PLYMOUTH will aim to boost their end of season play-off ambitions when they face Ipswich in the Premier League at the St Boniface Arena tonight at 7.30pm.

Ipswich are currently in the sixth – and final – qualifying position on 19 points, five points ahead of the Devils, who have three matches in hand.

Plymouth retain an unchanged side and hope to build on their impressive run of having won their last four home league matches.

Promoter Mike Bowden will be looking for another good return from reserves Robert Ksiezak and Ben Reade.

'They scored 14 points between them in last Saturday's win over Edinburgh and that played a big part in our victory,' said Bowden.

'We will be hoping for more of the same against Ipswich, although the Witches are likely to prove stronger opposition than Edinburgh.'

Ipswich will be spearheaded by 20-year-old Australian Taylor Poole with support from former Exeter rider Leigh Lanham, who will be partnered by Mat Tresarrieu, the 2011 French National Champion.

Australian Rohan Tungate is the third heat leader while Ipswich operate rider replacement for the injured Dakota North.

At reserve will be Dane Morten Risager and highly talented 16-year-old Australian Cameron Heeps.

 

Plymouth: Ben Barker, Todd Kurtz, Cory Gathercole, James Holder, Ryan Fisher. Reserves: Robert Ksiezak, Ben Reade.

Ipswich: Taylor Poole, rider replacement for Dakota North, Leigh Lanham, Mat Tresarrieu, Rohan Tungate. Reserves: Cameron Heeps, Morten Risager.

Plymouth stormed to their biggest win of the season when they beat Edinburgh 57-36 in their Premier League match at the St Boniface Arena on Saturday.

It gave the Devils prompt revenge for their 55-41 defeat at Edinburgh 24 hours earlier and saw them climb three places off the bottom of the table.

Promoter Mike Bowden said: 'It was pleasing to get our fourth league win on the trot and it was nice to get revenge over Edinburgh after losing up there on Friday.

'It was an excellent team performance with outstanding performances by Ben Barker and Cory Gathercole.

'Robert Ksiezak did well with a couple of race wins and Ben Reade is proving to be a good signing at reserve.'

Barker led the way for Plymouth, scoring a paid maximum from his five rides, and Gathercole dropped only one point from his five rides. Particularly pleasing for the Devils was the form of their two reserves Ksiezak and Reade.

Ksiezak had his best score since joining Plymouth last month with ten (paid 11) points from his five rides while Reade collected four points from his four outings, including an exciting second place at the expense of experienced Edinburgh rider Derek Sneddon in heat 11.

That saw him win the rider of the night award from sponsors Doors and Windows of Plympton.

 

Plymouth: Ben Barker 14+1 (5 rides), Todd Kurtz 7 (4), Cory Gathercole 13+1 (5), James Holder 2+1 (3), Ryan Fisher 7 (4). Reserves: Robert Ksiezak 10+1 (5), Ben Reade 4 (4).

Edinburgh: Craig Cook 11 (4), Derek Sneddon 4 (4), Theo Pijper 8 (5), Matthew Wethers 4+2 (4), Andrew Tully 6 (5). Reserves: James Sarjeant 1+1 (4), Marcel Helfer 2 (4).

Speaking after his Devils side lost 55-41 at Edinburgh last Friday, Mike Bowden said: 'It was not a bad result to restrict Edinburgh to a 14-point margin on their home track, especially as we were trailing by 16 points after seven heats,' said Bowden.

Ben Barker and Ryan Fisher scored 28 of their side's points with both riders picking up a six-point win on a tactical ride.

Barker had three wins and two second places while Fisher, a former Edinburgh favourite, picked up a couple of wins and three third places.

 

Edinburgh: Craig Cook 12+1 (5 rides), Derek Sneddon 9+2 (4), Theo Pijper 10+1 (4), Matthew Wethers 7+1 (4), Andrew Tully 7 (5). Reserves: James Sarjeant 5+1 (4), Marcel Helfer 5+3 (4).

Plymouth: Ben Barker 16 (5), Todd Kurtz 4+1 (4), Cory Gathercole 2 (4), James Holder 3 (4), Ryan Fisher 12+1 (5). Reserves: Robert Ksiezak 3+1 (4), Ben Reade 1+1 (4).