crescent girl

As reported in Bandits' e-Newsletter, the Panthers are very much a bogey team for Berwick, who haven't registered a win against Peterborough, home or away, since 1998. To quote: LET'S BEAT THE HOODOO! As we have been telling you, Peterborough's Panthers haven't lost to Berwick's Bandits this century! That's home or away --- and this Saturday night, it is time for your Olympus Marquees Bandits to beat their bogey team. "I'm told we haven't managed a win over Peterborough since 1998 -- which is quite ridiculous" said John Anderson. "Eighteen years is quite long enough and I'm certainly hoping to see the Bandits combining to get the better of the Panthers this week". With Craig Cook and Ulrich Oestergaard leading their attack however, Peterborough are nobody's idea of easy meat, and this week's meeting has all the hallmarks of a real classic encounter. "We have an improving team again, with Dawid Stachyra and Dany Gappmaier gaining in confidence every meeting" said John. "Also, Liam Carr must currently be going as well as any No 7 in Britain -- it isn't going to be easy, but with everyone getting behind the team, I'm really and truly hoping we can beat these Panthers at last, and this most unwelcome hoodoo can at last be forgotten about!" The last time Berwick did get the best of a Panthers squad (on September 26th, 1998) it is interesting to remember how the scoring went. Both clubs deployed rider-replacement, for Scott Robson and Glenn Cunningham respectively: Bandits (48): James Grieves 14, David Meldrum 13+1, David Walsh 11+1, Peter Scully 4+2, Wesley Waite 3+1 and Martin Dixon 3. Panthers (42): Nigel Sadler 16, Brett Woodifield 8, David Howe 7+3, Phillipe Berge 6+3, Oliver Allen 3+1, Simon Stead 2. So, will the Gypsy Ged's curse be broken on Saturday? The guys who will make it happen (or not) are expected to be: Bandits: 1. Kevin Doolan, 2. Dawid Stachyra, 3. Theo Pijper, 4. Matty Wethers, 5. Thomas Jorgensen, 6. Dany Gappmaier, 7. Liam Carr. Panthers: 1. 1. Craig Cook, 2. Emil Grondal, 3. Tom Perry, 4. Nikolaj B Jakobsen, 5. Ulrich Oestergaard, 6. Ashley Morris, 7. Zdenek Holub.

How about Ipswich?

I think Worky's away form will eventually see them slip out of the top six. Amazed to realise Edinburgh now fractionally ahead of Glasgow in +/- and could be runners-up in the table with the advantage of being seeded in play-offs. All in all, it is getting interesting.....

A good performance tonight, team working well together, pulling Devils' lead back to four points and holding them over the dreaded last three races. Some very good races, with Matty Wethers very much involved in most of them. A good match to watch.

David isn't always available at weekends. Which was a reason he has opted to be loaned to Thursday circuits.......

Forecast much brighter than was suggested yesterday. XC Weather shows no rain after 3pm, and clear skies and sunshine by 7! Here we go --- 44-46!

Accomodation might be harder than parking, which -- as Scem has said -- is free. Height of the holiday season means many places will be full. Cara House is the club's recommended B&B, and should be your first point of contact (call Pam on 01289-302749) and, even if booked up, Pam may be able to recommend someplace else. Alternatively, there is the Travelodge (0871-9846279)

An awful lot of 5-0's and 3-2's there, Ed! Let's go for 63-27!

Still can't handle replying on a phone! As the teams aren't mentioned in today's newsletter, l don't really follow your comment.....

Teams will be: Bandits: 1. Kevin Doolan, 2. Dawid Stachyra, 3. Theo Pijper, 4. Matthew Wethers. 5. Thomas Jorgensen, 6, Dany Gappmaier, 7. Liam Carr. Rockets: 1. Edward Kennett, 2. Kaspar Lykke, 3. Cameron Heeps, 4. Leigh Lanham, 5. Stuart Robson, 6. Robert Branford (guest), 7. Ben Morley. Shielfield regulars should note that season tickets are NOT valid for this meeting, as it is a KO cup-tie.

Berwick, another weekend track operating on a tight budget, had an (approximately) 8-point hole to fill when Seb Alden crashed out, and took several weeks and tried numerous riders before locating David Stachyra. Plymouth did very well to recruit Brady K when Gjedde walked, they'll need a miracle (or a big, big wallet) to do as well again

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For all fans of the r/r facility, the news is that Berwick will be without Matty Wethers tomorrow. Injuries sustained in his tangle with Coty last night have worsened in the light of day, and he has been signed out for Somerset.

Some intriguing match-ups, which could decide this one.... Dawid Stachra or Coty Garcia? Dany Gappmaier or Nike Lunna? Liam Carr or Danny Ayres? Tasty!

To revert to the match, for those who don't subscribe to e-Newsletter, the teams are announced as: Bandits: 1. Kevin Doolan (captain), 2. Matthew Wethers, 3. Theo Pijper, 4. Dawid Stachyra, 5. Thomas Jorgensen, 6. Dany Gappmaier, 7. Liam Carr. Tigers: 1. Richard Lawson, 2. Coty Garcia, 3. Richie Worrall, 4. Rene Bach, 5. Aaron Summers (captain), 6. Nike Lunna, 7. Danny Ayres.

You would have to ask elsewhere. Berwick offered several dates, Glasgow couldn't accept. Where the visiting team's riders are isn't really Bandits' biz.

Berwick made every effort to restage the match on a Saturday (see post #5) but Glasgow could not commit to any offered date. There is no ill-feeling about this, Berwick would have declined a restaged away fixture date if (for instance) Theo Pijper was long-tracking or TJ had a Danish match. Wednesday was mutually-agreed, and as reported intoday's e-Newsletter both teams have 7-man teams of their own riders, the weather looks promising and Glasgow are bringing a coach-load of supporters. Let's go racing!

Not really, when the original Saturday was changed to accomodate Sky, Glasgow had the right not to accept the (many) offered replacement Saturdays as their riders (who would have raced for the Tigers, ahead of their EL sides) would be unavailable for a rearrangement. The damage -- and it will be considerable -- to the attendance on Wednesday through lack of travelling supporters is really caused by the poison of riders doubling up, down and probably sideways. Berwick don't suffer from this, but sadly most other clubs do, which makes the business of rearranging fixtures (for all clubs) a nightmare.

The problem is, as soon as it was rearranged to accomodate SkySports, it became clear that the Tigers simply couldn't fulfil a Saturday night because of their riders who double at EL level being claimed by the other club. Berwick desperately wanted to accomodate Glasgow on a Saturday, but they just couldn't come with a full squad -- which naturally, they want to do. Dennis McCleary made things clear in the newsletter: “We have to thank Glasgow for their full co-operation and appreciation of our position. We know a Wednesday night isn't ideal for travellers but it is during the main holiday period, the schools are out for summer and a lot of visitors are in town at the holiday camps. It will be a 7.30pm start and with Glasgow riding at Redcar the next night it means their riders -- and perhaps quite a few fans -- will be in this part of the world anyway". “It really was a Catch 22 situation trying to organise Glasgow's visit, and we are going with Wednesday 27th which is between the Saturdays taken up by the Fours and World Cup Final. I'd like to thank the Tigers again for their assistance, and hope their fans understand the situation".

So finally we have confirmation this morning -- we have a seven-man team again. After a 57-day manhunt! Well done Scott Courtney and Dennis McCleary.

What's that, a fifty-mile radius around Shielfield? On that basis, population fifty-mile radius of Armadale is 2.5 million. Brough Park is 2 million. Ashfield 3.5 million. Berwick promotion do pretty well from what they've got to draw upon by comparison

Even with no replacement (other than an NL guest) for some of the meetings he'd miss?

This post, six days ago, seems to be the only suggestion that it'll be a Polish rider replacing Seb.......

The 4's is the only competition of these three which is within the gift of the BSPA, and could be addressed at their AGM. I agree it should be in August, to spread the big meetings wider (presuming SGP remains on a July date). The WTC won't be back for a few years