It doesn’t get any easier

Just in case there was any doubt about the task in hand for the mis-firing Bandits, visitors Leicester only went and pumped Midlands rivals 52-38 at Perry Bar on Wednesday night.

A strange looking Brummies line-up to say the least due to injury although the Lions were also operating rider-replacement for Connor Mountain who was on compassionate leave as he waited to become a daddy.

Edinburgh put up more of a fight at Wimborne Road which means that Saturday’s visitors to Shielfield top the table, a point clear of Poole, who admittedly have a meeting in hand.

Not bad for a side which just a few weeks ago was being written off on the intellectual wastelands of the messageboards following a couple of big losses away from their home base.

Having fallen to the Weegies last weekend it doesn’t get any easier for the Bandits as they look to put the Woes of May behind them as June dawns.

At least we are starting to get our racers back. Leon, outwardly at least, showed few signs of his long layoff as he was soon on the pace again, out in the dirt and partnering the immense Bomber to a glorious heat 15 maximum.

That high wide and handsome line was also working for Kyle who put a series of indifferent performances behind him with a string of superb chases in the second-half of the affair – putting in a strong claim for a place in Cumbria’s Speedway of Nations squad – by roaring past Mr Cook.

But in the continued absence of Jye we came up just short again, as we did against Redcar two weeks previously.

A few points here or there would have flipped both results – coulda, woulda, didn’t.

But that was May and this is a different month.

And what better way to launch the daylight month than a four-handed victory over Leicester.

Because it’s not just the Championship at Shielfield on Saturday, it’s not just the Championship at Beaumont Lees on Sunday, it’s Bullets v Cubs home and away too – top versus second in the National Development League.

Which is 30 heats for the track staff and referees to fit into the particular rules of each venue – in the case of Berwick the three hours allowed by our lords and masters in the planning department.

Starting 30 minutes earlier helps, opening the turnstiles at 5.30pm helps. Putting a new battery in two-minute warning klaxon certainly helps.

This will be our fifth double header over two seasons and in spite of some pretty hefty medical delays we’ve only lost one of those 120 heats to the dreaded curfew. And that was when George Rothery’s horrific – but ultimately resulting only in minor bumps and bruises – high speed assault on the home straight boarding when Armadale provided a tougher test than the big-boy Monarchs.

With Lee Complin bolstering the Championship side, Greg Blair, Mason Watson and Ben Rathbone backing the fast-starting skipper, Luke Crang and Kieran Douglas for the Bullets there should be no shortage of action on-track – or behind the scenes.

Booking tickets online will avoid the queues – and get the young ‘uns in for nowt again this week – cash is an option at the turnstiles.

Make a point of watching the Bandits and Bullets chase the points, last season we had a similar weekend, the Bullets won and drew, the Bandits won and were an exploding Nicolaj Busk Jacobsen engine away from a double.

Nick Morris likes his tracks fast, Richie Worrall’s done some damage to Bandits over the years, Kyle Howarth is a former Bordernapolis winner and Anders Rowe will be fired up against his old youth sparring partner Master Flint, Connor probably wants a nice t-shirt for his new addition.

Action all the way, don’t miss it.