Can
Tigers Knock Out Hull?
Posted 27/05/05
Last season's treble winners Hull provide
the opposition this Sunday for the first leg of the Knock Out Cup.
They come up via a league meeting against
Stoke on the Saturday night and with five of last years team still
in their 1-7, only Brady and Karlsson having moved on.
Emiliano Sanchez has been riding well
for the Vikings, featuring in the Speedway Star's Team of the Week
on quite a few occasions this season already with performances that
have seen him rise to second in the team averages. His gating in particular
has been impressive of late. He is expected to ride at number 1 with
Garry Stead riding at 5. Garry had been going well but has suffered
a dip in form in his last two meetings. He does usually ride Ashfield
well and was the only opposition rider to beat Stancl on their last
visit.
The rider who shone on that last visit
for Hull was Emil Kramer and he will be looking to do the same again.
He has been very solid for Hull so far this season although hopefully
will find the opposition tougher on this visit to Glasgow. Paul Thorp
has now dropped out of the top two and this should certainly be advantageous
for Hull on Sunday. Being a new father however we may be lucky and
he may be tired! The main body of the Hull side is completed by Craig
Branney, a youngster who came to speedway relatively late but has
impressed although he struggled in the reserve berth at Ashfield in
April.
Joel Parsons and Italian Simone Terenzani
fill the reserve positions. Joel is not long back after a nasty triple
collar bone fracture in March and his results indicate the young Aussie
has been struggling of late. However this is more than made up for
by the form of the new Italian Terenzani. The 26 year old was actually
advised never to race again 5 years ago after severe injuries-including
fractured vertebrae-sustained in the Italian Championships. He has
quickly won the respect of the Vikings fans and has the reputation
of being a fast gater but also capable of passing. He has however
also gained a bit of a reputation for being handy with his elbows.
He seems to be adapting to the British tracks quite quickly and could
cause problems.
Hull come calling less than a week
after a story broke in their local paper which threatens the very
existence of speedway at Craven Park. Their landlords, rugby team
Hull KR, have threatened to evict them if the Council do not come
up with funds to upgrade Craven Park. Hopefully this will not come
to fruition and we wish Hull all the best in that battle.
