Matchday update

Matchday dawns mild and calm  in TD15, and it’s full steam ahead for the visit of Edinburgh Monarchs in our second and final home BSN Series Scottish section qualifying meeting.

News that last week’s Jewson Bandits, powered by Keenwood Karpets, hero Lewi Kerr broke an ankle at Oxford on Thursday was quickly followed by the announcement that we have booked in Richard Lawson to guest tonight.

Poole’s number one is no stranger to the role – last year he got a paid maximum (14+1) for Birmingham and dropped just one point wearing the Redcar bib (10+1) in addition to 12+1 when the Pirates visited Shielfield.

A year previously he stood in for Chris Harris against Scunthorpe and produced one of the best five-ride maximums seen in Berwick colours for many a year.

He may not be quite as hirsute these days but Rocket Man is still one of the Championship’s top riders and we will need him to be at his very best if we are to repeat last year’s BSN victory over the Monarchs and avenge their Championship win back in July.

Edinburgh suffered the frustration on last night’s trip to Glasgow, the meeting being abandoned after six heats with the Tigers leading 21-15. Also last night holders Scunthorpe all but booked a quarter-final trip to Shielfield on April 27 by hammering Plymouth 61-29 in the first leg of their Cab Direct Knockout Cup tie. The second leg is in Devon next Saturday.

As for our wounded number one. Well Lewis spent yesterday morning in A&E where it was confirmed that his ankle was broken.

It’s currently in a plaster cast buthe  hopes to swap it for a protective boot relatively quickly – maybe even next week – adding that the fact that it is not his weight-bearing bone should make for a “speedy recovery.”

As always the action gets underway at 7pm tonight. E-tickets can be bought online Buy Tickets until just before the parade. They cost £20 as does adult cash admission. Concessions and students £18, accompanied under-16s free, beer and lager £2.50!

Bandits: Richard Lawson, Danyon Hume, Jye Etheridge, Drew Kemp, Rory Schlein, Freddy Hodder, Bastian Borke

Monarchs: Josh Pickering, Lasse Fredriksen, Kye Thomson, Paco Castagna, Justin Sedgmen, Max James, Connor Coles

Referee: Jim McGregor

Pictures: Keith Hamblin