Arena-Essex prepare to face the Racers.

The Kent Sweepers Hammers begin their home Premier Trophy campaign this Friday when the Reading Racers provide the opposition at the Purfleet Raceway.

And following their Easter Cup aggregate victory over Rye House last weekend and going oh-so-close to winning on the Isle of Wight on Tuesday of this week, the team are determined to grab a handsome victory and their first two trophy points en route to achieving their ambition of topping the southern qualifying group in the competition.

Reading will be no pushovers though as they have performed well on their recent visits to the Arena-Essex circuit and include one or two riders one might describe as Arena 'track specialists.'

Looking at their 2002 line up, having seen last year's No.1 Charlie Gjedde recalled by parent club Swindon, the Racers' management thought they'd pulled off a major winter coup by landing the signature of Czech star Tomas Topinka on loan from Elite League King's Lynn. Alas, on the eve of the season, the governmental authorities decreed that he wasn't eligible for a work permit to race in this country this year and the Racers were left in the lurch as it were.

They moved quickly though to sign Swedish star Anders Henriksson on loan from Newport and he has shown a distinct liking for the Arena circuit in the past so he could be something of a thorn in the Kent Sweepers Hammers side on Friday evening.

Having overcome the blow of not being able to use Topinka, the racers were then dealt a further major problem when young Australian reserve Brendon Mackay suffered a double break of an arm in a crash during the course of their home match against Newport, a crash that also involved ex-Hammer Barrie Evans.

Faced with the prospect of Mackay being sidelined for anything up to three months, the Racers management stepped in last week to sign Glen Phillips on loan from the Isle of Wight as a replacement. Phillips was originally destined to ride for Wimbledon in this year's Conference League.

Although the start of the season could have been a whole lot better for them, the Racers have high hopes of challenging for the major honours this year and, looking at their squad, those hopes could prove justified.

One familiar face missing from last year is Italian Armando Castagna who is now his country's national team manager but skipper Phil Morris, veteran Dave Mullett, Paul Clews, and young reserve Chris Schramm have all been retained for this season.

Welshman Morris has suffered from one or two niggly injuries in recent seasons but he's the sort of rider who's always capable of causing problems to the opposition on the Racers' travels.

Fellow heat leader Mullett, a sheep farmer in Kent when he's not racing motorbikes, has gone on record as saying that he intends to retire at the end of the season but with the points still rolling in for him, one wonders if he will indeed stick to that decision.

Former Coventry mascot Clews finally appears to be 'coming of age' in speedway terms and is joined in the second string department by winter signing Jason Bunyan.

Bunyan spent last year in the tough old world of the Elite League with Ipswich and admits he found the going tough and was delighted when Reading moved in for him in the close season.

Youngster Schramm, who completes the Racers' septet on view tonight, was something of a regular second halfer at Arena-Essex a couple of years back before joining Peterborough and, ultimately, Reading on loan last year.

Matches at Arena-Essex in the past, particularly last year, involving the Kent Hammers and the Racers have been pretty closely fought on most occasions and Arena-Essex don't expect that situation to change one iota on Friday.

So, looking ahead to Friday's match (tapes up at 8pm) the two teams will line up as follows:

Kent Sweepers Hammers:
1. Kelvin Tatum; 2. Shaun Tacey (C); 3. Colin White; 4. Andy Galvin; 5. Leigh Lanham; 6. Lee Herne and 7. Scott Courtney. Manager: Martin Goodwin.

Reading:
1. Dave Mullett; 2. Jason Bunyan; 3. Phil Morris (C); 4. Paul Clews; 5. Anders Henriksson; 6. Glen Phillips and 7. Chris Schramm. Manager: Pat Bliss

Admission prices:

Adults - ?10 (including match programme)
OAPs - ?5.50 (including match programme)
Children (5-14yrs) - ?2.00 (excluding match programme)

First trophy duly claimed...

As confidently predicted, the Kent Sweepers Hammers duly claimed their first piece of silverware of 2002 last weekend by outscoring local rivals Rye House over the two legs of the Easter Cup.

In front of a massive home crowd on Good Friday afternoon, the Kent Sweepers Hammers won a closely fought match by 47 points to 43 with Leigh Lanham leading the way scoring 13 points from his five rides.

Although Rye House did well to restrict the margin of defeat, the Hammers always led from the time new No.1 Kelvin Tatum and Skipper Shaun Tacey collected a maximum 5-1 heat advantage in heat 6.

Kent Sweepers Hammers scorers: Leigh Lanham 13, Shaun Tacey 9+2, Colin White 9, Kelvin Tatum 7, Lee Herne 6, Andy Galvin 3+2, Scott Courtney 0.

In the return leg at Hoddesdon on Saturday, Rye House must have fancied their chances of overcoming that four point deficit but the Kent Sweepers Hammers battled hard to obtain a thoroughly deserved 45-45 draw on the night to claim the Easter Cup by 92 points to 88 on aggregate much to the delight of their large band of travelling supporters.

Kent Sweepers Hammers scorers: Leigh Lanham 12+1, Kelvin Tatum 10+3, Colin White 7, Shaun Tacey 6+1, Lee Herne 5+1, Andy Galvin5, Scott Courtney 0.

Co-Promoters of Arena Essex Kent Sweepers Hammers, Colin Brine and Ronnie Russell were delighted with the performances of their side in their first two competitive matches although, looking back to the opening home meeting they admitted that, despite a tremendous amount of work and effort put in by the Management and an army of helpers prior to the opening, there were a few teething problems on the day.

Colin Brine said: "Yes, there were one or two things that did not run as smoothly as we would have liked, but Hammers fans can be assured that these are being addressed and will be sorted out quickly. We intend to be the most professional Club in the Premier League and we intend to continually improve our operation."

Those fans who stayed on to watch the two additional races at the conclusion of Good Friday's meeting will have been impressed by Dutch junior Maik Groen who was making his public debut at the track.

Ronnie Russell said: "Maik has the potential to be a good, solid rider and could well be challenging for a team place later in the season."

So close to first away win...

The Kent Sweepers Hammers travelled to the Isle of Wight on Tuesday of this week for their first away premier Trophy fixture.

And they came oh-so-close to pulling off what many would have regarded as a shock away victory before being edged out by the Wightlink Islanders by 47 points to 43.

But it could well have been a completely different story but for the mechanical gremlins that cruelly struck three of the side.

It started when reserve Lee Herne seized his No.1 motor on the stand whilst warming it up in the pits, continued when Kelvin Tatum's engine blew at the start line prior to heat 1 forcing him to hastily climb aboard Leigh Lanham's machine for the race and an unwanted hat-trick was completed when Tatum's partner, skipper Shaun Tacey suffered carburettor problems whilst leading that opening race forcing him to pull up.

Those things considered, and taking into consideration the fact that the Islanders have not been beaten on their own circuit for nigh on two years, a final home victory of 47-43 represents an excellent night's work for the Kent Sweepers Hammers.

And who knows what might have happened but for those early meeting mechanical gremlins!

Kent Sweepers Hammers scorers: Leigh Lanham 12, Shaun Tacey 9+2, Lee Herne 6+1, Kelvin Tatum 5, Andy Galvin 4+1, Colin White 4, Scott Courtney 3+1.