Speedway: Bjarne backs 'wise' cancellation (From Bournemouth Echo)

Speedway: Bjarne backs 'wise' cancellation

7:00am Thursday 9th September 2010 in

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Bjarne Pedersen has backed Pirates boss Matt Ford’s controversial decision to cancel their proposed challenge against Australia’s World Cup squad.

Ford had arranged for Craig Boyce to bring his Aussie squad to Wimborne Road for a friendly on Wednesday to keep the Poole riders’ race fitness ticking over on their home track.

But the fixture has been called off despite originally being seen as vital to helping Castle Cover Pirates maintain focus ahead of the Elite League play-offs. It means the title favourites will have gone almost three weeks since their last home meeting by the time they host their semi-final opponents on September 20.

The Dorset side, who visit Coventry in their penultimate regular league match tonight (7.30pm), will also only have ridden twice on their own shale since August 12 when the play-offs start on Monday.

Ford called off Australia’s visit after saying he would not risk running it at a financial loss after some Poole fans posted messages on the Internet indicating they would not attend because it was seen as a meaningless fixture.

Pirates heat leader Pedersen, speaking during a press conference at Foxhall after the Elite League Pairs, said: “A few riders, including me, need a couple of days off. That is the correct way for us to be ready for the second leg of our semi-final.”

Pedersen, aware his Poole team-mate Chris Holder had cited “physical exhaustion” last month, added: “Just after the World Team Cup (in July) is the hardest time of the year for the riders because we’ve all done a lot of riding by then.

“Of course, I feel tired as well, especially considering I’ve ridden in 13 meetings in Denmark as well as regularly in Britain, Poland and Sweden.

“It’s all about planning your travelling and preparation for meetings and I have done it for many years.

“One Wednesday off will do us good. It would have been a good meeting against the Aussies, but it’s also a wise decision to call it off.”

Pedersen and Pirates travel to Brandon aware a Bees victory would lift them into a top-four play-off place if Lakeside lose by more than six points at Swindon at the same time.

Tonight’s fixtures are the last ones ahead of the play-off cut-off qualification deadline, which is at midnight.

Ford had said earlier this week that Poole, who can choose their last-four opponents on the basis of finishing in top spot, would pick Hammers as their semi-final rivals.

But, following Coventry’s runaway 53-37 victory at Belle Vue on Monday, Ford wants to avoid them in the last four, especially if they topple Pirates again after beating them in the Pairs final on Saturday.

If Bees do jump above Lakeside, Poole will choose Peterborough as their semi-final opponents, with the first leg at the Showground on Monday (SEPTEMBER 13), while Wolves will host Coventry in their semi-final first leg on the same night.

Pirates would then entertain Panthers in the second leg on September 20, with Bees at home to Wolves in their return on the same night.

Coventry: (probable) Krzysztof Kasprzak, Lewis Bridger, Ben Barker, Edward Kennett, Chris Harris, Richard Sweetman, Przemyslaw Pawlicki.

Pirates: Chris Holder, Bjarne Pedersen, Davey Watt, Artur Mroczka, Darcy Ward, Leon Madsen, Jason Doyle.