crescent girl

No live stream tonight -- ya gotta be there!

R.E.D Bandits are at full strength on Saturday as they begin one of the biggest weeks in their recent history. Next week sees the historical cup giant-killers meet Poole – who they beat to win the trophy in 1989 – in their first semi-final for 21 years. But first they entertain table-topping Scunthorpe Scorpions at Shielfield Park tomorrow (Saturday, start 7pm) looking to extend their 100 per cent home record. Jordan Jenkins, signed as short-term injury cover for Reid Battye, made a dream debut with 13 points in last week’s narrow victory over Glasgow. With Battye pencilled in for the first week of July to return from a broken back, another big performance from the 24-year-old could give the Berwick management a selection headache as they chase glory on three fronts. Peter Kildemand returned from injury against the Tigers and scored 15 points in breathtaking fashion, continuing his fine form in the Premiership earlier in the week with nine points for Belle Vue. Scunthorpe are led by big-scoring former Edinburgh Monarch Josh Pickering but will be without Luke Harrison who is one of four Great Britain teenagers, including Redcar’s Jody Scott, looking to qualify for the European under-19 Championship final. Buxton’s Alfie Bowtell guests. “Everyone at the club is excited by the cup semi-final but we firstly need to get more points on the board in the Championship,” team manager Stewart Dickson said. “Scunthorpe have already won at Redcar and drawn at Edinburgh and we know what Josh Pickering and Connor Mountain are capable of around Shielfield Park" “There’s a couple more riders with limited experience around here so they are unknown quantities. But really it is a question of every Berwick rider concentrating on doing their own job, proving their worth in the squad" “As long as that happens the result will come. Then we can think about Poole on Wednesday.” Tickets can be pre-booked by the club website, or cash can be paid at the gate. Turnstiles, etc, open at 6pm. Car parking is free. Berwick Bandits 1. Peter Kildemand 7.78 2. Jye Etheridge 5.67 (C) 3. Victor Palovaara 6.76 4. Lasse Fredriksen 4.69 5. Nick Morris 6.91 6. Jack Smith 3.03 7. Jordan Jenkins 4.57 Scunthorpe Scorpions 1 Josh Pickering 9.54 capt 2 Connor Mountain 5.62 3 Alfie Bowtell (Guest)4.92 4 Dan Gilkes(r/r) 4.97 5 Michael Palm Toft 5.90 6 Ryan Ingram 4.26 7 Nathan Ablitt 4.70

Looking ahead, Bandits will have Leon Flint at #1 on Wednesday at Poole. Poole have Chris Harris in for Richard Lawson. Danish League commitments on a Wednesday. Ho hum.

Can't argue, except hardly 'raved' But yes, highlighted Ben and Reid Battye as the two to look out for. Here in UK, both hit the ground running - Battye was running up huge Championship scores when struck down from behind by an out-of-control Dane, and Whalley has been a superb reserve for Edinburgh's Academy so far . It was only a matter of time before he ascended to the CL. So, quietly pleased with my talent-spotting!

The really sad bit is that, when he actually rides he is still very, very good. There is no decline in his on-track skill-set. But just goes AWOL far too often.

Funny old game, innit? Leon rode his socks off, and got very, very close to the (excellent) Peter Kildemand at the finish of Heat 15. No more than a wheel behind at the flag. If he'd snatched the win, all the Tigers on here would be saying how he had grabbed the draw, and he was the hero of the hour.

Face it, Northside circuit on its very worst day is better than Derwent Park's track was on its best.

Well, someone is running this site -- and lifting a tidy whack in advertising revenue!

But wasn't Klindt a temporary injury replacement for Wright? If so, and if/when Charles is ready, they can be swapped back, regardless of averages

You think Poole are going to be in the final? Why?

This was a good, tight contest. Those (many) doubters who put Scunny down as definite wooden-spooners must be thinking again. However, the Scorpions were lucky to get their draw -- the astounding Heat 6 decision to exclude Dan T was very, very wrong. A re-run with Dan it it (and Dayle out) would have given Edinburgh a narrow, but deserved, victory.

Both teams at full strength tomorrow, weather set fair -- not too warm, but it's Berwick -- and a pretty good-looking match-up: Berwick Bandits 1. Peter Kildemand 7.78 2. Jye Etheridge 5.67 (C) 3. Victor Palovaara 6.76 4. Lasse Fredriksen 4.69 5. Nick Morris 6.91 6. Jack Smith 3.03 7. Jordan Jenkins 4.57 TM - Stewart Dickson Glasgow Tigers 1. Chris Harris 8.63 (C) 2. Sam Hagon 4.00 3. Leon Flint 7.27 4. Kevin Juhl Pedersen 5.43 5. Kyle Howarth 8.31 6. Mario Hausl 3.58 7. Freddie Hodder 2.99 TM - Cami Brown Berwick Academy 1. Mark Parker 2. 3. Fraser Buckle 4. Oscar Berwick Ashfield Giants 1. Liam Greens 2. Jack Shimelt 3. Douglas Marshall 4. Ella Marshall

Maybe a wee glitch in the BSP log? If -- and l don't think he is -- Mitch Cluff were to be unavailable, it's a fair bet the Monarchs wouldn't be picking Morgan as their guest. Anyway, have a good match. Winners going through to meet Berwick in the Final, eh?

Winner to meet Berwick in the Final?

Nick Morris will guest for Edinburgh on Friday (against Scunny) in place of Paco Castagna

It’s been a while but speedway’s back with a bang in the Borders this Saturday. Typically dreich spring weather means it will be 49 days since the last high-octane racing action at Shielfield Park. But who better to relaunch the season than Glasgow Tigers, a team packed with track specialists against a Bandits side hoping to welcome back Peter Kildemand to the fold after injury and handing a debut to Jordan Jenkins. At 43, Chris “Bomber” Harris shows no sign of slowing down and recently qualified for the World Championship Challenge while Berwick-born-and-based Leon Flint, the ultra-exciting Kyle Howarth and Danish newcomer Kevin Juhl Pedersen all know their way around Britain’s paciest racetrack. But in Nick Morris the Bandits also have an all-out racer in fine form, guesting for a number of clubs and riding with Premiership Leicester during the Bandits’ hiatus, while Victor Palovaara was just two points away from joining Harris in the GP Challenge. Berwick already have an eight-point victory under their belts over their noisy neighbours, in the BSN Series. That went right down to the wire and there’s no reason to think Saturday night will be any different. As always accompanied under-16s go free so make a family night of it at Shielfield Park where there are 1,400 seats in the covered grandstand, terracing and grass banking viewing areas which allow you to get up close and personal to the action. There’s also two licensed bars and a takeaway hot food restaurant. Gates open at 6pm, first race is at 7pm. Buy your tickets online from berwickspeedway.com/tickets or pay cash on the night. Oh, and parking's free.

Maybe time for the Island club to "come home" to ACU speedway, and rejoin the NDL next year?

Time for Pirates to tremble .....

Jordan Jenkins recruited on 28 day contract, standing in for Reid Battye

Not for anyone who watched him at Glasgow last night!

Actually, ten years ago there wasn't a whisker of the technology you can deploy today. The new updates are driven directly from each referee's laptop as it updates within a few seconds if every race, every match. Quite astoundingly quick

The line-ups logged with SCB were posted on Wednesday morning, and both teams will obviously have changes. Speedway Updates will shortly be history, as the new BSP update facility is lightning quick.

Luke Harrison now for Simon Lambert, who was to replace the Dane. Jack Smith will replace Mario Hausl.

Simon Lambert guests

According to BSPL lists, Bandits' off-race night is Wednesday.