Bandits wait on Nick

Both teams are waiting on fitness tests as the R.E.D Bandits, powered by STS, prepare to close their season at Workington on Saturday, 3pm.

Nick Morris is the Bandits’ concern, the Australian still feeling the after-effects of clattering into the Sheffield air fence during the Premiership play-offs against Leicester last Thursday.

He has been suffering back pain and headaches since the crash and missed the second leg on Monday which saw Bandits’ skipper Drew Kemp lead Leicester into their second successive Grand Final.

Berwick are already operating rider replacement for Sam Hagon and will book a guest if Morris cannot make the trip to the GT Tyres Arena.

On the other side of the pits Jacob Hook is hoping that the finger broken when in a crash when the two sides met at Shielfield Park two weeks ago will have recovered. Again the Comets will use a guest if he cannot take his place.

This is the fourth attempt to stage this fixture and another “line-up” change sees co-promoter Steve Dews filling the team manager role with Stewart Dickson fulfilling a long-term involvement in Ryan Douglas’s testimonial at Leicester that day.

The aggregate bonus point would be enough to confirm Berwick in fifth place in the Cab Direct Championship table. They hold a 12-point advantage from the Shielfield Park clash which ended prematurely with Hagon’s crash.

A reminder to Bandits’ fans travelling that the GT Tyres Arena is a cash-only venue. For those who cannot make it to Cumbria, CometsTV is livestreaming the action. CometsTV

Comets: Troy Batchelor, Fraser Bowes, Tate Zischke, Jye Etheridge, Antti Vuolas, Vinnie Foord, Jacob Hook or guest

Bandits: Drew Kemp, R/R for Sam Hagon, Jonas Jeppesen, Peter Kildemand, Nick Morris or guest, Dayle Wood, Jack Smith

Cab Direct Championship Up to and including 24 September *Deducted two points for regulation breach