Soundbites: 16th April 2005

Nicholls	King

"We know we have to dig deep and every member of the team is doing their utmost to try and change things. I am trying to improve my own performance, but I have never been the quickest of starters to a season, and it normally takes me a few weeks to find my feet."
Scott Nicholls of Coventry

"It was very difficult tonight and a Catch 22 for most of us. Do we ride hard and perhaps get injured, or take it easy? We just had to be sensible."
Daniel King on the Peterborough-Ipswich Air-Tek challenge

"It's great to hear the Newcastle fans cheering me after all the boos they used to give me when I was riding here for Glasgow or Edinburgh."
James Grieves

"I'm pleased that we won, despite finding a lot of bad luck along the way. They are a very good side and they came here up for it. That's the first time they have dropped points this year. We let the bonus point slip before we came here. So when it's that far out of reach it gives you nothing to go for but a win and that makes for good racing."
Seemond Stephens on Exeter's win over Rye House on Monday

"If the Comets supporters want to show their displeasure towards Compton for past events, then that is fair enough. I'm sure he is man enough to take it."
Graham Drury

"It was awful telling him he was out, because he likes the set-up here and enjoyed riding with the rest of the lads. He took the decision well and understood why I had to do it. There's no animosity and there's no reason why he can't double up for us at a later date if he goes into the Premier League and gets his form back. He gave it everything he could for us but it just wasn't working out."
Ian Thomas on dropping Steve Masters

"I hadn't thought of racing. I hadn't missed it at all. The good thing is that I'm coming to a track and club I know fairly well, so it shouldn't take me too long to get dialled in. The most immediate problem is that I sold my best engine over the winter and it will take a week or two for new equipment to come through."
New Potter - Peter Carr

"I hit the front going into the first bend but it was just too slick. I was on the dirt and then there was no dirt. The bike just slowed and turned around and that is why I fell off. I didn't expect that. I was on the outside and I was not ready for it to be slick there. I'm not happy that I fell off, but I am happy that I am okay. I'm just a little bit sore in my shoulder but it's not a big deal."
Matej Ferjan on his horror crash at Ipswich

"I was very impressed with the performance of Mads Korneliussen tonight. Riding in the Elite League doesn't seem to have worried him at all and he has collected a few points and race wins."
Alun Rossiter

"The Ipswich match was terrible. They were so much better than us, so it was good to get this win under our belts. It was just a brilliant all-round performance."
Peter Adams on Wolves' win over Poole on Monday

"We would only consider it for away matches, and in particular Berwick because he has not been there before. It wouldn't do any harm for Daniel to watch what others are doing before he goes out. This would give him more of a feel for things instead of having to come out in the very first race not knowing what to expect."
Alex Harkess on plans to switch Daniel Nermark from 1 to 5

"It was a very spirited showing, and the only real disappointment was Daniel Davidsson. But Morten Risager, Rory Schlein and Chris Harris all showed they are not far off the mark, and we can take heart from the way we performed."
Colin Pratt on Coventry's 49-41 defeat at Swindon on Thursday

"I'm not sure the meeting should have gone ahead, but it did, and we won and that's all that matters. It was hard to race on as it wasn't a really fair track. If it had been Berwick might have run us a bit closer."
Garry Stead on Hull's midweek home win

"I honestly don't know how we didn't win it. We led by 10 points away from home and shouldn't have let it slip, but mark my words, we will win more meetings on the road. I will console myself with the fact it took two tactical rides and a last heat maximum to beat us. I've never been a lover of the tactical ride rule and now I hate it even more. It is harder to defend a 10-point lead than a seven-point lead away from home and that can't be right."
Peterborough boss Trevor Swales on their defeat at Oxford

"I've never known an injury situation like it. To lose two riders with the talent of Troy and Jan has been a real blow. I said to the boys that perhaps we can get all of our bad luck out of the way before the season starts."
Buster Chapman on King's Lynn's injury woes

"With Karlis on Wasps duty it gives me a chance to give an opportunity to a squad member and see how he is developing. I have already told Lewis there is no pressure - just as we told youngsters Billy Legg and Sam Hurst last season. The best way for these youngsters to improve is to have experience of racing."
Newport Mavericks manager Peter Towersey hands a debut to Lewis Dallaway

This article was first published on 16th April 2005