Berwick Bandits were minus crocked Jye Etheridge and Dany Gappmaier and rising star Leon Flint was on the Continent racing. Tom Brennan, ex-Edinburgh Monarchs racer, Ricky Wells, and rider replacement filled the gaps.
However, the brave Bandits edged a strong Poole Pirates side in an exciting meeting in the Borders with Reserves Kasper Andersen scoring 13 points and Kyle Bickley seven.
Victory came despite Aaron Summers blowing an engine on the third bend in Heat 11, throwing the rider into the fence and 12 points from Pirates’ captain Danny King.
Summers walked back to the pits but Bandits still led 44-40 going into the last heat meaning Poole needed a 1-5 to pull off a draw in Heat 15.
Guest Tom Brennen was passed by Danny King on bend two but held his own and took the match-winning second place to end the match 46-44.
Gary Flint, Bandits team manager, said: “What a match and what a result. Poole are a top-class team and, for us to maintain Berwick’s unbeaten record against them up here, is amazing.
“It was hard-fought and great entertainment and all the guys pulled their weight even with two taking heavy falls. This was a great team effort against a team sitting three places above us in the Championship table.”
Berwick FTS Bandits 46: Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen 1*,2,3,2*,0 = 8+2; Leon Flint: rider replacement; Tom Brennan (guest) 0,2,3,2,2 = 9; Ricky Wells (guest) 1,Fx,3,1,0 = 5; Aaron Summers (c) 1*,3,Fx,N = 4+1; Kasper Andersen (r) 2,2*,2*,0,2,3,2 = 13+2; Kyle Bickley (r) 3,2,0,1,1* = 7+1
Poole Pirates 44: Rory Schlein 3,3,1,1 = 8; Jason Edwards (guest) 0,1,0,N = 1; Steve Worrall 2*,1,1*,3,1 = 8+2; Stefan Nielsen 3,0,2,1 = 6; Danny King (c) 3,3,E,3,3 = 12; James Wright (guest) (r) 1,1,0,0 = 2; Danyon Hume (r) 0,0,2,2,3,Ts = 7
PICTURE: Keith Hamblin
Experienced news, business, arts, sport and travel journalist. Food critic and managing editor of a well-established food and travel website. Also a magazine editor of publications with circulations of up to 200,000 and managing director of a long-established PR/marketing company with a string of blue-chip clients in its CV. Former communications lecturer at a Scottish university and social media specialist for a string of successful and busy SMEs.
