SHEFFIELD Speedway are opening the doors early for their big Premier League clash with Newport at Owlerton on Thursday.

The stadium will be open from 5.45pm to allow fans to watch the World Cup race-off on the TV screens. Australia, Denmark, Russia and Sweden are doing battle for two places in Saturday's World Cup Final where Poland and Great Britain have already qualified.

So it's an opportunity for supporters to enjoy two meetings for the price of one in what should be a good all-round night of entertainment.

Tigers chief Neil Machin saiid: "It will be interesting to see who joins ourselves and Poland so we will be showing the race-off at the stadium. That means there's no excuse for anyone to stay at home to watch it, they can come along to Owlerton and enjoy two meetings at the same time!

"The Newport match is important to us because we have to keep the ball rolling. We had a blip when we lost at home to Newcastle but it's different now, we've bounced back and all the guys are feeling good.

"Newport will be coming here to cause us problems and in Craig Watson they have a rider who we looked at to sign for Sheffield a few seasons ago. He knows how to ride this place.

"Leigh Lanham is also a fine performer around here who has scored some big points on previous visits, particularly when he used to ride for Exeter, and in Kyle Legault they have a rider who knows every inch of our track after starting his career with us so we cannot take them for granted.

"But we have riders in form, Josh Auty scored well for his Elite League club Coventry the other night and Josef Franc pulled off a brilliant win in the Scottish Open up at Edinburgh. We're ready for the big meetings ahead."

SHEFFIELD: Ricky Ashworth, Hugh Skidmore, Josh Auty, Richard Hall, Josef Franc, Paul Cooper, Simon Lambert.

NEWPORT: Leigh Lanham, Craig Watson, Kim Nilsson, Kyle Legault, Robin Aspegren, Alex Davies, Todd Kurtz.