Steve Shovlar

Why don’t the promotion invest in a couple of speakers placed on the dog track facing the main stand? It was like listening to someone with cotton wool in their mouths. Awful. And why not advertise for a center green announcer? A good DJ with a knowledge could do the job and it wouldn’t cost the Earth. What about approaching Kevin Coombs at Eastbourne? Not too far to travel and would improve the product 1000%.

Leicester is a basic stadium compared to a purpose built stadium at Sittingbourne which no doubt could seat a couple of thousand fans compared to the temp stands at Leicester. No doubt Sittingbourne could do with a tidy up and lick of paint. Doesn’t look like it has been touched since it was built and there are tractor parts laying around on the first bend. But where is the money going to come from Swale Council clearly don’t like speedway to force draconian conditions on the club. Racing between the two meetings was chalk and cheese. Leicester was a race to come out of the first bend leading. There was no hiding place at Sittingbourne where there was passing in every heat bar one. I had been told passing was at a premium at Sittingbourne but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Perhaps it was in NL level but last night was the most passing I have seen in a meeting in many years. If it was filmed, this is worth watching. Cost wise it was £20 last night for adults and a program. Viewing was very good. Perhaps the track could have been a bit bigger and closer to the main stand. Leicester’s track is bigger but little passing.

Well done Zane. Then he was beaten in his next in a race 4 seconds slower.

Couple of things from last night. No center green commentator. All we got was some muffled announcer who we gave up trying to understand what was being said. Couldn’t hear the race times and rider changes. The announcer shows little to no enthusiasm and there is a distinct lack of atmosphere. The fans don’t make any noise and tepid polite hand clapping is not what this sport is about. The presentation severely lacks. A center green presenter whipping up a crowd is what is needed.

Pay on the gate Mike. Gates open 6.30.

After away wins for both teams last night, the clash is something to look forward to this evening. A few showers around but nothing like yesterday and we should be good to go tonight. Leicester were humbled on their own patch on Saturday and will be all out for revenge tonight. Pirates can have no complacency and the way we are currently riding, I don’t believe for a second there will be any. Yes we are 2 riders down but the way I have seen us riding recently means we should cover any weaknesses. Should be a classic. See you there!

My first ever visit to Sittingbourne and a real pleasure all round. We arrived at 3pm, found the stadium then decided to head over to Leysdown on the isle of Sheppey to see if this little seaside resort was as bad as I remembered it last time I was there years ago. In fact it was worse! A street full of amusement arcades and candy floss. Lots of overweight to obese people scoffing the pies and pizza, kids running amok and I spent £2 in 2p’s over 30 mins on the cascade thingimy. In the end I was struggling to spend it as the 2p’s kept dropping out! We watched from the shore as a massive thunderstorm floated across Sheppey and headed towards Southend across the water, then headed back to Sittingbourne to get something to eat before entering the stadium. A nice stadium in a huge industrial estate. The council imposing an 8.30 curfew is frankly ridiculous. But the stadium can hold probably as many as Belle Vue and although it needs a tidy up and some fresh paint, deserves bigger meetings. No parade or practice laps for the riders. Straight out for heat one. Poole gated on a 5-1 in heats 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Yet at the end of heat 4 the scores were 12-12. Heat 1 and Pirztes gated. But Nichols held it tight to squeeze up the inside of the Poole boys off bend 4 to take the win. Heat 2 and Pirates gated, leading by 50 metres down the back straight. A nailed o 5-1? Nope. Wright binned it into the fence. You know what happens in a rerun? Kent gated. Hume git between the pair and was challenging Morley but clipped his back wheel, which allowed Gilles through. Heat 3 and Pirates gated but Starke kept the pressure on and got past Worrall. Ge couldn’t quite catch Neilsen. Heat 4 and Poole gate. But Heeps manages to get last Hume after the youngster messes up bend 4 lap 2. Heat 5 and Starke penalises himself at the tapes and the Pirates are away. But the ref sticks the red light on straight away! Really if a rider jumps then pulls back as the tapes go up it’s his error. In the rerun Starke gated but Schlein was having none of it and reeled him in to a great pass. Heat 6 and Kent gate, but King was determined and after blasting around Nicholls on lap two he caught and ladt Morley on the final lap. Heat 7 and Morley gates but Worrall reels him and and in lap three blasts through down the back straight. 19-23. Heat 8 and Poole gate but Thomas messes up on bend 4 allowing Gilles through, then messes up again to allow Hurry through. Danny Hume away and gone. Heat 9 and Starke gates. Pirates fill minor places but again Wright dumps it into the 4th bend fence. Race awarded. 26-28 Heat 10 and an almighty battle between Worrall and Nicholls. No quarter given and Worrall came out on top. Heat 11 and Hume comes in for Thomas. A tough first bend sees Hume battling down the back straight with heeps but the youngster will not back down, joining Schlein for an impressive 5-1. 29-37. Heat 12 and tac sub time. In comes Nicholls to partner Starke. Starke gates but the 2 pirates Worrall and Hume hold off Nicholls fir the 4 laps. 32-40 Heat 13 and Schlein gates, blocks both Kent riders Nicholls and Heeps and clears off. King messes up the first bend lap 2 and tails off. Heat 14 and a big 5-1 from Neilsen and Hume to seal the match and the 4 points for Poole. Heat 15 and King makes up for his zero 2 races earlier with a win and thrilling face off with Starke. 38-52. In the end Poole were far to strong for Kent, who battled hard but were lacking firepower through the team. Starke was excellent value, backed up by Nicholls and Morley, but after those three there was little else. But the meeting had so much going on. Thrilling races, passing in all but one heat. Really a great meeting in front of a decent crowd. Rider of the meeting? Danyon Hume. Paid 13 and best Scotty Nicholls in the process. He is going places. Home by 11.15 pm. A good day.

Absolutely cracking meeting with passes in every heat. Super setup. Good crowd and all over and on our way before 8.30. And stand up Danny Hume. Rider of the night.

Good crowd coming in. Lovely evening.

No I cant make it Rob. Prior engagement. so whats happening when Poxford are back? You ditching them for Scunny!

Dont forget the govt get 20% vat out of admissions.

Kurtz showed a load of potential initially but lost his way badly. Dumped in Poland by Leszno and let Poole down very badly when it mattered in the playoffs two years ago. What you see now is what you get. And if he is off gate four when it matters you can forget it.

Excellent. Heading down to sample the delights of Gravesend before the speedway.

Still no news on the Kent lineup. Seems a bit strange. There’s some rain about today. Fingers crossed it misses.

Ref excluding Lublin rider a joke. All 4 back surely. And no watering to get an outside line.

Rubbish meeting so far. Track slick and go off the inside and go backwards. Totally predictable score after 8 heats.

Going to be a very tough fixture and nothing to call between the teams. Leicester lucky that they are coming when we are without Ben Cook to be honest. Could go either way. There’s a reason Leicester are favourites for the league.

Really enjoyed that meeting. Torun producing some great racing. Well done to Lublin. Deserved the win.

Good meeting with some fine battles. Bewley being replaced in one of his rides was a nasty call. Madsen, Zmarzlik and Magic top three this year. Woffinden showing a lack of aggression.

VK looks to have gone down

Pleased they got on with it. Hate dragged out meetings. As for the track, there was as much passing last night as when Helmsley designed the original track. Almost none. I have been to Leicester quite a few times over the years and can count the amount of passing there on my fingers of both hands. Hardly ever any. Gate, make sure you are leading down the back straight and game over. Last night in heat 15, once Worrall had gated, I thought the only way he would lose it is if he had an ef or a bad mistake. They have changed the shape by bringing in the corners but something is still seriously wrong. The inside off bend two needs to work but once on the high line a rider could bust a gut, only to see the other rider ride the wide line and maintain the lead. The third and forth bends just don’t seem to give any opportunity of a pass, though Hans fell asleep in one heat allowing Worrall up the inside for a straight. The club had the opportunity of a Bydgoszcz shaped track from the get go and completely blew it. Sorry but that’s how I see it and his scores show the same. When he came onto the scene he was a bright rising star who looked destined to go places. At Swindon he looked a real force and with Doyle was very hard to beat. But the fact that Poland are not interested, and his scores are mediocre shows the forward momentum he had has vanished, and he is now at his level. Potential unfulfilled.

After our great win at Leicester the Pirate ship moves on to Sittingbourne on Tuesday for our first ever visit to Kent. Really I have to say it would be disappointing if we didn’t pick up 3 points here. Scott Nicholls is going to be tough to beat but surely we have a team capable of beating the home side? Might make a day of it and visit the Sheppey Leysdown Riviera.

Looked like the shadow of the rider he was when at Swindon a few years ago. Definitely looks like his best seasons are behind him. Thought he would progress to bigger things but slipped back considerably.

Just got back and has to go down as one of the shock results of the season. But arriving at the track with the Poole boys walking the track you could see they were really up for it and so it proved. Every rider battled hard for every point and Pirates were often first out of the gate and at Leicester it’s not easy to pass. A good crowd, no controversy, and three unexpected but certainly deserved points for Poole. First home defeat for Leicester in three years but all good things have to come to an end and clearly they are still the team to beat if you want the title in 2021.

Wright doesn’t have anywhere near the scoring potential of Ben Cook. Expecting a 52-38 type scoreline tonight. If we can get 40 points I would say that would be a good result for Pirates tonight.