by Ky Capel - Dorset Echo

Weymouth Doonan Wildcats' chairman Phil Bartlett believes he has got the best out of a bad situation as Matt Wright replaces the injured Tim Webster in tonight's Conference League meeting with the Redcar Cubs (7.15pm). Wright, a former Boston Barracuda, makes his debut for the Wildcats at the Wessex Stadium tonight against "a very strong" Redcar line-up.

Bartlett, who has lost Webster for possibly the remainder of the season following an ankle break in last Saturday's 54-39 win over Boston, said: "Matt is a very good rider. He was actually on my shopping list before the season started but he went and signed for Boston instead. They have now released him and we are looking forward to seeing how he goes against Redcar. He has been riding for Mildenhall in the Premier League and has been going pretty quick so the omens look good. It also means Brendan Johnson can go down to reserve and strengthen that up."

"What happened to Tim last Saturday was a big blow and a huge shame because he has been showing a lot of promise and going really well. But league meetings are coming thick and fast now and we have to carry on and with Matt coming in it is the best situation to come out of a bad one. Redcar will be bringing a very strong side down and we will have to all be fired up and at our best to beat them. In fact I would say their line-up is as strong as Plymouth's so it promises to be a fantastic meeting and hopefully one that we will come out on top in."

The Radipole Lane outfit enter tonight's encounter unbeaten in their last six league fixtures and undefeated at home. Team manager Jem Dicken is pleased with how his riders are progressing. He said: "Karl Mason continued his return to form with a magnificent maximum last week and Jay Herne also put on a spirited performance. I was delighted that Luke Priest had a good meeting and seems to have turned a corner after an up-and-down season, which all bodes well for our assault on a top four finish."

The Wildcats currently occupy the last of four play-off spots, but hold meetings in hand over the teams above them. The Cubs, possibly the dark horses in this year's Conference League, field flying Aussies Aaron Summers and Jade Mudgway who have both put on some cracking performances this season, most notably Summers' unbeaten score in the Conference League Pairs at Weymouth. There are no weak links in the North Yorkshire side in a meeting that promises to be a lively encounter.

Spectators will be treated to an extra attraction tonight, after the main event, when some of the country's best young talent take to the circuit for a second half meeting. The event will include two classes - the Auto Cadets and the Juniors. The Auto Cadets' line-up will include Weymouth mascot Anders Rowe, Somerset Rebels' mascot Henry Atkins, Cornish rider Edward Tait and Jake Armstrong, the son of injured Wildcats' star Jon Armstrong. The Juniors' races will be fought out between Tyler Govier, Ashton Webb, James Shanes and David Abraham.

TONIGHT'S LINE-UPS

Wildcats
1 Andrew Bargh, 2 Matt Wright, 3 Luke Priest, 4 Karl Mason, 5 Jay Herne, 6 Brendan Johnson, 7 Kyle Newman.

Cubs
1 Scott James, 2 Steven Jones, 3 Benji Compton, 4 Jade Mudgway, 5 Aaron Summers, 6 Michael Mitchell, 7 Gary Beaton, Team manager: Jason Pipe