Rafal Konopka has been drafted in to replace Richard Hall, who was handed a 30-day suspension earlier this week for kicking an opponent
By Keith McGhie
Rafal Konopka gets his big chance at the South Tees Motorsports Park tonight (7.30pm) when Redcar Bears bid to consolidate top spot in the League Cup Northern Qualifying Group against local rivals Newcastle.
The 21-year prospect from Leszno in Poland came to Britain to try to earn himself a Premier League place and impressed during the Ecco Finishing Bears’ pre-season practice last month.
Now Konopka has been drafted in to replace Richard Hall, who was handed a 30-day suspension earlier this week for kicking opponent Josh Auty during last Sunday’s 50-37 victory at Scunthorpe.
Konopka has showcased his talent everywhere he could, including Wolverhampton where Bears founder Chris van Straaten promotes, and arrives on the recommendation of Elite League rider and compatriot Adam Skornicki.
“He’s very keen and I’ve kept in touch since the practice,” explained Bears promoter Brian Havelock.
“We’ve not got anything to lose because the alternative is rider replacement and that rarely works, especially away from home.”
Newcastle are the holders for the League Cup, having beaten Ipswich in the final last September, but, although beating Redcar 60-29 when the sides met on Tyneside 11 days ago, have yet to show any consistency this season and have lost their last three matches.
Yet Havelock warns: “(Newcastle boss) George English always puts a good team together and they are always a threat at our place so we can’t afford to take them lightly.
“So far it’s been very frustrating, what with the Kozza Smith saga (the Ecco Finishing Bears’ Australian target was refused a visa) and then this recent trouble with Richard Hall, especially as the team have picked up well on the track. Richard was a gamble because he was coming back from injury but has done pretty well so far, and then he goes and totally loses it at Scunthorpe.
“We’ve got new one-piece race-suits, the stadium’s looking really nice and the new air fence is almost paid for, the team are top of our group and everything seems to be going well and now this!”
Havelock will be hoping the early season traumas are now behind Redcar and will look to the likes of new number one Richard Lawson to continue to lead from the front against the Diamonds.
Lawson, who arrived on Teesside from Workington during the winter, has won 11 of his last 12 races for the Bears and Havelock enthused: “He’s going really well and scoring in the Elite League too, which is good for his confidence.”
Lawson received high-scoring support from skipper Aaron Summers, Hugh Skidmore, Jan Graversen and Carl Wilkinson in both victories over Scunthorpe, while local product and Premier League rookie Luke Crang has not looked overawed and claimed his first win at this level at the STMP last week.
Graversen, back this year for a second spell with the Bears, will be looking for a third successive double-figured pay packet to help celebrate his 27th birthday today.
BEARS: Luke Crang, Ian Graversen, Rafal Konopka, Richard Lawson, Hugh Skidmore, Aaron Summers, Carl Wilkinson.
DIAMONDS: Christian Henry, Ludvig Lindgren, Lewis Kerr, Stuart Robson, Lewis Rose, Anton Rosen, Chris Schramm.
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