Captain Adam Shields returns to leads the Lakeside Hammers push towards play-off qualification at this week's vital home match with Eastbourne.

Shields was injured racing for Australia in the Speedway World Cup in the summer, but has made a return to action in both Sweden and Poland and will now return to the Hammers team.

Making way for the Aussie will be Piotr Swiderski who was signed on a short term contract.

The Hammers Co Promoter and Team Manager Jon Cook said: "It will be great to have Adam return to the line up as I know he has been itching to be back for a fortnight now and was a little frustrated that we waited until he had returned to racing on the continent.

"He will return to the team in the number 5 position, which has been problematic this year and will, hopefully, spearhead us on to success in the Cup Final and help guarantee our Play Off qualification."

On Swiderski Cook said: "It has been a genuine pleasure to deal with both Piotr and his mechanic Paul and I hope that this is not the last time he represents the Hammers.

"I have made an initial enquiry to Trevor Swales as to whether Peterborough would be interested in selling his contract on and I am sure it’s a conversation I will have again with the Panthers owner Rick Frost at this year’s BSPA AGM once we know the various requirements for team building.

"Piotr was disappointed, obviously, but he has enjoyed his time with us and I hope we can include him in one of our latter fixtures, perhaps the London Riders Championship, so that the fans can show their appreciation of his efforts".

Lakeside still need three point wins in both of their remaining home fixtures to guarantee Play Off qualification without relying on defeats for Peterborough and Coventry on the road.  The Hammers team for Friday is:- Lee Richardson, Joonas Kylmakorpi, Kauko Nieminen, Jonas Davidsson, Adam Shields, Andrew Silver & Stuart Robson.

Eastbourne include in their squad Australians, Davey Watt & Cameron Woodward, British International Lewis Bridger and Lukas Dryml from the Czech Republic plus three Swedes - Ricky Kling, Simon Gustafsson and Daniel Nermark. However, there is a possible question mark over the fitness of Nermark, who was involved in a crash at Coventry on Monday, and Gustafsson will miss the meeting due to him taking part in the FIM Team Speedway Junior World Championship Final, which takes place in Gorzow, Poland on Saturday.

Friday’s meeting starts at the usual time of 8pm. The ‘Kids for a Quid’ scheme continues whereby children aged 6 to 16 can watch this meeting for just £1. Supporters who hold re-admission tickets following the abandonment of last Friday’s home match against Ipswich may use their tickets for this meeting (or one of the Hammers remaining home fixtures).