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WEEKLY ROUND-UP
05 September 2006 - British Speedway Promoters Association
ELITE LEAGUE LATEST... ARENA-ESSEX promoter Ronnie Russell feels the Hammers'' 20-point win over
title-chasing Peterborough was proof of what they could have achieved this
season without their injury problems.
Russell said: ''I am sure that performance will make everyone sit up and take
notice and it was just like those early season performances before the
injuries kicked in.
''Against the leaders we knew we would be in for a tough night, but to be
honest we just blew them away. Even when we missed the gate, we managed to
pass them.''
BELLE VUE promoter Ian Thomas knows that his team''s Knockout Cup task
against Poole will be a tough one.
The current holders of the trophy will meet either Coventry or Eastbourne in
the Final - if they can overcome the Pirates.
Thomas said: ''Poole are the only team to take the bonus point off us twice
this season. They are the one team to beat us at home and Poole is our
worst track away. It''s going to be very hard but they''re all hard now.''
COVENTRY co-promoter Colin Pratt paid tribute to stand-in skipper Chris
Harris, who has been in a rich vein of form since taking over from the
injured Scott Nicholls.
Pratt said: ''What Chris has done recently is terrific. He has been in
fantastic form everywhere he has been riding, and he hasn''t faltered
anywhere. I''m really pleased with his performances.
''He''s reminded me that we''ve gone four matches undefeated with him as
captain, and I think he''ll be ringing Scott up to tell him as well!''
EASTBOURNE promoter Jon Cook praised the riders of the Eagles and Belle Vue
who overcame terrible conditions to ensure that there was a result from
their Elite League match at Arlington.
Cook said: ''It was fantastic effort from everyone concerned. I think we
proved that we can put on meetings when it is raining.
''In British speedway we have the 12-heat rule and it is a good rule. It gets
the riders focused on the fact that they can get to a certain heat and get a
result.''
IPSWICH skipper Chris Louis accepts that the Witches have almost certainly
lost out on a chance of a play-off place with their disappointing recent
form.
Louis said: ''The team has dipped in the last month or so and we have not
managed to obtain the results, or the bonus points, that we wanted.
''It is very frustrating watching, but we can already look forward to next
season with the excellent news that it looks as though Mark Loram will be
staying with us.''
OXFORD owner Aaron Lanney is backing his side to get the better of Wolverhampton in Thursday''s Elite League clash.
''Wolves are a very solid side,'' he said, ''but I''m confident we can beat them and, hopefully, give our fans even more to cheer about.''
PETERBOROUGH owner Colin Horton says he is determined that the Panthers
finish their regular fixtures on top of the table so that they can win the
title at home.
Horton said: ''The team finishing highest gets the choice of whether they
want the home leg of the final first or second, and we would have no
hesitation in staging the second leg at the Showground.
''It would be magnificent for the fans to see the team win the title on their
home track. We are not interested in building up a big lead and then going
away to defend in the second leg.''
POOLE star Krzysztof Kasprzak has underlined that he wants to stay with the
Pirates amidst rumours that the Dorset club are planning major changes after
a disappointing second half of the season.
Kasprzak said: ''I have good equipment specially prepared for the track and I
like the people, the venue and my sponsors here. I want to stay here.
''Poole is the best team in Britain for me, so I must speak to Matt (Ford)
and Mike (Golding) to see what happens.''
READING''S position in the top two of the Elite League is under threat from
Swindon after a shock home defeat by Coventry on Monday.
The Bulldogs are now four points behind the Robins, which means that they
will need to at least protect the aggregate bonus points in their remaining
three away matches.
Reading go into their final home match against Wolves on Wednesday with
skipper Greg Hancock back from a USA return, but without reserve Sam Simota
due to a League match in his home country.
SWINDON manager Alun Rossiter almost ran out of superlatives for his side
after a brilliant win at Wolverhampton gave the Robins a real chance of a
top two finish.
Rossiter said: ''The boys have been very, very professional and I''m really
pleased for them. I''m chuffed. They are all heroes - everyone else wrote us
off, but the boys have proved them all wrong.
''We''re up there and maybe we can stay there, who knows? Reading lost tonight
which helps us out in terms of securing second place and home advantage in
the play-offs.''
WOLVERHAMPTON boss Peter Adams has admitted Coventry are in the driving seat in the race for a play-off place.
Wolverhampton''s 49-41 defeat by Swindon at Monmore on Monday appears to have scuppered any lingering hopes for Adams'' men to make the cut - but he''s refusing to completely rule it out.
''It''s Coventry''s spot to lose now,'' said Adams. ''But one thing our fans can be assured of is that our riders will be going for it right until the very end.
''The result was damaging, but Coventry''s win at Reading was doubly damaging and there is no doubt that they''re now in the driving seat.'' PREMIER LEAGUE LATEST... BERWICK boss Peter Waite felt his side''s first away win of the season at
Newport on Sunday had been one of the Bandits'' best performances this year.
Waite said: ''We will take this new taste for success forward into the last
meetings and are determined to get as many points as we can, although it''s a
very slender chance we have now of a play-off place.''
EDINBURGH promoter John Campbell says that the most important signing the
Monarchs will make over the winter is a heat-leader standard rider.
Campbell said: ''The only thing we have in mind right now is to find a rider
to give us a good chance of winning Heats 13 and 15. When we see what kind
of average that guy has, then we''ll see who else we can fit in.''
GLASGOW expect to welcome back Danny Bird for this Sunday''s vital Knockout
Cup semi-final first leg tie against King''s Lynn.
Without him, skipper Shane Parker rose to the occasion in last weekend''s
tense local derby win over Edinburgh by piling up a score of 22 (paid 23)
including a win for double points from the 15-metre handicap.
THE Isle of Wight believe they could already have enough points on the board
to clinch a play-off place even though they have now completed their home
programme.
The Islanders travel to Newcastle on Sunday and also have matches at King''s
Lynn and Rye House in which to try to improve on their current total.
KING''S LYNN boss Rob Lyon paid tribute to the club''s supporters after the
Stars clinched the Premier Trophy at Sheffield last week.
Lyon said: ''The fans were phenomenal. There''s at least 400, maybe even more,
and they played a huge part. I''m very proud of the boys, and we now want to
go on from here - there''s no danger of us resting on our laurels.''
MILDENHALL promoter Mick Horton has given the club''s supporters a boost by
confirming his intentions to run in the Premier League once again next
season.
Horton said: ''There''s such a lot of good people behind the scenes and the
fans we have are very loyal, so we will continue in the Premier League. But
we''ve got to run to our means and that will depend on what happens over the
winter and what sponsorship we get.''
NEWCASTLE kept their play-off aspirations just alive with a home win over
King''s Lynn as visiting skipper Tomas Topinka broke down whilst leading the
crucial last heat.
Diamonds boss George English said: ''I can''t remember us winning here from
being 10-2 down. We''ve beaten probably the three strongest teams on our own
track in a week to make our trips to Edinburgh and Workington absolutely
crucial.''
NEWPORT promoter Tim Stone was almost lost for words after his team slipped
to another home defeat after a late collapse at home to Berwick.
Stone said: ''I really didn''t know what to say afterwards, I couldn''t believe
it. We should have beaten Redcar, we should have beaten Somerset and we
should have beaten Redcar, and we lost them all.''
REDCAR manager Brian Havelock accepts that the Bears are unlikely to finish
in the top four of the Premier League - but says their remaining fixtures
are still very important.
Havelock said: ''If we finish with a flourish there''s a chance the top teams
won''t fancy choosing us when it comes to the play-offs. We want to finish
about fifth or sixth, and it''s getting very tight.''
RYE HOUSE''s chances of a top four finish were dented by a home defeat by
King''s Lynn, but skipper Chris Neath says that there is still plenty to ride
for.
Neath said: ''We''re a young team but every one of the boys is a fighter. I''m
as proud of the team today as I was 12 months ago when we were winning
everything.''
SHEFFIELD skipper Andre Compton is determined to be back in the saddle as soon as possible - despite shoulder ligament damage.
He said: ''We''ve got the Knockout Cup semi-finals to race with Somerset as well and then we move into the play-offs to decide the league champions.
''I don''t want to miss any of these meetings, there is so much to go for and I just hope I''ll be in a position to race at full speed without any discomfort.
SOMERSET boss Mick Bell has revealed how he insisted on taking his side to Mildenhall this Saturday.
Bell said: ''I''m told Mildenhall wanted to try and run this meeting after the cut-off date for the play-off places and that''s completely unacceptable to me.
''We could still even finish in the top four of the regular standings, so for Mildenhall to suggest we run this meeting after the cut-off is nonsense. We''re going there to win, make no mistake about that!''
STOKE manager John Adams says that a top eight place is still within the
Potters'' grasp as the Loomer Road club prepare for a busy run-in.
Adams said: ''I can see other teams in a similar position to ourselves
dropping points and I reckon the last place will come down to Workington,
Newcastle and Stoke. We have to make all our home meetings count from here
on in and grab any opportunity for away points.''
WORKINGTON are sweating on the fitness of Tomasz Piszczm Rusty Harrison and Aidan Collins ahead of their crunch clash with King''s Lynn at Derwent Park on Saturday.
Boss Graham Drury said: ''It''s an unbelievable situation and I think it''s fair to describe it as an injury crisis!'' CONFERENCE LEAGUE RIDERS'' CHAMPIONSHIP... ALL eight Conference League clubs are represented in this Saturday''s Conference League Riders'' Championship at Rye House (7pm).
- Boston: Wayne Broadhurst, John Oliver
- Buxton: Scott James, Adam Roynon
- Mildenhall: Mark Thompson, Andrew Bargh
- Newport: Karl Mason, Nicki Glanz
- Plymouth: Seemond Stephens, Lee Smart
- Rye House: Ben Powell, Barry Burchatt
- Scunthorpe: Josh Auty, Tai Woffinden
- Stoke: Adam Allott, Scott Courtney
- Reserves: David Mason (Weymouth), Gary Cottham (Sittingbourne)
Admission prices for the meeting are: adults £12, seniors £10, children £3. The souvenir programme will be £1.50. The meeting starts at 7pm. FIXTURE PICTURE... WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 6:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Arena-Essex v Belle Vue 7.45, Poole v Oxford 7.30,
Reading v Wolverhampton 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: King''s Lynn v Berwick 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Stoke v Weymouth 7.30 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 7:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Oxford v Wolverhampton 7.30, Peterborough v
Arena-Essex 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v King''s Lynn 7.30, Sheffield v Rye House 7.45 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 8:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Stoke 7.30, Rye House v Newcastle 7.30
CONFERENCE TROPHY FINAL: Plymouth v Scunthorpe 7.30
CONFERENCE TROPHY: Boston v Mildenhall 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Weymouth v Buxton 7.30
BRITISH UNDER-15 CHAMPIONSHIP: Somerset 7.30 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Eastbourne v Ipswich 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Berwick v Newport 7pm, Mildenhall v Somerset 3.30, Stoke v
Edinbugh 7.30, Workington v King''s Lynn 7pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Rye House 7pm SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Newcastle v Isle of Wight 6.30, Newport v Sheffield 2.30
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL: Glasgow v King''s Lynn 4pm
CONFERENCE LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL: Buxton v Plymouth 3pm
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Scunthorpe v Stoke 3pm
SHAUN TACEY TESTIMONIAL: Mildenhall 2pm MONDAY SEPTEMBER 11:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Peterborough v Reading 7.30, Wolverhampton v
Ipswich 7.30
ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL: Belle Vue v Poole 7.30, Coventry v
Eastbourne 8pm TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12:
CHALLENGE: Isle of Wight v Weymouth 7.30 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 13:
PREMIER LEAGUE: King''s Lynn v Newport 7.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Stoke v Cleveland 7.30 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 14:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Ipswich v Eastbourne 7.30, Peterborough v Swindon
7.30, Poole v Reading 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield v Mildenhall 7.30 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Oxford 8pm
PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, King''s Lynn v Isle of Wight 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL: Somerset v Sheffield 7.30 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16:
ELITE LEAGUE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL: Eastbourne v Coventry 7.30
PREMIER LEAGUE: Rye House v Isle of Wight 7pm, Stoke v Somerset 7.30,
Workington v Newcastle 7pm
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Cleveland Bays v Sittingbourne 3pm followed by Cleveland
Bays v Weymouth SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17:
PREMIER LEAGUE: Mildenhall v Berwick 7.30, Newcastle v Stoke 6.30, Newport v
Rye House 2.30
CONFERENCE SHIELD: Buxton v Stoke 3pm, Scunthorpe v Sittingbourne 3pm
ANDY SMITH TESTIMONIAL: Belle Vue 4pm
60TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING: Glasgow v Rest of the World 4pm MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30
CRAVEN SHIELD SEMI-FINAL: Reading v Swindon v Poole TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 19:
SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Wolverhampton 8pm (PROVISIONAL)
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