Roger Jacobs

Expected line-ups: Sackers Witches: Barker, Mäkinen, Tungate, Risager, Lanham, Ellis, Heeps Cases Rebels: Doyle, Davies, Gracjzonek, Newman, Morris, Nielsen, Perry Likely result: Rebels to win by 6, maybe even 10.

33 points (+4 artificial joker points) is a poor effort by the Witches. It's easy to say they are rusty, but Somerset also have only had a couple of matches. I don't think Ipswich fans will be as tolerant as they have been in recent years.

Not in 1-5 results though - it may as well be a last, especially three in one match, which is obviously a net -12 deficit. It's clear though that if Makinen doesn't get going quickly, then the fans will be calling for a change. I'd like to think the Sackers Witches can do enough to get a point tonight, but the Rabbles are clear favourites - not just for this match but for the PL.

There were actually puddles at Martlesham when I left off at 18:00ish, and it is soooooo cold! It was chilly this morning, but everything seemed OK, then suddenly ...

A tough match, with the Devils looking much more balanced than previous visits. Be interesting to see what Kling does at this level. No frost last night. We've had some light snow flurries this morning, but nothing drastic. It will be very cold!

LOL! Better quality all round :-)

Similar - except that there were two ambulances at Foxhall and sufficent qualified paramedics to enable racing to continue on a reasonable timescale. Yes there were delays, but they were caused by the necessary on-track treatment to riders and repairs to the track/fence - rather than very long waits for an ambulance to return. These scenarios occur at other tracks and have even delayed at least one Sky fixture, so it seems sensible that British speedway should ensure more provision is made to have enough qualified people and suitable facilities available at every match to enable racing to continue in more practical timescales. That is a sensible suggestion - both for rider safety and to help the customer (supporter). I does not need fans to spell this out to promoters. Also, you imply that it is the responsibility of the fans to "go to the meetings keep the interest and turnover moving". It is actually the responsibility of the home promotion to provide news, information and entertainment - something that British speedway as a whole is particularly poor at doing. Once again it shouldn't need the fans to suggest ways to do this. PS: I didn't go yesterday - the comment I posted was genuinely from a friend. Also, looking back at this thread, I haven't seen any keyboard commandos complaining - the comments about the match all appear to have come from those who attended, including RH fans who gave up and left.

Quote from an Ipswich fan who gave up because of the delays after Heat 8 (the first time in 40 years he has ever left a meeting which then went on be completed): "... standing around for an hour and a half in absolute bitter cold with nothing happening. With a minimum hospital trip of 40 mins (plus time getting in/out ambulance) they should not be allowed to run without proper cover. That's it for me, no more RH."

From Twitter: Tanya Amott ‏@TanyaAmott Jason Bunyan has 4 broken ribs, a punctured lung and 4 broken wings on his vertebrae. #speedway Stephen Owens ‏@Steve_Jim_Owens Just got a text off Simon Lambert and "pretty bad broken ankle" quick speedway recovery matey!! @RyeHouseFans #Speedway

Blimey, just one match and we get an astonishing blast of sanctimonious trolling squit from a Dry Hose fan .

You are Mr Snackette, and I claim my £5 LOL!

Common denominator Hope it wasn't anything too dramatic. Can't imagine much that would have got anyone upset - maybe Lambert charging under & through Lanham, but that was about it. Dave Love ‏@Stegglesaurus A basic photostitch (using paint!) of Foxhall before today's match #speedway pic.twitter.com/OR4TptpHFn

Just about warm now after one of the coldest Foxhall meetings in living memory. The easterly wind just doesn't let up and the wind chill must have been -6C at least. Barker & Heeps the stars of the show for the Witches. Great to see the fans responding to Barker after the last heat - he was really playing to the crowd on the back straight. Rye House must be pleased with their first meeting - Allen looked happy, and their stars were Mellgren & Garrity - with Nelson also looking very competitive and not at all worried by the #5 race jacket. I spoke to Leigh Lanham afterwards - he was pleased to have got the win with that last heat 5-1, and was full of praise for Barker. Lanham himself was struggling with race fitness - he did 20 laps at KL on Thursday, but that was the first time he had sat on a bike since last season. He also admitted the cock-up in 13 when he and Barker tried to team ride, but Barker got stuck out wide - then Lanham said he thought it was Barker behind him when it was Allen, who sailed past to take the win. Overall he was happy considering few of the riders had had any laps, let alone competitive racing. Also gave big credit to Bob and the track staff, who produced a raceable track even though it was under snow on Monday. The full interview will be on the Rerun DVD . This photo shows the second attempt to start Heat 9, when Nelson got caught on the tapes: pic.twitter.com/YXIHLxaSz8

Mike Bacon posted this on Twitter yesterday: Mike Bacon ‏@Mike_Bacon 27 Mar "Spoke to Chris Louis today and he's confident. I see no reason why not, no more snow is forecast. I would say 95% all go".

Joe Screen and Joe Jacobs have tweeted track photos: @screenyJ #bobhope pic.twitter.com/hXyh9YN8Vd @JoeJacobs93 Ice Speedway http://instagram.com/p/XW-yEnrsIe/

Vissing is potentially a very good rider, but can be too aggressive on track though - putting himself in places that many riders won't.

Terrible shame for Tully. The team building thread says 7.01 with another 1.14 to spare: so a total of 8.15 Monberg is 7.26. Nedermark 6.20.

Dave Love, also known as "Lovey" (Forum Name: Roger Jacobs - Twitter: @stegglesaurus) 1. Somerset 2. Leicester 3. Scunthorpe 4. Ipswich 5. Newcastle 6. Rye House 7. Workington 8. Plymouth 9. Berwick 10. Edinburgh 11. Redcar 12. Sheffield 13. Glasgow

Not sure what Elvin King has been on ... I thought he had retired . 10 of the reviewers have got the Rabbles first or second. Graham Hambly for Plymouth says 6th (one less bottle than Elvin!), and Somerset's Ian Belcher says 4th . In an idle few mins I have totalled the various PL predictions and found these average reviewer scores: Somerset : 2.46 Leicester : 3.31 Ipswich : 4.38 Scunthorpe : 4.69 Workington : 5.00 Newcastle : 5.46 Edinburgh : 5.92 Berwick : 8.23 Plymouth : 8.38 Redcar : 9.77 Rye House : 10.62 Sheffield : 10.92 Glasgow : 11.85

On the speedway front - not unexpected to see Somerset installed by just about all the Speedway Star pundits as pre-season favourites for the PL. I was shocked to see Ipswich journo Elvin King putting them at 8th!

Compared to most British tracks, Owlerton is pretty much one big corner . Also, this shows how much the Aussie tracks have changed in recent years - with the big, pacey showground-style circuits disappearing, even the Aussies are more used to tighter turns.

Rye House team for Good Friday: 1. Olly Allen 9.62 2. Jason Bunyan © 5.14 3. Anders Mellgren 6.47 4. Jason Garrity 4.67 5. Tyson Nelson 5.33 6. Kasper Lykke 4.28 7. Simon Lambert 4.41 Team manager: John Sampford Nelson at #5 - very interesting.

Good stuff - hope you will publish your results in due course, i.e. after you've got your First .

http://www.speedway365.com/index.php/elite-league/elite-league-news/3564-official-statement-from-darcy-ward http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/10245045.Pirates_legend_tells_Darcy_not_to_throw_it_all_away/

You are in a minority of one. The point is that they are subject to the same editorial control.