COVENTRY race back into Elite League action on Monday with a vital local derby against Birmingham at Brandon (7.30pm).
And the Buildbase Bees will be facing no fewer than five of their former riders in the opposition ranks, four of them having been part of title-winning squads at Brandon.
Bees go into the meeting with three straight home wins under their belt, although the rain-offs of recent weeks and the forthcoming fixture list means it will be the end of June before they get the chance to add to their away total.
Kenni Larsen makes his return from injury, having missed the home win over Peterborough with concussion and an arm injury, whilst the doubling-up positions are taken by Leigh Lanham and Adam Roynon.
Lanham’s spot is shared with Aaron Summers but the Australian is racing for his Premier League club Redcar at Newcastle, whilst the in-form Roynon gets the nod over Jason Bunyan at reserve.
Birmingham were hammered 54-36 at home by league leaders Poole on Thursday, but they have already run up 57 points themselves on the road this season, at Belle Vue earlier in the month.
Ben Barker and key reserve Josh Auty were both Elite League winners with Coventry in 2010, popular German Martin Smolinski was part of the ‘invincibles’ of 2007, and Sebastian Ulamek played a key role from mid-season in the 2005 title triumph – whilst reserve Tomasz Piszcz had a spell at Brandon in 2004.
Bees co-boss Colin Pratt said: “I think it could be a very tough one with all the ex-Coventry riders coming back here, and of course we haven’t got Aaron either for this meeting.
“Having Kenni back is good news, though, he’s one of the vital cogs in our machinery, and we’ve gone with Adam at reserve because really he’s on some good all-round form at the moment and scoring well for all of his teams.”
BUILDBASE BEES: Edward Kennett, Leigh Lanham, Chris Harris, Kenni Larsen, Scott Nicholls, Adam Roynon, Henning Bager.
BIRMINGHAM: Bjarne Pedersen, Martin Smolinski, Danny King, Ben Barker, Sebastian Ulamek, Tomasz Piszcz, Josh Auty.
NEXT HOME MEETING
Next meeting at Brandon Stadium... Monday May 27, 7.30pm SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE BUILDBASE BEES v PETERBOROUGH
