Lakeside Hammers Team Manager Jon Cook praised his team after one of the shock wins of the season as the Essex based team became the first side to leave Swindon with League points last night.

Lakeside Hammers Team Manager Jon Cook praised his team after one of the shock wins of the season as the Essex based team became the first side to leave Swindon with League points last night.

The Hammers, who won against a weakened Swindon Robins team in the KO Cup in June, had travelled to Wiltshire confident of being the first club to take the extra point from the League Leaders but in an eventful meeting that saw them take the lead as early as the second heat a superb team effort gained all three Sky Sports Elite League points and sent the title favourites crashing to their first home League defeat of the season.

Cook said on Friday morning after having had time to reflect on what happened down in Wiltshire: "It really was a great night for the Club, definitely the best of the season so far, and I can't praise the boys enough for their efforts both on and off the track last night. Even those not hitting the scores were active in helping team mates prepare for races and that's the sort of spirit that will take us into the Play Off's and after last night we have to believe that we won't be there just to make up the numbers."

Looking at the Play Off picture Cook continued: "We have seven home and two away matches remaining, giving us a clear advantage over Peterborough who have ridden four more at home than us. If we can target another away win and only have the odd slip up at home then a top four place will be ours. I still believe Swindon are the class team of the League and if they finish top then I would expect them to take advantage of the 8 point handicap and try and take us out at the semi final stage. That will suit us fine as their track, as it is now, run slicker but with excellent overtaking options, is probably our favourite in the League."

The Hammers return to their Raceway for two meetings in a week after the completion of the Speedway World Cup. Poole visit in Sky live action on Monday 20th and then Swindon will be seeking revenge on Friday 24th.

Cook commented further by saying: "These are probably our toughest two home challenges remaining and anything more than 3 points at the end of the week will be a sure sign that we are up to the task of not just making the Play Offs but the final as well. Poole lost by only a point on their last visit to us and as for the Swindon, they are sure to want to repeat their superb performance at our Raceway in the Cup when, if Leigh Adams had been present, they may well have won at a canter. We will have excitement all the way and our deliberate policy of having weekly Speedway throughout the summer holidays added to the fantastic manner in which our team have reacted to our first home defeat against Wolves that saw us claim eight points from the following three away matches, means our fans are in for a late July and August to savour".

The Hammers are dropping all Kids admission prices for aged 16 down to 6 to just �1 for the remaining League fixtures with all Kids being admitted free of charge for the Sky live meeting on 20th July as part of British Speedway's celebration of 80 years of League racing.