The in-form Belle Vue Aces are ready and raring to go ahead of the visit of Elite League champions Swindon Robins according to boss Jason Attwood.
With a target of 12 points from seven June meetings, the Aces moved halfway towards their objective with a victory against Peterborough Panthers on Monday.
Attwood is keen to make home advantage count against the Robins after watching his side get their paws stuck into the challenge offered by a revitalized Panthers team.
“You’re only as good as your last meeting,” he said. “We’ve won our last two home meetings and that’s all we can ask for from the boys really.
“We want to keep building on those wins, we want to be as strong as we can at home but we’ve got a tough task next week with the league champions coming to town.”
Swindon were victorious against Poole to claim the title last year, but are currently down in fifth in the Elite League table, seven points ahead of the Aces.
They did however romp home to a 59-36 victory against Coventry on Thursday with former Belle Vue rider Hans Andersen claiming a 15-point maximum.
The Aces meanwhile overcame Peterborough for the second time this season, winning 49-41, with front-runner Matej Zagar leading the way with 13 points.
Attwood was glad his key rider was finding form, especially after the Slovenian picked up a mammoth 17-point haul in the defeat to the Birmingham Brummies at the start of the month.
“It’s nice knowing that we have a number one who is going to perform for us, but we need all the guys to back him up,” he said.
“I think what brings them out is the fact that they know they’ve got an out-and-out number one who will go out and race like a true number one.
“I say every week, you win as a team and you lose as a team and Matej is someone the guys look up to.
“He’s a good, strong number one and he can really bring out the lad’s confidence.”
Former-Ace Patrick Hougaard crashed heavily in the fourth heat – causing his retirement from the meeting – a defining factor in Belle Vue’s victory according to Attwood.
“It was just a shame that they lost Patrick in heat four after his crash, it looked like the real Patrick Hougaard in his first race,” explained the Aces’ boss.
“He’s a great lad, and maybe if they’d had him in the side for the whole meeting it might have been a different story for us.”
Zagar will be involved in the Polish Grand Prix in Gorzow this weekend before returning to race for a full-strength Aces side on Monday.
Czech rider Ales Dryml will also compete in Poland, substituting again for the injured Darcy Ward.
Swindon visit Kirkmanshulme Lane on Monday evening, with the meeting due to start at 7.30pm.
Picture courtesy of Mateusz, via WikiCommons, with thanks.
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