LAKESIDE Hammers have named their team for the important 1st leg of the Elite League Knockout Cup Final against the Coventry Bees, which takes place at the Hammers Arena-Essex Raceway on Friday.

LAKESIDE Hammers have named their team for the important 1st leg of the Elite League Knockout Cup Final against the Coventry Bees, which takes place at the Hammers Arena-Essex Raceway on Friday.

The new rider averages for October have come into force for this meeting but that has not affected Team Manager Jon Cook's top five. He has, however, decided to move Adam Shields back to the No.5 position with Kauko Nieminen reverting to No.3.

With both of the Hammers doubling up pair of Robert Mears and Phil Morris still both injured Jon Cook has needed to bring in a guest replacement. Initially he had hoped that Rye House Rockets rider Andrew Silver would have been able to come in as he did for the Hammers League match against Eastbourne at the beginning of last month but, following a crash that resulted in Silver missing meetings for the Rockets, those plans had to be shelved. Australian Aaron Summers, who rode in both of the Play Off Semi Finals, cannot be used as his average has now increased and is too high. The rider that Cook has chosen to come in at the No.6 reserve position for the Hammers is 31 year old Dane Tom P Madsen. He is an experienced rider having ridden in this Country for over 10 years in both the Elite and Premier Leagues. Currently he rides for the Stoke Potters in the Premier League and has raced on many occasions around the Arena-Essex Raceway.

Coventry have named their usual line-up that includes Great Britain international and current Grand Prix rider Chris Harris, fellow Brits Oliver Allen, Ben Barker, Jordan Frampton and Edward Kennett plus Australian Rory Schlein and New Zealand born Ricky Wells who now races on an American licence.

The Cup Tie is scheduled to commence at 8pm but for those fans arriving at the Arena-Essex Raceway early there will be, at 7.15pm, a four a side, six heat match involving veteran riders representing the Hackney Hawks and the Romford Bombers who are two former well known clubs who used to race in the East London and Essex area.

Following Friday's action at the Arena-Essex Raceway a Hammers team will compete on the following evening, Saturday 10th October, for the M25 Trophy against Premier League side, the Rye House Rockets, at their Hoddesdon track.

The side that will represent the Hammers in Saturday's meeting will include three of the present Hammers team, Joonas Kylmakorpi, Kauko Nieminen and Stuart Robson, two Hammers owned riders, Henning Bager, who currently is out on loan to Elite League club Peterborough, and Jerran Hart, who is gaining experience with Premier League side Scunthorpe, a former Hammer, Paul Hurry, who is riding in the Elite league for Swindon, plus Jamie Courtney, who competes in the National League for the Rye House Cobras but who has also in the past acted as a mechanic for Hammers riders.