It is now confirmed that Plymouth will be Conference League visitors to Rye House on Saturday, June 7th.

This means that the meeting at Hoddesdon on Sunday, July 27th, which was originally due to feature the Devils as the second part of a double header, will now be a single fixture, with the Silver Ski Rockets matching up against the Redcar Bears.

Next in Town (1): Redcar Cubs

The Kart Raceway Cobras take centre stage at Rye House on Saturday (May 24th) with their first home Conference League fixture of the season. Having taken out Sittingbourne home and away in the Knock-Out Cup, the Cobras turn their attention to the Redcar Cubs. Formerly the Cleveland Bays, the Cubs have begun their League programme with home wins against Buxton (56-32) and Plymouth (47-43) and a lone defeat at Scunthorpe (39-49). They are set to include the likes of doubling-up Edinburgh Monarch Aaron Summers (who impressed for the Scottish side at Rye a week ago), Scottish international Gary Beaton, former Workington Comet and 2006 Conference League Best Pairs Champion Scott James and former Newcastle Diamond Steve Jones.

The main fifteen races will be followed by a further six, as the Pocket Rockets meet local derby rivals Lakeside in the Academy League.

The start time at Rye is 7pm.

Next in Town (2): Berwick

Just two days later, on Bank Holiday Monday (May 26th), it’s the Silver Ski Rockets who are in home action. The opposition will be Berwick, and a Bandits team that looks a much stronger proposition than last season’s wooden spoon side. They enjoyed a sensational 61-29 win at Mildenhall last month, but their away scores also include 43 at Glasgow, 40 at Workington and 39 at Edinburgh.

Their cosmopolitan roster is based around 8th year star, and former Czech national champion, Michal Makovsky and, recently through to the semi-finals of the Grand Prix Qualification rounds, Adrian Rymel. Also set to feature are Hungarian World Cup star Norbert Magosi, former Finnish U-21 Silver medalist Tero Aarnio (who was paid for 14 in the Bandits’ home draw against King’s Lynn) and latest addition Tony Atkin, who is returning to action from a broken ankle having started the season with Newport. 

As for the Rockets, Tommy Allen is having a new brace fitting early this week, so should finally return to the team line up. Assuming Danny Betson comes through Tuesday’s fitness test (see above), he will also return to the roster, bringing Rye back up to full strength.