Fourentee

The two sides: Gary Patchett: “The referee had the best view in the house, called down to the clerk of the course's office and said blue (Nielsen) was out, although we saw no lights come on. “Chris Louis then entered the referee's box -- which he is not allowed to do, it's a sacrosanct area – and the referee changes his decision and excludes our rider in white, Adam Roynon. “It doesn't look very clever. The referee has changed his mind after he's been approached by a promoter from the opposition. And it's just not allowed." Dudley statement mentions BBC WM coverage: "You can hear the moment when Louis clearly influences the referee's decision in a face-to-face conversation by going to 2:50:00 and listening for approximately two minutes on the following programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00zhkjc Chris Louis: “I went through the referee's box because I had to get to the video and have a look at it. “At that point he hadn't made a decision. I came back down and there must have been another five or 10 minutes before a decision was made. “He (Dave Robinson) put his head through the door and said: 'I haven't made a decision and I will when I'm sure.' “There was discussion; it was pretty brief. “When Rob Henry got on the phone to ask if a decision had been made, he (Robinson) said he thought it was Stefan's fault, he was looking at the video and he was going to make his mind up when he was sure. “He wanted to make his decision when the track had been cleared. Both lads were still on the track. It was a very heavy impact.”

Just got back home; congratulations to Mildenhall on their victory and commiserations to Dudley. Well done to the Lynn promotion for somehow getting a track rideable (-ish) by 8.12 and raceable later on despite the elements conspiring against them. Particular sympathy to Adam Roynon for yet another bad injury.

Up to a point.

I think you're always going to get a few who do that anywhere. I don't go for it myself, but in fairness I don't recall any of the falls looking anything but relatively harmless apart, of course, from the one where Perry and Halsey got hooked up and ploughed into the fence and no-one cheered that. You might say it was because a Dudley rider was involved! I would agree that the referee didn't have his finest hour, with riders forced to pick their path around the fallen, but the only decision from recollection that might have affected the scoreline was the one to award heat three when Greenwood and Halsey were still hotly disputing second place. Oh, and Bates might have got a touch on the way to the fence and disqualification at the start of heat nine. On another day that might have been all four back. Anyway, all set up for a thriller tonight. Congratulations to Mildenhall on their cup success and well done to their travelling fans for some hearty support. Edit: I wonder if Bates might be a key figure tonight. Those points he got in the cup match, after a torrid first meeting littered with falls, will surely have done a lot for his confidence.

Let's hope that does not keep him out; unfortunate enough that both sides may be operating RR as it is, but there you go -- it's a rough game! I think the play-off final has the potential to be a cracker over both legs. Had it taken place a few weeks back, I would have made Dudley marginal favourites, but their recent lack of race time may have tipped the scales slightly in the other direction. Having said that, Roynon has clearly returned from injury in blinding form so that may be a counter-balance. Perhaps not much in it either way, but Mildenhall perhaps just appear to have found momentum at the right time. Good assessment of the sides earlier, by the way, Mr M.

I think that's a fair point. However, Britain is one of the heartland markets for televised speedway and the Cardiff GP is one of the sport's major showpiece events. So, politically and financially, I would be very surprised if there is no British representation. If that's the case, Woffinden clearly has as good a claim as any other British rider (he's the highest averaging EL Brit by very nearly a point) should he want to pursue a GP place next season.

Dudley, for leaving and taking their fans with them. Obvious!

Dudley's line is that a PL application is not being ruled out. Discussions to follow. No stronger than that ATM.

Neither did I.

I can understand the opposition on this one, but you could go a tad easy on the 'fantastic season'. Joe is rebuilding well after injury (does that sound familiar in a Dudley context, by the way?) but isn't north of five points yet in the PL. They're not parachuting in Greg Hancock.

Cut-off extended to the night of the 19th, I believe.

Yeah, in retrospect you're right. We ought to have a regulation tweak next year and put any rider whose club name starts with a D off 15 metres.

I understand there may be an issue with getting the Lynn/Wight fixture run before the cut-off in any event. Going back to the guest, I would regard it as part courtesy to the play-off chasing visitors and part insurance when so near to fulfilling the aim of finishing top of the NL. Imagine the home outcry if someone had got hurt or had a torrid night mechanically and the match had been lost. So many potential pitfalls with RR.

Perfectly legitimate move and a club asset at that. All helps promote interest in the build-up to the NL season's climax.

And you spent your previous 499 posts working up to that? Well done, well done indeed.

Pleased to hear it. Joking aside, though, work it out. Those two matches (only two out of the season) equate to an average of about 10.3 and he was managing 9.5 in the team anyway. Edit: And off the top of my head I think all those matches in the team, bar one, were away from home.

Yep, those two league matches he's had at reserve this season have made all the difference.

Methinks the poster's tongue was in the cheek, to be honest.

Ah, drat, the master plan to send Perry to Somerset, ensure his matches clash and get him into the reserve berth for the Mildenhall fixtures is uncovered. And they would have got away with it if it hadn't been for that meddling kev...

It's not the destination, Rob, it's the route!

To be honest, I wouldn't argue with any of that. But it was advanced as a factor and, in fairness, I felt I should include it.

Sure. The issue is whether agreement was reached on a 3pm start time before a change of heart (and, to a certain extent, why). Leicester clearly think so. Dudley clearly think so. The BSPA clearly think so (or why would they rule for 3pm?). I hope Villiers210 isn't holding his breath waiting for an answer to his question or he might be in a bad way come Tuesday! Edit: Oh, and to be fair to Mildenhall, they estimated a 15 per cent reduction in crowd figure for the previous week's different start time so that may be a big factor.

Don't forget that Perry would not have been there in any event, regardless of start time.

Thanks for blurring the issue. Simple question: Why did the BSPA rule the way it did in the teeth of Mildenhall saying that 3pm was never an option? Two: The upshot is that Dudley will be without two of their best riders; isn't trying to win the match largely (though not solely) the point of competitive sport? Three: Where have I indicated a lack of support for Dudley's younger riders? Four: 'Take a chill pill.' What's that about? I wouldn't regard my post as argumentative though would, of course, willingly accept that interpretation if honestly offered by others. Five: To borrow your own words, which part of my post goes anywhere near mentioning Stoke?

Dismissed? What a curious interpretation. Or are you attempting to indicate that Dudley's chances of victory on Sunday are not significantly damaged by the absence of two riders averaging 20.5 between them?