SPEEDWAY: WEEKLY ROUND-UP
21 June 2005 - British Speedway Promoters Association

ARENA-ESSEX promoter Ronnie Russell hopes that a couple of consecutive home wins can be the turning point in the Hammers'' difficult season.

ELITE LEAGUE LATEST

Russell said: ''We hope we''ve steadied the ship now and can start to attract our fans back. When we started losing at home, we lost 200 people off our gate straight away. ''I''m happy with the riders and just as I give them a roasting if they need it, I''ll give them praise - but we can''t afford for complacency to creep in.'' BELLE VUE boss Ian Thomas knows the size of the task facing the Aces in the Knockout Cup against Swindon after dropping the Elite League bonus point against the Robins. Thomas said: ''Swindon have improved from when we rode against them earlier in the season. They are a team who have started to go a bit. ''It is very much a warning that we will have to be on our toes when we meet them in the semi-final.'' COVENTRY co-boss Peter Oakes was pleased that his team managed to overcome several incidents of misfortune to take a home win over leaders Poole. Oakes said: ''Andreas Jonsson and Scott Nicholls pulled it out when it was needed, and I thought it was a terrific battling performance all round. ''We had a lot of things go against us but bounced back from it all against the team who, no doubt, are the best in the Elite League.'' EASTBOURNE co-promoter Jon Cook will be warning his riders not to under-estimate Arena-Essex when the sides meet in the KO Cup semi-finals next month. Cook said: ''I think the KO Cup semi-finals between these two teams are going to be matches never to forget. ''Arena are a lot stronger than when we went there, and I don''t think we are as strong with our new team line-up. I think they will be two fantastic matches.'' IPSWICH promoter John Louis was disappointed that the Witches could not hold on to a ten-point first leg lead and exited the Knockout Cup at Arena-Essex. Louis said: ''I''m not criticising our riders, because they all battled hard on a difficult track, but quite simply we didn''t have enough men for the job. ''It was a good meeting for the home fans to watch because it was so tense but we just didn''t have enough consistency, and that was our downfall.'' OXFORD promoter Nigel Wagstaff says there is plenty more to come from Russian import Renat Gafurov following some encouraging signs in his home debut. Wagstaff said: ''It was always going to be difficult for him coming from the big wide open spaces of the Russian circuits to a tight track at Oxford, but he got better with every ride. ''Everyone in the stadium must have realised he is a special talent, and I feel he is going to be a massive signing for the club, and one I am very proud of.'' PETERBOROUGH intend to unveil a new signing later this week after putting up improved displays in their recent away defeats at Coventry and Wolverhampton. Boss Trevor Swales said: ''We looked a different team at Coventry, and the main thing was seeing Sam Ermolenko back to where we know he can be. ''He has had a tough time of it lately but I was pleased with him at Wolves as well because he had a disaster the last time he was there.'' POOLE boss Neil Middleditch had no complaints after seeing the Pirated edged out in a televised thriller at Coventry. Middleditch said: ''At one point it looked like we were heading for a heavy defeat, but a great ride from Matej Ferjan put us right back in the frame and we so nearly pulled off a great win. ''It could have gone either way but I felt the final race was always going to be a tough one for us to win and the Coventry boys did the business to win the match.'' SWINDON boss Alun Rossiter has hailed the improved form of Swedish duo Seb Alden and Jonas Davidsson, which has been a key factor in the Robins'' recent good run. Rossiter said: ''It has been particularly pleasing to see Jonas and Seb get amongst the points, and obviously I''ll be looking for more of the same from them. ''With the side having clicked into gear of late, I am really looking forward to Thursday''s match against Wolverhampton who will be tough opponents.'' WOLVERHAMPTON skipper Steve Johnston says that the Monmore men have an ace in the pack with Polish reserve Krzysztof Pecyna, who scored a paid maximum on Monday against Peterborough. Johnston said: ''Krzys has been a very good gater all season and tonight he made some blinding starts and some very good first corners. ''He really looked good, and when you have a reserve who can go out and do that it makes such a big difference.''

PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST

BERWICK promoter Peter Waite is delighted to have captured the services of Carl Wilkinson, who made a fine debut in the Bandits'' win over his former club Newport. Waite said: ''Carl rode as well as any rider I have ever seen on their home debut, and the whole team did the club proud. Top five or six, or better, in the League, is well within our grasp as we have such a solid team now.'' EDINBURGH''S excellent recent run of form was highlighted by a 15-point away win at reigning Premier League Champions Hull. Promoter John Campbell said: ''We have got a good team and it was only a matter of time before someone got hit really hard by us.'' EXETER director of operations Mike Spearpoint was less than impressed with the Falcons'' performance at Somerset. Spearpoint said: ''We were extremely disappointed by the overall application of the team. It was not acceptable as it was a match that we could and should have won.'' GLASGOW have high hopes for their latest signing, 16-year old Dane Leon Madsen, having released three riders in the last week. Co-promoter Stewart Dickson said: ''We are hearing very good things about the lad over in Denmark and are delighted that he sees his future with us here at Ashfield.'' HULL manager Dave Peet is warning that there must be no repeat of the Viking''s home defeat by Edinburgh which ended a 15-month unbeaten run at Craven Park. Peet said: ''Hopefully it was just a one-off because people are not going to turn up to watch that every week. It was by far our worst performance of the season.'' ISLE OF WIGHT boss David Croucher took the positive angle after seeing his Islanders'' team held to a home draw by Workington. Croucher said: ''None of our boys had a particularly good meeting and the only comfort I can salvage is that we didn''t get beaten.'' KING''S LYNN went top of the Premier League table after taking the bonus point from a meeting at Stoke which saw the Stars beset by mechanical problems. Team boss Rob Lyon said: ''I have never seen anything like it and was relieved just to walk out with the bonus point in the end.'' NEWCASTLE''S management were rewarded for starting track work at dawn on Monday when the Diamonds pulled off a thrilling comeback win over Edinburgh. The previous evening''s Championship of GB qualifier had been abandoned due a ferocious thunderstorm which left the track and terraces under water. NEWPORT manager Neil Street says that the younger riders in the Wasps team should take note of the attitude of experienced campaigners Tony Atkin and Neil Collins. Street said: ''They have to learn to adapt to varying conditions. The track is there to be ridden and we don''t need the whole situation to be unsettled.'' READING have announced the signing of Czech Republic rider Richard Wolff on a full contract from Trelawny. Wolff signed on loan during last winter but has impressed the Reading management, particuarly in recent weeks, enough to make the move permanent. RYE HOUSE are aware that the World Under-21 Final commitments of Daniel King and Edward Kennett will rule them out of a match against Newport later this season. Promoter Len Silver said: ''It will turn out to be a very tough encounter, but providing the rest of the boys are still performing as they have been, I think we''ll be able to cope.'' SHEFFIELD boss Neil Machin is determined that the Tigers take victory in Thursday''s Roses clash against Elite League high-flyers Belle Vue. Machin said: ''Belle Vue are the old enemy and there have been some huge matches over the years between the sides. We''ll be going for the win, it means a lot to both teams and both sets of supporters.'' SOMERSET star Glenn Cunningham will miss out on representing the club in the Premier League Pairs for the first time in three seasons. Cunningham said: ''I''m gutted that I will not be able to maintain my 100% record riding for Somerset in the Pairs, but I am sure that Zorro (Magnus Zetterstrom) and Fryer (Paul Fry) will do the club proud at Glasgow.'' STOKE manager John Adams said the team spirit shown in the Potters'' Premier Trophy win at Glasgow augurs well for their forthcoming League matches. Adams said: ''The win was built on team spirit and with the League programme now in full swing, such things are important mentally. The team pulled together throughout.'' WORKINGTON promoter Graham Drury says that the club''s current injury situation is the worst he has known in his time in speedway. Drury said: ''In 30 years in the sport I''ve not known anything like it, but I suppose it''s all part and parcel of the job, and I''ve been straight back behind my desk on the phone trying to sort things out.''

FIXTURE PICTURE

TUESDAY JUNE 21:

PREMIER LEAGUE: Isle of Wight v Berwick 7.30

WEDNESDAY JUNE 22:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Arena Essex v Peterborough 7.45, Poole v Eastbourne 7.30

PREMIER LEAGUE: Hull v Rye House 7.30, King''s Lynn v Berwick 7.30

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Stoke v Armadale 7.30

THURSDAY JUNE 23:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Eastbourne 7.30, Oxford v Coventry 7.30, Peterborough v Arena Essex 7.30, Swindon v Wolverhampton 7.30

INTER-LEAGUE CHALLENGE: Sheffield v Belle Vue 7.45

FRIDAY JUNE 24:

PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Stoke 7.30, Somerset v Newcastle 7.30

SATURDAY JUNE 25:

PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Hull 7pm, Rye House v Newcastle 7pm, Workington v King''s Lynn 7pm.

CONFERENCE LEAGUE FOUR TEAM TOURNAMENT: Stoke 7.30

SUNDAY JUNE 26:

PREMIER LEAGUE PAIRS: Glasgow 3pm

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Buxton v Newport 3pm

CONFERENCE TROPHY: Mildenhall v Boston 5pm, Scunthorpe v Stoke 3pm

CONFERENCE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Wimbledon v Oxford 4.30

MONDAY JUNE 27:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Belle Vue 7.30, Wolverhampton v Ipswich 7.30

PREMIER LEAGUE: Exeter v Isle of Wight 7.30, Newcastle v Rye House 7.30, Reading v Sheffield 7.30

WEDNESDAY JUNE 29:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Arena Essex v Wolverhampton 7.45, Belle Vue v Coventry 7.45, Peterborough v Eastbourne 7.30, Poole v Oxford 7.30

PREMIER LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Berwick v Stoke 7.45, Hull v Glasgow 7.30, Newcastle v King''s Lynn 7.30

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Wimbledon v Stoke 7.30

THURSDAY JUNE 30:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Oxford v Poole 7.30, Swindon v Ipswich 7.30

PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Isle of Wight 7.45

FRIDAY JULY 1:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 8pm

PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Sheffield 7.30, Somerset v Hull 7.30

CONFERENCE TROPHY: Weymouth v Mildenhall 7.30

SATURDAY JULY 2:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Coventry 7.30

PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Glasgow 7pm, Rye House v Reading 7pm, Stoke v Isle of Wight 7.30

PREMIER TROPHY SEMI FINAL: Workington v Exeter 7pm

CONFERENCE TROPHY: Armadale v Buxton 2pm

SUNDAY JULY 3:

PREMIER LEAGUE: Glasgow v Isle of Wight 6pm, Newcastle v King''s Lynn 5.30, Newport v Workington 2.30

CONFERENCE LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Oxford 5pm, Newport v Boston (follows PL meeting)

BEST PAIRS: Scunthorpe 3pm

BRITISH UNDER-15 CHAMPIONSHIP: Scunthorpe (follows CL meeting)

CONFERENCE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP: Buxton v Weymouth 3pm

MONDAY JULY 4:

SKYBET ELITE LEAGUE: Belle Vue v Poole 7.45, Oxford v Swindon 7.30, Wolverhampton v Coventry 7.30

PREMIER LEAGUE: Exeter v Newcastle 7.30, Reading v Workington 7.30

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