WELCOME to the weekly bulletin of Elite League news, featuring items on all nine competing teams.
This week’s bulletin includes comment from Alun Rossiter.
BELLE VUE manager Chris Morton was delighted to come away from the Aces’ Elite League opener against Lakeside with a win, despite trailing for much of the meeting.
Morton said: “This was a brilliant performance considering the position we were in at one point of the match. We were handicapped with Steve Boxall being out injured and that gave Lakeside a very strong edge in the reserve berths.
“But, on the plus side, Lukasz Jankowski turned in another improved performance and I was very impressed with the effort of Robert Ksiezak, who came in for Boxall and did really well against one of the best teams in the league.”
COVENTRY manager Peter Oakes says the reigning Champions must quickly improve their gating after they were defeated at home by Eastbourne in their first Elite League match of the season.
Oakes said: “The result was very disappointing, and it’s not the way you want to start a league season. We did have one or two little problems, but I think overall Eastbourne deserved their win, and hats off to them.
“Our starting is just so poor at the moment, constantly we weren’t first into the first turn and you can’t win every meeting by coming from the back, so that’s something everybody has got to look at.”
EASTBOURNE manager Trevor Geer praised the team effort of the Eagles as they stunned title holders Coventry 47-43 to take a 3-point away win at Brandon.
Geer said: “I’m delighted, it’s great to come here to win and all the boys rode well. It’s a good young team, and I think this result will make a lot of people sit up and take notice of us.
“I had a feeling when we came here that we could do something, they all got stuck in and we’ve had a great start to the league season.”
IPSWICH manager Pete Simmons does not expect every meeting at Foxhall to be as straightforward as their 61-31 win over Peterborough, which puts the Witches in with a chance of Craven Shield qualification.
Simmons said: “I don’t believe we will have it quite as easy every Thursday throughout the season, but I told the team we needed a big win to put the pressure on Lakeside and Peterborough in the group.
“It was a truly awesome home performance, everyone did as I asked and when we are firing on all cylinders we showed the great potential we have this season.”
LAKESIDE star Andreas Jonsson crashed out of the Hammers’ narrow defeat at Belle Vue on Monday and is set for tests on a wrist injury.
Jonsson said: “I’m feeling really bruised and have a headache. The hit must have been very hard as it cracked my new helmet, which was taken by the referee later.
“I destroyed my bike too, but that’s not the most important thing. I was examined at the stadium, but will have an x-ray and other examinations in Sweden. I think it’s not that bad as I can move both hands.”
PETERBOROUGH manager Trevor Swales accepts that the Panthers have resembled a one-man team through three heavy away defeats in three days, with only skipper Hans Andersen scoring points of note.
Swales said: “Things have got to change and they are going to - riders have got to stand up and be counted. Everyone else seems to be gating well and the majority of our lads are not. We have one rider that is doing anywhere near what he should be.
“I will be putting on a team bonding exercise to try and sort things out, because, at the moment, we are in a dark tunnel and there is not much light at the end of it.”
POOLE’S in-form Polish star Adam Skornicki may require an operation on his broken wrist - and the Pirates are set to rue his absence over the coming weeks.
Promoter Matt Ford said: “They are now considering an operation on Thursday, or he could leave it. It is a small bone that is broken in his wrist, and the bones in your wrist are important.
“It’s awful timing with us going to Wolves and Belle Vue away in the league in an eight-day spell. They were two fixtures we always felt we would have a good chance of winning, because Adam is a track specialist at Wolves and rode at Belle Vue last season, and the fact of how well he is riding at the moment.”
SWINDON rider Theo Pijper is expected to be out for around a month after suffering a broken collarbone and concussion.
Manager Alun Rossiter said: “Hopefully we’ll deal with Swindon Town and get Theo down there for some physio and laser treatment on his shoulder to aid his recovery.
“The collarbone is one of the weakest bones in your body - I know, I’ve suffered a few breaks in my time. But speedway riders are made of steel, and Theo will be back and stronger than ever.”
WOLVES star Kenneth Hansen has flown back to Denmark for treatment.
Hansen crashed heavily in the penultimate race of Monday’s impressive Elite League win over Poole and has sustained a serious cut below the waist and he also had tyre burns on his hip from the impact of the crash.
Wolves chief Chris Van Straaten said: “It’s an uncomfortable injury for Kenneth and he felt it was best to go back home to Denmark for treatment and rest.”
