Berwick’s semi-final hopes are hanging by a fine thread after a heavy defeat on Friday night at Edinburgh Monarchs who won 54-36 in a BSN Series clash.
They have to overturn an 18-point deficit and grab the aggregate point when the teams meet again at Shielfield Park on Saturday (tapes up 7pm) if they are to have any chance of progressing from the BSN Series group stage for the first time.
And they will have to do it without number one Peter Kildemand who suffered a collarbone injury and concussion when he and Monarchs’ No 1, Dan Thompson, were both thrown over the handlebars after locking bikes in heat one.
From then on it was a tale of two number ones – Berwick’s heading to hospital and a spell on the sidelines, Edinburgh’s coasting to a paid maximum.
Kye Thomson was similarly untroubled as he scored his second British maximum – both against the Bandits, both at Armadale – Thompson easing off on the run-in to the line in heat 15 to allow his Australian team-mate the full house.
With Justin Sedgmen quietly and efficiently dropping just one point to an opponent, Edinburgh had the firepower which the visitors lacked.
Nick Morris and Victor Palovaara battled hard and reached double figures but managed just one actual race win between them, the Australian eventually winning the race of the night after trading places three times with Paco Castagna, while Kildemand’s injury rider replacement rides yielded a paltry three points.
With Jack Smith struggling and Lasse Fredriksen falling in his first ride, there was little support for the visiting heat leaders, with the exception of Dayle Wood who proved to be the perfect guest, winning the reserves race comfortably and then heading home Fredriksen for a surprise 5-1 over Castagna in heat 14, Berwick’s only heat advantage on another frustrating night in West Lothian.
Without Poland-bound Thompson at Shielfield Park tomorrow – and with both sides struggling to find like-for-like guests – the battle for what is increasingly looking like being the semi-final-booking bonus point will be intense.
Berwick team manager Stewart Dickson admitted: “Edinburgh out-trapped us all night and we’ve been beaten by the better side.
“It was a difficult start, losing our number one straight away, and our thoughts are with Peter. It was a nasty looking crash and put us up against it immediately.
“We re-group, Saturday is another day and we have to put pressure on Edinburgh from the off and see where that takes us.”
Edinburgh: Dan Thompson 13+2, Jonatan Grahn 7+1, Justin Sedgmen 9+2, Paco Castagna 7, Kye Thomson 15, Mitch Cluff 1+1, Jordy Loftus 2
Berwick: Peter Kildemand 0 (withdrawn injured), Jye Etheridge 4+1, Victor Palovaara 10, Lasse Fredriksen 3+2, Nick Morris 11+1, Jack Smith 0, Dayle Wood 8+2
HOSPITAL BOUND: Peter Kildemand injured in tangle with Dan Thompson. Picture Keith Hamblin
