Monday briefing

Wednesday: Oxford Cheetahs v Jewson Bandits, 7.30pm Buy tickets Buy livestream

Friday: Edinburgh Monarchs v Jewson Bandits, 7.30pm Buy tickets Watch on BSN

Saturday: Jewson Bandits v Edinburgh Monarchs Buy tickets

Finally the waiting is over and the Jewson Bandits, powered by Keenwood Karpets, are back on-track for the first time since June 22.

In our absence other teams have begun to claw back the meetings in hand which means we go into the last quarter of the season looking up from the foot of the Cab Direct Championship courtesy of a points’ difference which is three worse than the Monarchs.

That defeat at the hands of Glasgow was the sixth in a row for a Bandits’ side which is struggling to cover the loss of Rory Schlein and Bastian Borke to injury. Our first task is a tough one, visiting an Oxford Cheetahs side at the opposite end of the table and unbeaten at home this season – although Poole did hold them to a draw before losing a Super Heat.

It means a return to the Midlands track for three riders who might feel they have a point to make to the Oxford management.

Lewi Kerr began the season in fine form for the Premiership Spires before suffering an ankle injury which derailed his and Berwick’s promising start to the season. After recovering from injury he was dropped and replaced by Drew Kemp who this week was relieved of his Spires’ spot and replaced with Anglo-Australian teenager Luke Killeen, who also rides for Oxford’s other two teams, the Cheetahs and National League Chargers.

It’s a move that has been widely criticised on social media on the back of Kemp’s best showing in Oxford colours against Belle Vue on Monday and comes just he was due to drop to the reserve berth having ridden in the tricky number two role. For those who love stats all bar one of his points in the four meetings for Oxford came in heat eight rides; second to Kerr on his debut, winning the heats at Birmingham and against Belle Vue and picking up a point against Ipswich in addition to a paid second place against the Aces

Troy Batchelor, who guests in place of fellow Australian Schlein, was part of the Oxford side which brought speedway back to Cowley after an absence of 17 years in 2022 but was replaced by Kerr in the 2023 line-up.

Berwick actually won on their first second tier visit to the track in 2022, Chris Harris and Jonas Knudsen scoring double figures with Theo Pijper adding eight points that night.

Batchelor, who is reported fit after withdrawing from Workington’s visit to Edinburgh on Friday after suffering a knock in a four-man pile-up, line-up at number four in a reshuffled line-up with Jye Etheridge at five and Plymouth’s Joe Thompson guesting in place of Borke. Any fans travelling to Oxford should note that admission is by pre-purchased ticket only.

While victory at Oxford would be something of a turn-up for the books there is every hope that the Bandits can keep the aggregate point in their sights with the reverse fixture at Shielfield a week on Saturday.

Before then battle is renewed away and home with our nearest rivals both geographically and points-wise, the Edinburgh Monarchs.

The same crash which accounted for Batchelor on Friday night also saw home man Justin Sedgmen suffer concussion which rules him out this weekend.

With Glasgow, Scunthorpe, Workington and Poole also in action on Friday night, and Plymouth’s Ben Barker booked to guest in place of Rory Schlein, Edinburgh’s guest options are limited.

Both teams have flattered to deceive after good starts to the season, Edinburgh winning the Scottish Section of the BSN Series and are currently trying to arrange dates for their semi-final against Scunthorpe.

The only points they dropped in the group stages were at Shielfield Park when guest Richard Lawson and Schlein combined for a match-winning 5-1 in heat 15, ending the outstanding Josh Pickering’s hopes for a six-ride maximum in the process.

But Berwick certainly consider the 37-53 loss at Armadale as “one that got away”, indeed almost encapsulating their season.

Without the injured Kerr they were further handicapped when Kemp and Jye Etheridge locked machines on the back straight and were ruled out of the meeting after crashing heavily into the third bend fence.

Additionally Danyon Hume was stranded on the start line by broken chains in both of his first rides before winning two of his next three races. Former Monarchs Schlein and Borke scored 20 of the Bandits’ points that night and it will need the rest to step in to cover their scoring in both fixtures.

Just three race points currently separate the sides at the foot of the Championship with Edinburgh having ridden one more match. With 15 points still to race for the Bandits could still end the season with 22 points and with Oxford and Workington still to race they could force themselves into a play-off space.

But it’s a big ask for a side which hasn’t won since May 18 and realistically Glasgow seem to be the biggest threat to the current top four.

Bandits@Oxford: Lewis Kerr, Danyon Hume, Drew Kemp, Troy Batchelor, Jye Etheridge, Freddy Hodder, Joe Thompson

Bandits v Edinburgh: Lewis Kerr, Danyon Hume, Jye Etheridge, Drew Kemp, Ben Barker, Freddy Hodder, Joe Thompson

Edinburgh: Josh Pickering, Kye Thomson, Lasse Fredriksen, Paco Castagna, TBC, Max James, Connor Coles.

Referees: Wednesday Michael Wear, Friday Wayne Jarvis, Saturday Willie Dishington