leicester 7.30, Swindon v King’s Lynn 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Cradley v Birmingham 7.30
JOHN CEARNS CUP: Kent v Wimbledon 6.30
TUESDAY AUGUST 22:
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Belle Vue 7pm
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 23:
SGB PREMIERSHIP: King’s Lynn v Wolverhampton 7.30, King’s Lynn v Wolverhampton (follows previous fixture), Rye House v Somerset 7.30
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Birmingham v Belle Vue 7.30
THURSDAY AUGUST 24:
SGB PREMIERSHIP: Swindon v Somerset 7.30
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP: Ipswich v Peterborough 7.30, Redcar v Edinburgh 7.30, Sheffield v Scunthorpe 7.30
Results Sunday August 20, 2017
SGB CHAMPIONSHIP
Newcastle 53 – Robert Lambert 14
Glasgow 39 – Richie Worrall 14
Championship points: Newcastle 3 Glasgow 0
Scunthorpe 53 – Josh Auty 17
Peterborough 37 – Paul Starke 8/Ulrich Ostergaard 8
Championship points: Scunthorpe 3 Peterborough 0
Sheffield 55 – Josh Grajczonek 12/Kyle Howarth 12
Edinburgh 35 – Ricky Wells 12
Championship points: Sheffield 3 Edinburgh 0
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE
Buxton 39 – Ryan Kinsley 11+1
Birmingham 51 – Liam Carr 15
National League points: Buxton 0 Birmingham 4
Mildenhall 55 – Connor Mountain 15
Lakeside 34 – Paul Hurry 10+1
National League points: Mildenhall 3 Lakeside 0
