The Plymouth Atkins Financial Management Gladiators concluded their 2021 home Championship fixtures, with a 48-42 victory over The Newcastle Diamonds.

Recent signing Richard Lawson, confirmed as a Gladiator for 2022, top scored with 12, backed by Zach Cook with 9 (paid 10) and Alfie Bowtell with 8 (paid 9).

Ben Barker delivered an impressive 18 (paid 19) for the visitors, who picked up an away point.

Meeting report to follow.

Plymouth Gladiators 48:

Richard Lawson 12, Zach Cook 9+1, Alfie Bowtell 8+1, Scott Nicholls 6+2, Dillon Ruml 5+2, Zane Keleher 5+1, Jason Crump 3.

Newcastle Diamonds 42:

Ben Barker 18+1, Adam Roynon 8+1, James Wright 8+1, Max Clegg 6, Connor Mountain 2, Archie Freeman 0, Matthew Wethers r/r.

Championship points: Plymouth 3 Newcastle 1

Image Credit Jon Spoard

The Gladiators went down to a 50-40 defeat against The Leicester Lions.

New signing Richard Lawson led the way for The Gladiators with 16 points, backed by Jason Crump with 9. Dillon Ruml chipped in with 7 (paid 9) whilst Josh Pickering, in for Bjarne Pedersen who was absent will illness, scored 7 paid 8.

Report to follow

LEICESTER 50: Kyle Howarth 11+1, Hans Andersen 11, Zaine Kennedy 9+1, Rory Schlein 7+1, Dan Thompson 5+2, Ryan Douglas 5+1, Joe Thompson 2+1.

PLYMOUTH 40: Richard Lawson 16, Jason Crump 9, Dillon Ruml 7+2, Josh Pickering 7+1, Alfie Bowtell 1, Zane Keleher 0, Zach Cook 0

Plymouth Atkins Financial Management Gladiators have made a change to their line up by bringing in exciting British star, Richard Lawson.
 

Lawson, who will replace Jason Edwards, became available after his previous club, Eastbourne Eagles, announced that they were withdrawing from Championship racing earlier this week and Gladiators' promoter, Mark Phillips quickly swooped to bring Lawson into the team.

Phillips said 'I'm delighted that Richard is joining us for the remainder of the season. He is an exciting rider and will bring even more experience to the team. He has already guested for us on a few occasions so knows our set up well.

We have now been able to construct the team around actual averages instead of assessed ones'.

Lawson will be included in the team for the visit to Leicester tomorrow evening (Saturday 28th) and the Gladiators then face Newcastle at the Coliseum on Tuesday (7pm) in what should be another entertaining fixture with former Plymouth favourites, Ben Barker and Adam Roynon in the visitor's line up.

Tickets are available via the online store here

Image credit: Mike Hinves

As you will know by now the 90^th Anniversary meeting will be staged on the 7^th September 2021 which also coincides with the Plymouth Speedway Golf Day being held at the China Fleet Club with 9 teams of 4 players looking for glory and an auction for those who are playing, all golf players are also guests of the club for the showcase meeting of the season.

The meeting will be a 12 rider individual meeting including the 2021 Gladiators, Henry Atkins if his run out next week rules him fit to ride along with guest riders Mark will invite. The format will be 12 qualifying heats with 3 finals C, B and A. This means that every rider will be in a final based on their points from the heats, some of you may remember this was the format for the Grand Prix’s when they first started.

Mike Atkins has been very busy setting up the Golf Day and arranging sponsors for the 90^th Anniversary meeting due to the recent fixture change.

The meeting will be sponsored by Bridge Motorcycles, the Exeter based family run premier Motorcycle dealers who have been a massive support to many speedway riders over the years and currently support Jason Crump and Henry Atkins.

The 15 Heat Sponsors have all been reserved and they will have their names against the heat they have chosen in the programme with a guaranteed 90^th Anniversary programme for their support.

The Advertising Sponsors will have a large advert, 90^th Anniversary programme and a Race Jacket with their name or business name on the back, there are still 2 places still available (speak to Mike). Mike has also secured a Heat sponsor for the A final (Sean Wilkinson of Thermohome Ltd) and looking for 2 sponsors who would like to help support the B and C finals.

Mike has also secured 2 valuable framed and certified photos of Bjarne Perdersen and Jason Crump in the colours of the 2021 Plymouth Gladiators which will be signed by the rider’s courtesy of Paul Lamcraft from Exeter who help make the Christmas lip sync video.

These will be on show this Tuesday when the gladiators take on the Newcastle Diamonds when Mike will walk them round the track before the meeting for the fans to see.

The 2 framed Pictures and 12 signed race jackets will be auctioned details to be released (time and weather permitting).

Image Credit: Dan Westlake

Following defeat at The Coliseum, The Birmingham Brummies gained revenge on The Plymouth Gladiators with a comprehensive 54 -36 victory at Perry Bar.

Jason Crump top scored for the Gladiators with 10+1 backed by Dillon Ruml with 8+1.

Birmingham Brummies = 54

Erik Riss 12, Valentin Grobauer 5+2, James Shanes R/R, Ashley Morris 7+1, Chris Harris 13+1, Paco Castagna 7+2, Jack Thomas 10

Plymouth Gladiators = 36

Bjarne Pedersen 6+3m Dillon Ruml  8+1, Zach Cook 4,  Zane Keleher 4+1, Jason Crump 10+1, Alfie Bowtell 1, Jason Edwards 3

The Plymouth Gladiators delivered another home victory at The Coliseum, with a last heat decider to secure a 47-42 win against The Birmingham Brummies.

The Brummies had established a 5 point lead after heat 9, before The Gladiators rallied to bring the score back to 38-39 after heat 13.

Alfie Bowtell & Zane Keleher delivered a maximum 5-1 heat advantage in the penultimate heat, before Jason Crump & Bjarne Pedersen secured the victory in the nominated heat 15.

Full report to follow.

Championship Points: Plymouth Gladiators 3 Birmingham Brummies 1.

Plymouth Gladiators : 47

Bjarne Pedersen 7+2, Dillon Ruml 7+1, Zach Cook 8, Zane Keleher 2+1, Jason Crump 12+1,
Alfie Bowtell 9+1, Jason Edwards  2+1

Birmingham Brummies : 42

Erik Riss 11,  Valentin Grobauer  3+1, James Shanes 6, Ashley Morris 2+1 Chris Harris 9+1, Paco Castagna 10+1, Jack Thomas  1

After recent defeats on the road, The Plymouth Gladiators returned to winning ways with a 10 point victory over the Scunthorpe Scorpions.

The meeting was abandoned after heat 14 due to the curfew. Alfie Bowtell top scored for the Gladiators, whilst new British Champion Adam Ellis was forced to withdraw following a Heat one crash.

Report to follow.

PLYMOUTH 47 –

Alfie Bowtell 12+1, Bjarne Pedersen 11+1, Jason Crump 11, Zach Cook 7, Dillon Ruml 3+2, Zane Keleher 3+2, Jason Edwards 0

SCUNTHORPE 37:

Thomas Jorgensen 11+1, Theo Pijper 10+1, Simon Lambert 7+1, Jordan Palin 7+1, Tero Aarnio 1+1, Josh MacDonald 1, Adam Ellis 0

Abandoned after 14 heats due to curfew – Result STANDS
Championship points: Plymouth 3 Scunthorpe 0

The Gladiators Northern Tour ended with a 20 point defeat against The Redcar Bears. Bjarne Pedersen and Jason Crump again provided the bulk of the Gladiators points scoring 13 and 11 respectively.

Report to follow.

Redcar Bears = 55

Charles Wright 5, James Sarjeant 10, Jake Allen 14, Jordan Stewart RR 5. Michael Palm Toft 12,
Anders Rowe 10, Jordan Jenkins 4

Plymouth Gladiators = 35

Jason Crump 11, Dillon Ruml 3, Zach Cook 2, Zane Keleher 2, Bjarne Pedersen 13, Danyon Hume (G) 4
Jason Edwards 0

Image credit: Daniel Weston

The Gladiators suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Berwick Bandits during the next stage of their Northern Tour this evening.

Bjarne Pedersen shrugged off his crash at Edinburgh the previous evening to top score with 11 paid 13, backed by Jason Crump on 10.

Report to follow.

BERWICK 57:

Kyle Bickley 11+3, Jye Etheridge 11+1, Leon Flint 10, Dany Gappmaier 8+1, Aaron Summers 8, Nikolaj B Jakobsen 7+1, Kasper Andersen 2+1.

PLYMOUTH 33:

Bjarne Pedersen 11+2, Jason Crump 10, Zane Keleher 4, Dillon Ruml 3+1, Zach Cook 2+1, Danyon Hume 2, Jason Edwards 1.

The Plymouth Gladiators went agonizingly close to an away victory, before finally falling to a 47-42 loss to The Edinburgh Monarchs.

After leading for all of the meeting, and with a two point lead going into heat 13, a crash between Richie Worrall and Bjarne Pedersen saw the Gladiator withdraw from the meeting.

With Worrall excluded, and Jason Crump having fallen on the first lap, the Monarchs won the re-run 3-2, before taking heat advantages in the final two heats, to take a five point victory, leaving the Gladiators with a consolation away point.

EDINBURGH 47: Josh Pickering 12+1, Sam Masters 10+1, Kye Thomson 10, Richie Worrall 6, Nathan Greaves 5, William Lawson 4+2, Luke Crang 0.

PLYMOUTH 42: Leon Flint 13+1, Bjarne Pedersen 8, Jason Crump 7, Dillon Ruml 6+2, Zane Keleher 5, Zach Cook 2+1, Jason Edwards 1.