Morley ready to debut again as Gladiators get back to it

PLYMOUTH Gladiators make a return to action at the Coliseum tonight after a three week break looking to get their Championship challenge back on track.

- STUART JAMES

It is a sign of the times that there are such long gaps between meetings these days, as the sport of speedway struggles to survive in Great Britain and perhaps another sign of the times that tonight's meeting with Poole Pirates will be the fifth time the two sides have met already this season, in what will be the club's ninth meeting of the campaign.

In another double-header, they then race the return meeting at Poole's Wimborne Road tomorrow night. So far, Poole have won three of those meetings - two at Wimborne Road track and once in Plymouth but after defeat last time out to the Birmingham Brummies, a win for the home side will be needed in the club's quest to make the end of season play-offs.

After a disappointing start to the season, the club have reacted by ditching the under-performing Paul Starke who, ironically, was the star of the show when the Gladiators picked up their solitary win against Poole this summer. He's been replaced by Ben Morley, a small track specialist that thrived at the Coliseum last year after joining the club following Dan Gilkes' season-ending injury. However, rather than coming in at reserve, Gilkes goes straight into the main body of the team this time around at number three.

It remains to be seen whether team manager Garry May makes further changes, but if he does, then the places of reserves Jake Turner and Ben Trigger could be in danger.