BELLE VUE’S final Elite League home match of the season ended in major disappointment when Swindon collected a 53-39 win at Kirkmanshulme Lane, ending the Aces’ chances of completing the campaign in the top six.

BELLE VUE’S final Elite League home match of the season ended in major disappointment when Swindon collected a 53-39 win at Kirkmanshulme Lane, ending the Aces’ chances of completing the campaign in the top six.

COVENTRY boss Alun Rossiter said he was proud of his riders after their ninth straight win home and away booked a place in the Elite League Grand Final.

The Bees were rock-bottom of the table earlier in the season, but will now face Poole having overcome Peterborough home and away in the semi-finals.

Rossiter said: “It was an ultra-professional performance from our boys and I’m so pleased with the way we rode.

“Our team is now a very strong unit from one to seven, and Chris Harris is an inspirational captain. We will still be big underdogs against Poole in the Final, but we’re riding with confidence and everyone is enjoying it, it’s such a change from how we started the season and I couldn’t be happier with them.”

EASTBOURNE will give new World Longtrack Champion Joonas Kylmakorpi a hero’s welcome when he returns to Arlington to face Lakeside in the Knockout Cup on Thursday.

Co-promoter Mike Bellerby said: “We are determined to give Joonas a huge welcome home after his wonderful success. He’s been close a couple of occasions before to being world long track champion but this year he has really dominated the Grand Prix series. “It’s a massive honour for both the rider and the club and gives us a flying start to our KO Cup quarter final tie with Lakeside. We could not have wished for a better start to our cup campaign.”

IPSWICH were put to the sword by Poole in last Thursday’s Elite League meeting at Foxhall.

The Pirates won 59-33 and the Witches will hope for better when they face Peterborough this Thursday.

LAKESIDE have re-shuffled their riding order for their Knockout Cup clashes with Eastbourne this week, with Peter Ljung moving to the No.5 position as the Hammers continue to use rider-replacement for the injured Jonas Davidsson.

Manager Jon Cook said: “This is our last throw of the dice for this season and we are hoping the changes will help us contain the Eagles at their place and the move to No.4 will hopefully give us an in-form Adam (Shields) available in three of the last four heats there.

“We have had a two week break to get ourselves re-motivated and the boys are determined to give it their all in the defence of the title, in which four of them rode so well to win it 11 months ago.”

PETERBOROUGH manager Trevor Swales delivered a damning verdict on Peterborough’s Elite League Play-off collapse against Coventry – and issued an apology to the club’s fans.

Swales said: “To be honest, we were just beaten by the better side. Coventry were the better team over both legs and we just weren’t good enough. I feel sorry for our fans, because they have stuck by us all season and we have just thrown it away.

“I feel for the fans, I feel for owners Rick and Julie, I feel for the staff here, everyone because we have thrown away a whole season’s worth of effort. I’m disappointed in the boys, because some of them didn’t have the will. I don’t care what they say about the track, you have to get on and ride it.”

POOLE booked their place in the Elite League Grand Final with a 53-41 win over outgoing champions Wolverhampton at Wimborne Road.

The Pirates showed their strength around their home circuit with Chris Holder and Darcy Ward recording three straight 5-1s as a pair, and Bjarne Pedersen winning his first four rides.

Pedersen said: “It was a team effort as it has been all season. I was on a new engine, well the second time I have used it and it went well for me tonight. Now we need to focus on Coventry and that promises to be tough ask.”

SWINDON made sure of a top six finish in the Elite League with an impressive 53-39 win at Belle Vue on Monday.

Leigh Adams and Mads Korneliussen starred for the Robins with three 5-1s as they took their first maximum-points away win of the season.

Team boss Ronnie Russell told the Swindon Advertiser: “Mads had a fantastic meeting and to win 53-39 with them using the black and white helmet against us was just sensational. The effort and commitment was superb.”

WOLVERHAMPTON star Freddie Lindgren offered his congratulations to Poole after seeing the club’s reign as Elite League Champions ended with their play-off defeat at Wimborne Road on Monday.

Lindgren said: “I was pleased with the way I raced in the end but it would have been better for the team if I had made a better start. I hate being on the wrong end of a 5-1.

“And I must pay credit to Poole, they should go on and win the title because they’ve been the best team all season.”