LAKESIDE Hammers next home meeting will take place at their Arena-Essex Raceway is on Monday when they take on the Poole Pirates in a Sky Sports Elite League fixture.

LAKESIDE Hammers next home meeting will take place at their Arena-Essex Raceway is on Monday when they take on the Poole Pirates in a Sky Sports Elite League fixture.

The Essex based Club have issued a Official Statement regarding the involvement of Hammers riders Lee Richardson and Jonas Davidsson in this important fixture following their Polish clubs re-arranging a match on the same day.

The Statement reads: “The Club are pleased to confirm that Lee Richardson, as an ACU licensed rider, will be racing for the Lakeside Hammers and not in Poland next Monday.

We are also grateful to SVEMO (The Sports governing body in Sweden) for recognising that our meeting against Poole takes priority for their licensed rider Jonas Davidsson as it had been arranged several weeks in advance of his Polish club's re-arranged match following the initial proposed staging being rained off.

Both riders will be needed if we are to maintain our push for a minimum fourth place finish this season against the new look Pirates.”

Richardson and Davidsson both ride in Poland in addition to their commitments with the Hammers. Richardson rides for Czestochowa whilst Davidsson is with Bydgoszcz. These two Polish clubs meet on 20th at Bydgoszcz in this hastily re-arranged match but it will be pleasing for all Hammers supporters to hear that both of their stars will be riding in the Sky Sports Elite League match against Poole.

In addition to Richardson and Davidsson the Hammers expect Stuart Robson to return to the side following his finger injury sustained whilst racing in France.

With Welshman, Phil Morris, lining up alongside Robson at reserve the Hammers will go into this vital match at full strength.

Poole have named their recent signing, Hans Andersen, in their line-up despite the Dane missing the opening round of the Speedway World Cup. He is part of a strong top four for the Pirates that also includes another Danish World Cup rider Bjarne Pedersen, Australian World Cup rider Chris Holder and Great Britain international and former World U-21 Champion Joe Screen.

Completing their top five is Daniel Davidsson, who is the brother of Hammers star, Jonas. At reserve they have brought in their new signing Steve Boxall, a former Rye House rider who was born in Kent plus Ben Wilson who doubles up with Redcar in the Premier League.

The action on Monday 20th July gets underway at the Arena-Essex Raceway at 7.30pm and younger supporters are reminded that everyone up to the age of 16 will be allowed free entry to this important Sky Sports Elite League encounter against the Poole Pirates.