lucifer sam

SCORPIONS IN TOP-OF-THE-TABLE CLASH THIRD-PLACED FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions take on second-placed Ipswich Witches in a top of the table Premier League clash at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday evening (7.30pm). It’s the first meeting at Scunthorpe for the Scorpions since the Knockout Cup clash against Peterborough on Spring Bank Holiday Monday (May 26). Despite their lack of recent home action, the Scorpions have maintained their high league position, thanks to their 49-41 away win at local rivals Sheffield last Thursday, an amazing third win of the season at Owlerton. That win was all the more satisfying thanks to the double return to form for Josh Auty (10 from 4 rides) and reserve Thomas Jorgensen (16, paid 18, from 7 rides), with both mounted on bikes with new engines. Jorgensen went into Heat 15 with a chance of becoming only the second-ever Scorpion to score a seven-ride maximum. Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey says: “Both Thomas (Jorgensen) and Josh (Auty) had a great meeting at Sheffield last week. Their mechanical problems are now behind them. “Thomas was really buzzing after the meeting at Sheffield, and Josh was a much happier man too. I never doubted their ability, it was just a case of getting the machinery sorted, and both are fired up to continue from where they left off for the Ipswich home meeting.” Both teams are minus one rider on Friday night. Scunthorpe No 1 Nicolai Klindt is riding in the semi-finals of the Grand Prix qualifiers at Czestochowa in Poland on Saturday night. Danish star Klindt is just ten rides (two meetings) away from joining Tai Woffinden and co in the Grand Prix series. He needs to finish in the top eight on Saturday, to qualify for the ultra-tough Grand Prix Challenge at Lonigo, Italy in September, where just three places for the 2015 GP series are on offer. Fellow Dane Ulrich Ostergaard is the guest replacement for Klindt. Ostergaard scored paid 15 for Peterborough at Scunthorpe in Panthers’ cup visit. Meanwhile, Ipswich are without reserve Adam Ellis, in action for Elite League Lakeside, and bring in Max Clegg as a guest. Youngster Clegg has plenty of experience at the Eddie Wright Raceway, having rode for the Scunthorpe Saints in the 2012 National League. Godfrey adds: “We’re determined to take all three points off Ipswich – with both teams high up in the league table, it’s an important match. “We’re currently four points behind the Witches in the league table with a match in hand; if we take all three points off them on Friday, it becomes just a point behind with a match in hand. “Of course, it makes it more of a challenge being without Nicolai (Klindt), given his form he’s been showing for us. But Ulrich Ostergaard had a fine meeting here with Peterborough, on the strength of that we’ve booked him as the guest. “Ipswich are certainly no pushovers, their current league position is testament to that. But if we pull together, we can take the points on Friday.” Admission prices for Friday: Adult: £15.00 Student/OAP: £13.00 Child (10 – 17): £5.00 Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult) Family Ticket £35 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17) Match Programme: £1.00 Expected teams for Friday (English unless stated): FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Ulrich Ostergaard (Denmark – guest), 2. David Howe, 3. Ashley Birks, 4, Josh Auty, 5. Ryan Douglas (Australia), 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Thomas Jørgensen (Denmark). Ipswich Witches: 1. Richie Worrall, 2. Cameron Heeps (Australia), 3. Morten Risager (Denmark), 4. Gino Manzares (United States), 5.Rohan Tungate (Australia), 6. Max Clegg (guest), 7. Ritchie Hawkins. Ipswich Witches at EWR Ritchie Hawkins PL 18 80 100 17 5.00 5.85 10 + 2 from 7 rides (2010) Cameron Heeps PL 2 9 12 1 5.33 5.78 11 + 1 from 5 rides (2013) Gino Manzares DEBUT PL MEETING @ EWR Morten Risager PL 4 15 11 1 2.93 3.20 4 + 1 from 4 rides (2013) Rohan Tungate PL 2 8 10 1 5.00 5.50 6 from 4 rides (2013) Richie Worrall PL 7 33 55 5 6.67 7.27 13 from 5 rides (2012) Other Notes Ritchie Hawkins 2004 British Under-21 Champion. Former Scunthorpe Scorpion Member of Somerset's Premier League Four-Team Championship Winning Team in 2005. Member of Mildenhall's Conference League Championship, KO Cup and Trophy Winning Teams in 2004. Cameron Heeps 2012 Western Australia State Champion. 5 times Western Australian Under-16 Champion (2006 to 2010). Member of Mildenhall's National League KO Cup Winning Team in 2011. Member of Mildenhall's 2012 National League Championship, KO Cup, Trophy and Pairs Winning Teams. Gino Manzares Has represented the USA in the Speedway World Cup. 2012 US Under-21 National Champion. Riding in his debut British League season. Morten Risager Member of Coventry's Elite League Championship Winning Teams in 2005 and 2007. Member of Coventry's Elite Shield Winning Team in 2006. Member of Ipswich's Premier League Four-Team Championship Winning Team in 2011. Held his Testimonial Meeting at Ipswich earlier this season. Rohan Tungate Has won multiple Long track and Dirt track titles in Australia and is riding in his 2nd PL season with Ipswich. Member of Poole's Elite League Championship Winning Team in 2013, though missed the Play-Off Final due to injury. Richie Worrall Former Scunthorpe Saint. Member of Scunthorpe's National League Winning Team in 2011. Member of Newcastle's Premier Shield Winning Team in 2011 and 2013. Member of Newcastle's Premier League Cup Winning Team in 2013. Named as a 'doubling-up' rider with Belle Vue for the 2014 Elite League season. Ipswich's Results at EWR: 03 June 2011 KOC1 L Scunthorpe 55 Ipswich 35 01 July 2011 KOC1R L Scunthorpe 53 Ipswich 37 05 August 2011 PL L Scunthorpe 53 Ipswich 39 26 June 2012 PL L Scunthorpe 61 Ipswich 31 19 April 2013 PL D Scunthorpe 45 Ipswich 45 (stats courtesy of John Eyre)

I'm the same. I thought he was brilliant when I saw him in 2006 and 2007. In the 2007 CL play-off final, it wasn't just the fact he was effortlessly winning, he could also team-ride extremely well, and all at the age of 17! I considered him a future World Champion. Then around 2012 I was wondering if he career had stalled a little and I was sceptical how well he would do in the 2013 GP series. So yes I was intially right but then subsequently wrong as well. Even top-line riders can have lulls at certain points of their career. Another was Hans Nielsen - brilliant as a teenager (Danish hero in the 1978 WTC as an 18-year-old), had a couple of more ordinary seasons in 1981 and 1982 (average dropped back below 10.00), and then rising right towards the very top in 1983. Riders make a surge forward at different points in their career. All the best Rob Pedaler, I'm over 40 and at a guess, I'd say you are as well. Yes I would definitely send Tai to a fete. The kids love Tai. All the best Rob

Well done to the Scunny boys... great result. All the best Rob

Lucky Heathens saved by the weather. All the best Rob

From the official SCB rulebook: 19. NATIONAL LEAGUE MEETING REGULATIONS Known as the National League, it’s official name is the National Development League to clarify that this is the entry level league dedicated to the training and development of young home grown Riders. Looks like Scunny have entered the right league then. (Please can we avoid yet another discussion about the relative team strengths of Cradley and Scunny - the NL is contested with different teams with different agendas, it's worked successfully like that for a long time, end of). Tough night ahead for the Stags' lads, but as long as they come out of it, having gained from the experience. Prediction: Cradley 44 Scunthorpe 46. All the best Rob

Just Glasgow's luck with the weather. It's been beautiful down here all day. All the best Rob

Surely it's time to move this to Pardubice, one of the best racetracks in the world. Prague: nice city, but crap speedway track. All the best Rob

You lot have peaked way too early. The league is won in October, not April and May. Glasgow last won the league in 2011, Edinburgh in 2010. So Glasgow are still officially Scotland's No 1 team. All the best Rob

Too long a journey for a one-off league match - but I'll be up for the play-off final later in the year instead All the best Rob

While Paulco is recovering from Glasgow's latest battering at the Dump against the Smug Moanarchs, I thought it was time to start this thread. No doubt Paul will do his usual preview, so I'll keep this brief. Not sure what team the Tigers are putting out, but Scunny are the same as Somerset on Friday, but with the issue of the June averages, Nicolai and Josh swap places. After two pointless away meetings at Plymouth and Somerset, the Scorpions need something out of this... preferably a win. Forecast for tomorrow keeps on changing - at the moment, it looks OK. All the best Rob

Good racing last night, although the final scoreline was a bit disappointing from a Scunny viewpoint,especially after being 24-24 mid-meeting. But Somerset are very, very good around their own track. At least we stopped 'em getting 60 again. Worst refereeing decision I've seen for a long time in Heat 4 Olly Allen clatters straight into Ryan Douglas on second bend and knocks Ryan off. Allen should be excluded, although ref has option of all 4 back if he's feeling generous. But somehow Ronnie Allan excludes Ryan. Preposterous. All the best Rob

And in Scunthorpe's latest declared line-up, Reece Downes and Ryan MacDonald were 6 and 7, and that's why they rode yesterday at reserve, in accordance with the rulebook. I thought you'd be trying to work with Scunthorpe, in trying to get a more reasonable points limit for future seasons (e.g. 35) to benefit both clubs. But all you want to do is try to pick holes with the Scunthorpe line-up. I've always been very impressed by the set-up at Buxton. But Jayne, I have found one or two of your comments on here disappointing. Personally, what concerned me more yesterday was that one side was using a 40-plus year-old rider as a guest, rather then promoting one of their lads from their MDL line-up. Different teams have different agendas in this league, I accept that, but Coventry are running a second team to find stars of the future. Why book a guest in his 40s? They could have used a junior and still won the match comfortably. All the best Rob

Brilliant speedway meeting... leading up to a stupendous Heat 15. Bit gutted Scunny lost by a single point, but well done Peterborough. All the best Rob

Devildodger, thanks very much for the updates on Friday, it's a great service. But I don't think the initial person was criticising you as such, simply pointing out they'd seen it differently. In the meantime, please could with the updates - they are much appreciated by many people. All the best Rob

I think we can take that as a "no". All the best Rob

http://scunthorpescorpions.co/?p=1191 All the best Rob

Sad news - RIP Simmo. All the best Rob

It's off All the best Rob

I agree, it should be a cracking meeting. All the best Rob Haven't heard anything as yet, don't know if there was swelling, in which case it may take a day or so to go down, to allow an X-ray to take place. There will be an update by tomorrow morning at the latest. All the best Rob

Meeting postponed - rain. All the best Rob

Yup, when Ales first came to Britain, Oxford fans were often amused by the way that away announcers said his name. It's not "Alice" either, that's also wrong. "Al-leesh" is closer. All the best Rob

NEW VISITORS TO EDDIE WRIGHT RACEWAY IN BANK HOLIDAY 30-HEAT FEAST OF SPEEDWAY FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions are looking for a win by four points or more against the Peterborough Panthers at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm), to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Premier League Knockout Cup. The KO Cup clash forms the first half of a double-header that sees not only one, but two brand new visiting teams to the Eddie Wright Raceway. The second half pits the Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags against the Coventry Storm in National League action. Peterborough Panthers have dropped down to the Premier League in 2014, after 15 successive seasons in the Elite League. Peterborough and Scunthorpe regularly competed against each other in the old National League (the name for the second tier at that point) between 1972 and 1985. The Panthers visited both of Scunthorpe’s previous homes, Quibell Park and Ashby Ville. But never the Eddie Wright Raceway… until Monday. In fact, the Panthers were the last-ever visitors to Scunthorpe’s second home, Ashby Ville. Scunthorpe won 40-37 on May 13, 1985, with Andy Buck scoring a 12-point maximum for the Stags. Days later, Scunthorpe withdrew from the National League, and it was 20 years before Rob Godfrey brought speedway back to the town. Coventry, a top flight club since 1957, have never previously visited a Scunthorpe track in official competition, although the Bees did send along a team to a couple of four team tournaments at Quibell Park in the 1970s. Coventry entered a second team, the Storm, in the National League in 2013, and with Scunthorpe also entering a team in the NL this season, the two clubs will finally meet in league competition at Scunthorpe. Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It’s nice to be meeting a couple of teams who have never been to the Eddie Wright Raceway before - it gives a bit of variety. “Hopefully a good number of Panthers’ fans will come along to a track they’ve never visited before. They won’t be disappointed, they will find that Scunthorpe is a racer’s track, just like Peterborough. “Our main objective will be to do everything we can to progress to the quarter-finals of the Knockout Cup, where Plymouth await the aggregate winners.” Scunthorpe trail by just three points (43-46) after a battling performance in the first leg at Peterborough on Tuesday. In a match of fluctuating fortunes, the Scorpions recovered from ten points behind to lead 37-34, and then the Panthers rallied in the final two races. Scunthorpe do have an injury concern, as flying Australian Ryan Douglas suffered a wrist injury in the 40-55 defeat at Plymouth on Friday, where recent signing Nicolai Klindt was again in terrific form for the Scorpions. Monday’s adult admission price for the double-header is £17. It’s just £2 more than a single Premier League meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway, for 15 extra heats of action. The circuit rightfully has won the award, several times, for being the best racetrack in the Premier League, so a full and exciting day of racing is ahead. Admission prices for Bank Holiday Monday: Adult: £17.00 Student/OAP: £15.00 Child (10 – 17): £5.00 Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult) Family Ticket £39 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17) Match Programme: £1.00 Expected teams for Sunday (English unless stated): Teams for Monday: FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Josh Auty, 2. Nicolai Klindt (Denmark), 3. David Howe, 4. Ashley Birks, 5. Ryan Douglas (Australia), 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Thomas Jørgensen (Denmark). Peterborough Panthers: 1. Ryan Fisher (United States), 2. Lewis Blackbird, 3. Ales Dryml (Czech Republic), 4. Ulrich Ostergaard (Denmark), 5. Lasse Bjerre (Denmark), 6. Joe Jacobs, 7. Oliver Greenwood. Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags: 1. Steve Jones, 2. Arron Mogridge, 3. Danno Verge, 4. Michael Neale, 5. Sam Chapman, 6. Ryan MacDonald (Scotland), 7. Reece Downes. Coventry Storm: 1. Jon Armstrong, 2. Luke Crang, 3. Marc Owen, 4. Dan Greenwood, 5. Oliver Greenwood, 6. Ryan Terry-Daley, 7. Martin Knuckey. Peterborough Panthers at EWR Name Lge M R Pts BP (no BP) (w BP) Performance Lasse Bjerre PL 6 29 44 2 6.07 6.34 11 from 6 rides (2011) Lewis Blackbird PL 14 60 77 13 5.13 6.00 15 + 2 from 6 rides (inc 6 pts T/R (PL (2013))) Ales Dryml DEBUT PL MEETING @ EWR Ryan Fisher PL 5 24 48 2 8.00 8.33 13 + 1 from 5 rides (2008) Oliver Greenwood DEBUT PL MEETING @ EWR Joe Jacobs PL 1 3 1 0 1.33 1.33 1 from 3 rides (2013) Ulrich Ostergaard PL 6 27 48 4 7.11 7.70 18 from 6 rides (inc 6 pts T/R (2008)) Other Notes Lasse Bjerre 2011 Danish Under-21 Champion. Member of Denmark's World Under-21 Team Cup Championship Winning Team in 2010. Member of Ipswich's Premier League Fours Championship Winning Team in 2010. Qualified for this season's World Under-21 Individual Championship Finals. Recently named as a 'doubling-up' rider with Leicester for the rest of the 2014 Elite League season. Lewis Blackbird 2013 Scunthorpe Scorpion. Member of Mildenhall's National League KO Cup Winning Team in 2011. Captain of Mildenhall's 2012 National League side, which won 5 major trophies at that level. Member of Dudley's 2013 National League Championship, Pairs and Fours Winning Teams. A Fast-Track Reserve with Eastbourne for the 2014 Elite League season. Ales Dryml Has competed in the Speedway Grand Prix Series and has represented his country in the Speedway World Cup. 2012 European Champion. Won the 2004 and 2007 European Pairs Championship with his brother Lukas. Member of Oxford's 2001 Elite League Championship Winning Team. Member of Poole's 2003 Elite League Championship and KO Cup Winning Teams. Ryan Fisher American International who has represented his country in the Speedway World Cup. Member of Edinburgh's Premier League Championship Winning Teams in 2008 and 2010. Member of Edinburgh's Premier Trophy Winning Team in 2008. Oliver Greenwood Ex Scunthorpe Saint who has the most wins in the Open Class of the club's regular Amateur Meetings (to date). The named No 8 when the Saints won the 2011 National League Championship. Rode as a Guest for Somerset's Premier League Winning Team in the 2nd Leg of the 2013 Play-off Final. Scored a first maximum at Premier League level last month at home against Plymouth. Also riding in 2014 for Coventry in the National League. Joe Jacobs Member of Mildenhall's National League KO Cup Winning Team in 2011. Member of Mildenhall's NL Championship, Fours, KO Cup and National Trophy Winning Team in 2012. A Fast-Track Reserve with Wolverhampton for the 2014 Elite League season. Also riding in 2014 for Mildenhall in the National League. Ulrich Ostergaard Member of Peterborough's Elite League Championship Winning Team in 2006. Named as the 2008 Premier League Rider of the Year by the Speedway Riders Association. Since 2008 has rode regularly at both Elite and Premier League levels. Peterborough Panthers' Results at EWR First meeting that Peterborough have ridden at the EWR. * The Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags ride at Stoke in National League action tonight (Saturday). 15-year-old Reece Downes is set to make his return from a broken wrist, while Michael Neale comes in to replace Liam Sanderson, who broke his collarbone in the Amateur Meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Sunday.

NEW VISITORS TO EDDIE WRIGHT RACEWAY IN BANK HOLIDAY 30-HEAT FEAST OF SPEEDWAY FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions are looking for a win by four points or more against the Peterborough Panthers at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm), to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Premier League Knockout Cup. The KO Cup clash forms the first half of a double-header that sees not only one, but two brand new visiting teams to the Eddie Wright Raceway. The second half pits the Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags against the Coventry Storm in National League action. Peterborough Panthers have dropped down to the Premier League in 2014, after 15 successive seasons in the Elite League. Peterborough and Scunthorpe regularly competed against each other in the old National League (the name for the second tier at that point) between 1972 and 1985. The Panthers visited both of Scunthorpe’s previous homes, Quibell Park and Ashby Ville. But never the Eddie Wright Raceway… until Monday. In fact, the Panthers were the last-ever visitors to Scunthorpe’s second home, Ashby Ville. Scunthorpe won 40-37 on May 13, 1985, with Andy Buck scoring a 12-point maximum for the Stags. Days later, Scunthorpe withdrew from the National League, and it was 20 years before Rob Godfrey brought speedway back to the town. Coventry, a top flight club since 1957, have never previously visited a Scunthorpe track in official competition, although the Bees did send along a team to a couple of four team tournaments at Quibell Park in the 1970s. Coventry entered a second team, the Storm, in the National League in 2013, and with Scunthorpe also entering a team in the NL this season, the two clubs will finally meet in league competition at Scunthorpe. Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It’s nice to be meeting a couple of teams who have never been to the Eddie Wright Raceway before - it gives a bit of variety. “Hopefully a good number of Panthers’ fans will come along to a track they’ve never visited before. They won’t be disappointed, they will find that Scunthorpe is a racer’s track, just like Peterborough. “Our main objective will be to do everything we can to progress to the quarter-finals of the Knockout Cup, where Plymouth await the aggregate winners.” Scunthorpe trail by just three points (43-46) after a battling performance in the first leg at Peterborough on Tuesday. In a match of fluctuating fortunes, the Scorpions recovered from ten points behind to lead 37-34, and then the Panthers rallied in the final two races. Scunthorpe do have an injury concern, as flying Australian Ryan Douglas suffered a wrist injury in the 40-55 defeat at Plymouth on Friday, where recent signing Nicolai Klindt was again in terrific form for the Scorpions. Monday’s adult admission price for the double-header is £17. It’s just £2 more than a single Premier League meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway, for 15 extra heats of action. The circuit rightfully has won the award, several times, for being the best racetrack in the Premier League, so a full and exciting day of racing is ahead. Admission prices for Bank Holiday Monday: Adult: £17.00 Student/OAP: £15.00 Child (10 – 17): £5.00 Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult) Family Ticket £39 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17) Match Programme: £1.00 Expected teams for Sunday (English unless stated): Teams for Monday: FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Josh Auty, 2. Nicolai Klindt (Denmark), 3. David Howe, 4. Ashley Birks, 5. Ryan Douglas (Australia), 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Thomas Jørgensen (Denmark). Peterborough Panthers: 1. Ryan Fisher (United States), 2. Lewis Blackbird, 3. Ales Dryml (Czech Republic), 4. Ulrich Ostergaard (Denmark), 5. Lasse Bjerre (Denmark), 6. Joe Jacobs, 7. Oliver Greenwood. Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags: 1. Steve Jones, 2. Arron Mogridge, 3. Danno Verge, 4. Michael Neale, 5. Sam Chapman, 6. Ryan MacDonald (Scotland), 7. Reece Downes. Coventry Storm: 1. Jon Armstrong, 2. Luke Crang, 3. Marc Owen, 4. Dan Greenwood, 5. Oliver Greenwood, 6. Ryan Terry-Daley, 7. Martin Knuckey. Peterborough Panthers at EWR Name Lge M R Pts BP (no BP) (w BP) Performance Lasse Bjerre PL 6 29 44 2 6.07 6.34 11 from 6 rides (2011) Lewis Blackbird PL 14 60 77 13 5.13 6.00 15 + 2 from 6 rides (inc 6 pts T/R (PL (2013))) Ales Dryml DEBUT PL MEETING @ EWR Ryan Fisher PL 5 24 48 2 8.00 8.33 13 + 1 from 5 rides (2008) Oliver Greenwood DEBUT PL MEETING @ EWR Joe Jacobs PL 1 3 1 0 1.33 1.33 1 from 3 rides (2013) Ulrich Ostergaard PL 6 27 48 4 7.11 7.70 18 from 6 rides (inc 6 pts T/R (2008)) Other Notes Lasse Bjerre 2011 Danish Under-21 Champion. Member of Denmark's World Under-21 Team Cup Championship Winning Team in 2010. Member of Ipswich's Premier League Fours Championship Winning Team in 2010. Qualified for this season's World Under-21 Individual Championship Finals. Recently named as a 'doubling-up' rider with Leicester for the rest of the 2014 Elite League season. Lewis Blackbird 2013 Scunthorpe Scorpion. Member of Mildenhall's National League KO Cup Winning Team in 2011. Captain of Mildenhall's 2012 National League side, which won 5 major trophies at that level. Member of Dudley's 2013 National League Championship, Pairs and Fours Winning Teams. A Fast-Track Reserve with Eastbourne for the 2014 Elite League season. Ales Dryml Has competed in the Speedway Grand Prix Series and has represented his country in the Speedway World Cup. 2012 European Champion. Won the 2004 and 2007 European Pairs Championship with his brother Lukas. Member of Oxford's 2001 Elite League Championship Winning Team. Member of Poole's 2003 Elite League Championship and KO Cup Winning Teams. Ryan Fisher American International who has represented his country in the Speedway World Cup. Member of Edinburgh's Premier League Championship Winning Teams in 2008 and 2010. Member of Edinburgh's Premier Trophy Winning Team in 2008. Oliver Greenwood Ex Scunthorpe Saint who has the most wins in the Open Class of the club's regular Amateur Meetings (to date). The named No 8 when the Saints won the 2011 National League Championship. Rode as a Guest for Somerset's Premier League Winning Team in the 2nd Leg of the 2013 Play-off Final. Scored a first maximum at Premier League level last month at home against Plymouth. Also riding in 2014 for Coventry in the National League. Joe Jacobs Member of Mildenhall's National League KO Cup Winning Team in 2011. Member of Mildenhall's NL Championship, Fours, KO Cup and National Trophy Winning Team in 2012. A Fast-Track Reserve with Wolverhampton for the 2014 Elite League season. Also riding in 2014 for Mildenhall in the National League. Ulrich Ostergaard Member of Peterborough's Elite League Championship Winning Team in 2006. Named as the 2008 Premier League Rider of the Year by the Speedway Riders Association. Since 2008 has rode regularly at both Elite and Premier League levels. Peterborough Panthers' Results at EWR First meeting that Peterborough have ridden at the EWR. * The Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags ride at Stoke in National League action tonight (Saturday). 15-year-old Reece Downes is set to make his return from a broken wrist, while Michael Neale comes in to replace Liam Sanderson, who broke his collarbone in the Amateur Meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Sunday.

Paul, I think Dale Diver was offering to buy you a pint.... All the best Rob

No it's not an excuse, just an observation of seeing Hans several times at Odsal around this time. His form at Odsal did change after Erik's accident. I saw him there in the 1988 World Pairs Final - 30-point paid maximum (no mean feat with six riders in a race). But he went there late in '89, he went there and didn't even get double figures. That never happened with Hans. The 1990 Gold Cup Final he took seven riders and only scored paid 11 or 12 out of a possible 21. For some reason, Hans never produced his best form at Odsal after Erik's accident. I don't know why. As you've pointed out, it wasn't like there was a lack of aggression as Tatum found out as Nielsen took revenge for Tatum's over-aggressive ride in the 1989 ICF at Odsal (mentioned by Briggo in his auto-biography, as something Tatum didn't need to do, and cost him later!!). I seem to remember us having a similar conversation before. I wasn't at all surprised when Hans didn't win in 1990.... and everyone who had him down as an odds-on favourite hadn't been taking note of the previous five months! He was having a subdued season by his own standards (on a 10.20 average rather than a 11.00+, although yes he was still top of the averages by a distance!!). I was far more surprised in 1991, his form leading up to that final was excellent and in general he looked sharper in 1991. I fully expected Hans to win at Gothenburg and was disappointed when he didn't. I don't know who I thought would win in 1990 after Jan O got hurt. Per Jonsson was a classy rider who deserved to win one, although ironically he wasn't on form at all in 1990; Per's best era came from 1992 until his accident in 1994, and he was also very good in 1987 & 1988. He was inconsistent in 1990 to say the least (Paul Dugard beat him at Oxford), and outshone at Reading by Todd Wiltshire and Donkey. However, I got the feeling it was Jonsson's night the moment Jimmy Nilsen made a massive clanger in their first race and gave away an almost certain win. From then on, Per rode a blinder and deserved to win on the night. In the run-off, he produced a start when it mattered most. In contrast, I felt Per Jonsson was the best rider in the world in 1992, but it was Havvy who took his chance come the final. The 1992 was probably the weakest of all-time (no defending champion Jan O; no Hans) - still amazed that Gert Handberg got into the top three in a World Final! All the best Rob EDIT: Just thought of another rider missing the '90 final through injury - Simon Cross. He was in the form of his life at the start of that season; he outshone Hans over the three England vs Denmark tests.