screm

Last nights meeting wont exactly live long in the memory in terms of excitement as on an ultra slick track there was no passing after bends 1 and 2 in virtually every race, however compared to the last two meetings this was a breath of fresh air. Better track, and all 15Hts done and dusted for just after half eight. Any resistance from Plymouth came from Barker, Franc, Newman and Simota, the other two Jensen and Benko were embarrassingly poor and could only muster 1pt between them. No doubt that Berwick will have tougher tests than last night but they got back to winning ways and hopefully will keep it that way. After this two week break we now have a run of consistent racing which will do the riders that don't race in other leagues good as this stop start, as it has been for the last month or so cant have been doing certain riders any good. Good to see Rob Grant snr there last night looking so well after his illness recently.

Boom Boom Tish.

As we know the sun always shines at Armadale and this photo, taken at eight o'clock on Friday evening, shows that the weather forecast was absolutely correct in suggesting that racing would have been taking place in sunshine last night. Said Scotwaste Monarchs co-promoter, John Campbell, "When I arrived at the stadium yesterday afternoon just after 4.30pm I immediately spoke to Alan Bridgett who confirmed that the track was ready for evening racing despite some afternoon rain. We then had a very heavy shower at five o'clock but despite that the riders confirmed that they were ready to it a go." "I agreed with referee Craig Ackroyd that everything was looking good but that we would have a final check at 6.25pm just before the admission gates opened. We had another sharp shower at six o'clock lasting not more than ten minutes and, in my mind, this simply returned the track to the condition it had been in at five o'clock when the riders said they would ride." "As I approached the rendezvous point for our final track check I was surprised to see Craig approaching me and I was flabbergasted when he told me the match was off. Although I don't need to be consulted about cancellations once the referee is present in the stadium it would have seemed reasonable that the pre-arranged meeting would take place and that I would have some input into the likely later weather, especially as I had study the rainfall radar to get the most up to date forecast." Campbell concluded, "After Alan Bridgett had finished his day's work, just at the back of eight o'clock, shielding our eyes from the sun we surveyed the track and we both agreed that with all the surface water now long gone, with additional track work having been done since the time of the call off, the track, after a race or two, would have produce3d some of the best racing seen for many a week." The match will be re-arranged for later in the season and all who purchased tickets in advance can use their ticket at any match later in the season, although a supplement will be payable for the Scottish Open. Taken from Edinburgh Monarchs site.

Suns out with lots of blue sky around to.

Good grief.

Weather a bit more promising than before, rain has gone, still the chance of an odd shower this afternoon but all set for this evening.

Rye House Rockets ‏@RyeHouseFans 9m Meeting ON! Despite overnight rain, match-day track preparations are underway & forecast is for dry weather this afternoon/evening Taken from Twitter.

Bugger we`ve been sussed. Peet is team manager at Scunthorpe. Bit of a miserable start to this Saturday weather wise, gloomy grey clouds and light rain and right now it shows no sign of moving. Happily the forecast is better for later on with this rain clearing during the morning leaving a brighter drier afternoon.

Okish forecast for tomorrow, it will be a mostly dry day with one or two showers about. If we`re luck we might get away with those, what ever comes at us from above I hope there will be plenty of people there to see this, and fans will heed the rallying call from the promotion earlier in the week. As I posted this is a must win meeting for Berwick, happily I think this will happen, though I said that before last weeks visit of Peterborough and look what happened there. Maybe we are one and the same.

Rose will find out more about any injury he has suffered tomorrow after he visits his local hospital, lets hope for him and the Diamonds there will be good news.

Fair point, if this is the way the promotion choose to go then fair do`s, my reasoning is this. Bellego & Vissing have been our best two riders this season, so I would be putting them at No`s 1 & 5, no other PL team have their best two riders in the 1 and 2 positions. Also, as one of our top riders, in this team Bellego`s programmed rides are all done by Ht10, invariably we then ask him to come out in Ht15, by then track conditions might've changed.

Oh no I`m not a true fan......oh well.

If at all possible there should always be just one team manager IMO.

Are we really putting a team together just in case a meeting is called after Ht10, I bet no other PL team have thought of this, yet again Berwick leading the way.

Teams for Saturday. Berwick 1 Claus Vissing 2 David Bellego 3 Steen Jensen 4 Mathew Wethers 5 Keven Doolan 6 Matej Kus 7 Liam Carr Plymouth 1 Ben Barker 2 R/R 3 Josef Franc 4 Kyle Newman 5 Rasmus Jensen 6 Roland Benko 7 Zdenek Simota I am sure there is a perfectly good reason for it but IMO we should be swapping Bellego around with Doolan.

Edinburgh have been in superb form this season, winning up and down the Country, there is nothing to suggest this wont continue tomorrow night at Redcar.

Giving the events of the last couple of weeks, especially last weeks drubbing, defeat is not an option. I`m hoping all of the riders have been left in no doubt about that.

Quite simply a must win meeting for Berwick, Matej Kus is back from illness, hopefully Mathew Wethers will be fit enough to return, though nothing has been confirmed one way or the other, for those Berwick fans who are thinking of giving this meeting a miss might find the incentive from this, which is taken from todays Berwick Speedway Newsletter. Your promotion, and your Bandits, are well aware of the way things collapsed -- the best-laid plans, etc, etc --- around our ears on Saturday as the Panthers of Peterborough deservedly lifted the points. There are no excuses. Promoter Dennis McCleary today issued a rallying call to everyone -- team riders, all our crew and every Berwick fan who is proud to be a Bandit! He has highlighted that Saturday will bring Britain's No 4 rider (and Shielfield Park specialist) Ben Barker back to Berwick and that the New Holland Bandits will be determined to prove last week's horrors were a one-night-only affair. This will be a great match, and well worth your patronage Everyone -- and that means YOU -- is encouraged to be at Shielfield Park this Saturday night, to kick-start the second half of what we fully intend to be our best season of the past decade. Let's make it so! Edit. Ex-Berwick rider Josef Franc has signed for Plymouth and will be making his debut for his new club this Saturday.

No meeting should ever be delayed because of sun.

Steen Jensen was riding in the same meeting and scored 8pts from 5 rides, all second places,

Totally agree, maybe its something the Berwick promotion will look at going forward.

Berwick Bandits regret to announce the resignation of stalwart club servant Ian Rae from his roles as team and track manager. Club co-owner John Anderson said: “Ian approached the directors at the close of last night's meeting, and explained the pressures of his roles has become too much, not least the horrors of attempting to beat the weather during the recent FIM postponement, and it was the time for him to step away.” Ian suffered a cardiac problem in 2011, and was hospitalised in the past winter with severe internal bleeding. Ian himself stated: “It is with sadness that I have had to inform the club of my resignation from all my duties within Berwick Speedway with immediate effect. “My health and personal life have been badly affected in recent times with an ever-increasing workload at the Speedway on top of holding down a full-time job outside of the sport. George Hepburn, club co-director added: “The decision was Ian's and of course he is welcome at all club events - everything in every way. When Ian feels refreshed again after taking time out from active participation in track and team affairs, there will always be a role for him within the Bandits' organisation, we can all guarantee that!” Rae continued: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with everyone at Berwick Speedway – for which I am forever grateful – but I have to take a step back and recharge my batteries. “Who know what the future will bring as this break may – or may not – be temporary and only time will tell.” Hepburn confirmed there will be a board meeting called this week to discuss the best way forward in filling the roles vacated as a result of Ian stepping away, and expressed the club’s best wishes and extreme thanks for the countless hours and sheer effort “Razor” has put into the club over many years. It has also been confirmed that Ian’s wife Lani will thankfully remain fully in charge of the club’s commercial department with her usual efficiency, enthusiasm and expertise. Taken from Berwick Speedway site.

Bit unfair on Bellego, in general he has done well this season and top scored for Berwick last Thursday at Sheffield, though he was poor last night. Whatever was wrong with his kit last night needs to be worked on this week so it is in tip top condition for 7pm next Saturday.

Track prep by some is seen as a dark art, and like you I don't pretend to have any definitive answers, I just comment on what I see. Over the last couple of weeks I have seen two poor race meetings, where riders at times have struggled to cope. Up till then the racing had been good, if the track guys have been trying something new, it hasn't worked IMO and we need to get back to where it was. All fair points, but doesn't it enhance your evening knowing you`ve just seen a cracking nights speedway, for much of this season that has been the case and speaking personally I have been keen to get back the following. week. Reading through post meeting opinions from last night I`m wondering whether some will bother with next week, which is sad as once you start losing your diehards your in bother.

Wow right there, are you alleging some have one opinion on a Saturday night at the speedway, and then another on here.