NEW SIGNING: Stokes and Morris the men to replace injury victims

The city cub are set to swoop for British rider Ashley Morris as a short-term replacement for the sidelined Simon Lambert.

Morris (22) will arrive on a 4.65 average and, assuming the move gets the green light from the British Speedway Promoters’ Association (BSPA), he will make his debut when Panthers host bottom side Scunthorpe in a Premier League clash at the East of England Showground tomorrow night (July 12, 7.30pm).

Promoter Ged Rathbone said: “We were very keen to bring in a short-term signing as we didn’t feel we could operate the rider replacement facility for the length of time that Simon will be out.

“This is a signing that suits us in our current situation and it has worked out well for Ashley too.

“He is keen to get back into the Premier League and now has the opportunity to put himself in the shop window.”

Morris currently rides in the National League for Cradley, but he has raced at all three levels of British speedway.

He was with Scunthorpe earlier in the season before being let go by the Lincolnshire club when they reshuffled their team.

He now looks set to start his Panthers career against the Scorpions tomorrow night and will occupy a reserve berth. Emil Grondal goes back into the main body of the team.

But it is not all good news for Panthers after Lambert was joined on the casualty list by Zdenek Holub.

Like Lambert, the reserve also suffered a hand injury when crashing his homeland last week.

Holub has initially been ruled out of both home meetings in the next few days - the date against Scunthorpe tomorrow and a Friday (July 15) fixture at home to Berwick.

Rathbone added: “It doesn’t look like Zdenek’s hand injury is as serious as that suffered by Simon, but it is still a big blow to have him missing.

“He has scored pretty consistently since coming into the team.”

Holub’s place will be taken by number eight Tom Stokes against Scunthorpe.

Stokes was handed a place in the Panthers side in May at the same time as number one Craig Cook joined, but he quickly made way for Holub.