NEWPORT Wasp Lee Dicken (pictured) is hoping a bit of inside information will help him beat former team Arena Essex on Sunday (2.30pm) as the Premier League gets under way.

Dicken was dropped by Hull in the middle of last season and switched to ride for the East London side in June 2001, so, with five of his recent team-mates riding into Hayley Stadium on Sunday, Dicken has the inside knowledge.

Having ridden with the Hammer's Leigh Lanham, Colin 'Chalky' White, Shaun Tacey, Andy Galvin and Lee Herne, Dicken gave his verdict on some of his opponents.

On Lanham, he said: "Leigh will regularly score points against you, he's an out-and-out racer with good equipment. He can turn it on out on the track."

Having come out of a long retirement period, Andy Galvin struggled last season and is back in the Essex team after suffering injury, but Dicken was particularly complementary of Shaun Tacey.

He has overcome difficulties with the Hammer's Purfleet track and Dicken added : "He'll score a bag full of points and is definitely one to watch."

With former world finalist Kelvin Tatum spearheading the Arena Essex challenge, the Sky Sports pundit is making a full-time racing return with the Hammers this season. The 2001 season was pretty rough for Dicken as well though.

Having raised his points average, he was dumped to make way for Paul Bentley and switched to Essex but he did not really enjoy himself there. So Dicken decided to approach Newport promoter Tim Stone and ask if he could ride for Wasps.

And, after scoring eight plus two bonus points against Trelawny Tigers on Tuesday, the 23-year-old thinks he has turned the corner and his career is back on track again. He said: "I've struggled a bit this season, but I'm coming out of that now.

"It's been a combination of things this season, but I've changed the set-up on the bikes and I've met some people who can really help me out."

One of those who is helping Dicken is Australian rider Scott Smith. The two riders are staying in the same lodgings in Newport, but with the injury to Lawrence Hare still at the forefront of people's minds, Dicken said it's time to be tough. Hare is recovering in the Royal Gwent Hospital after a bad back injury he suffered last Sunday at Hayley Stadium left him with no feeling in his legs.

Dicken said: "It's terrible news, it's one of the worst things that can happen. "Lawrence is well known in Newport and it's hit a few of the lads hard, but all we can do get on with the job.

"As hard as it seems, you have to be tough on occasions like these and get on with the speedway."

Speedway fans have been urged to write to Lawrence at the Royal Gwent Hospital to send messages, but the hospital have asked people to stop ringing them to ask about his condition.

Exeter promoter Colin Hill said: "Lawrence's family greatly appreciate the fans' concern but out of consideration for the hospital staff want them to stop calling."

Newport: Craig Watson, Frank Smart, Guest for Ben Howe, Scott Smith, Lee Dicken, Barrie Evans, Carl Wilkinson. Arena Essex: Kelvin Tatum, Leigh Lanham, Colin White, Shaun Tacey, Andy Galvin, Lee Herne, Scott Courtney.