TOP Polish side CKM Wlokniarz, from Czestechowa, will provide the opposition for the Somerset Sharp Rebels speedway team in their first meeting of the season at Highbridge on Friday, March 16.

The original plan had been to start the season with a Best Pairs meeting, but Somerset's new co-promoter Mike Golding has pulled off something of a coup by fixing up a challenge match with the team who finished runners-up last year in the Ekstraliga, Poland's equivalent of the Elite League.

Although the Czestechowa line-up usually includes former world champion Greg Hancock, they will be looking to use a number of their more "junior" Polish riders against the Rebels, as well as some of the overseas men in their squad. They include the likes of Edward Kennett, Lewis Bridger and Antonio Lindback. It is also hoped that top Polish international, Seb Ulamek will be in the team.

"A meeting against a side like Czestochowa will be a much better test for us going into the 2007 season than a Best Pairs meeting," "They are a top-rated Polish side and although they will not be bringing all of the top guns', I am sure they will put together will provide us with a keenly-fought contest."

He added: "I have made arrangements for their riders to have a pre-meeting practice session at the Oak Tree Arena as part of the Rebels' Press and Practice day on March 14 and Poole have offered the use of their track the following night for both Somerset and Czestochowa as part of their Press and Practice."

As part of the ever-increasing improvements under Golding at the Oak Tree Arena, the club are to install an air fence, which they hope will be in place ready for the match against Czestochowa.

It has been bought from the Peterborough club and Golding expressed his thanks to Colin Horton, the promoter there, for his help and assistance. "I've seen the benefits of having an air fence with the Elite League clubs, and to be honest I think that it is the only way forward as far as the sport in this country is concerned," said Golding.