That was a weird week that was

It’s been a funny old week, one which can quite happily do one.

Two hopes for Saturday – that the Bullets v Royals top of the table clash turns out to be every bit as tasty as it looks on paper and that Wycombe Wanderers reach the Football Championship on the back of a 5-0 penalty shoot-out triumph at Wembley.

But it’ll be nice to get some live speedway under the belt after a disastrous week in which – having dodged it for almost two years – I finally succumbed to Covid. As millions have found before, a not entirely pleasant experience – a bit like the dream where you’re caught in a loop where whichever way you turn it’s either Armadale or Brough Park and there is no exit to be found.

More niggling in that I was being told by the Mailonline that covid infections were at a two-year low just as the double red lines popped up on that little plastic test gizmo.

But the real annoyance was that I was still isolating as the Bandits and Bears faced off at Shielfield.

Even more cursed given that the combination of modern silencers and hugely upgraded noise barrier means that even with the windows wide open the distance of 350 yards proved too far to earwig goings-on.

Instead it was Bandits Updates Live which was soon tweeting words guaranteed to send a shiver down the spine of any Bandits’ fan.

Giving Jye Etheridge the first rider-replacement ride of the night was pretty much a no-brainer given his scintillating form at Shielfield this season.

The fact that he didn’t make it past the first bend is not a new experience for either fans or rider alike. What would have been a groan but, due to the on-going effects of Covid, came out as a squeak of frustration. The news that he was holding his shoulder on the way back to the pits boded something which was far removed from well.

He’s a tough boy our man from t’other Newcastle and it’s not unknown for him to shake off the effects of potentially season-ending injury and returning within two swishes of a kangaroo’s tail.

But that shoulder has taken more stick than Boris Johnson and has more metal than Download and it will take some time before he’s back on track.

Back in the pits Jye joined Ty and Ly (OK Leon) watching from a distance and trying to rally the remaining troops.

With no sleight on either of our guests there’s no question that had even one of that trio been on track then Redcar would not have won by a handful of points. You doubt me? Just look at their home record this season.

But they weren’t and they did. And the phone lines were buzzing again as the management tried to fill the voids for the southern tour.

In the end there was a twosome of Thommo’s – Dan with a P from Leicester and Kye without, the Merry Monarch especially coming to the party later on at Plymouth.

At least that had some vision to it, Plymouth’s livestream allowing those that way inclined to eavesdrop into the conversation between Pisky and Disky who occasionally broke away to pass comment on the action such as it was.

Tiddler track have never been a personal favourite – Costa Mesa and Bakersfield in the 1980s undoubtedly offering atmosphere but extraordinarily little in the way of recognisable racing.

Castleford, Crayford and Rye House did little to allay the belief that small is dull.

Wednesday would have been our second appearance on the British Speedway Network but the threat of thunderstorms tempted Poole to pull the plug early and then spend an anxious afternoon performing rain dances in the grounds of Neil Middleditch’s legendary B&B.

Blank screen, again when Scunthorpe on Friday followed suit leaving the BSN Boys with plenty of miles but no footage under their belts.

Which means I’m ready for the action on Saturday.

Will Bickley break his own NDL track record again will Crang, Blair, Pijper and Watson force the Royals to abdicate their unbeaten record?

Can Rathbone and Douglas put a droop in Kent’s tail?

Who will take the NJL points after the interval?

Is it really fair to only charge adults a tenner for all that’s on offer?

Will I see you there?

If not, why not?

Tapes-up 7pm. Buy a ticket at berwickspeedway.com/tickets and avoid the queues.