One out, two back for big weekend

Nick Morris has been forced to admit defeat in his fight to be fit for the weekend’s battles.

But while the Australian continues to be sidelined with a chronic and mysterious back injury both Peter Kildemand and Jye Etheridge return to the fold for the league trip to Glasgow on Friday and the following night’s BSN Series semi-final showdown with Redcar at Shielfield Park.

Both will be able to take Nick’s rides as we operate rider-replacement.

As one of three meetings taking place on Friday night guest options were severely limited, hosts Glasgow also opting for r/r to cover for Kevin Juhl Pedersen, the Dane crashing out of their Scottish Cup defeat to Edinburgh at Ashfield last weekend.

But the Tigers do welcome back Kyle Howarth – now installed as number one – who has missed the past two meetings after suffering an ankle injury riding for Leicester.

We lost 51-39 at Ashfield in the BSN Series in what was our first outing of the campaign, keeping the Tigers in check until a disappointing late run of heat reverses.  With two points in hand after the events of June 13 it is a big ask to add the aggregate point unless the super six all fire.

And it’s a weekend of challenges as we look to overturn a 28-point first leg deficit and reach our second final of the season.

But, let it not be ignored, our home form is stellar so far in 2026 with three of the Championship’s current top five – Scunthorpe, Edinburgh and Poole – sent to the A1 on the wrong end of 50-plus scorelines.

They have mostly been achieved on the back of lighting fast starts to meetings – the Bandits 14 points up after six heats against Oxford, ten against Poole and Scunthorpe and a mere eight when Edinburgh visited.

And of course against Workington in the Knockout Cup we were 29-7 ahead, Craig Cook becoming the first Comet to head home a Bandit in the sixth race.

Something like that would do very nicely against the Bears, Bandits’ team manager Stewart Dickson able to choose Nick’s rider-replacements from any of his six charges.

Redcar’s decision to bring back Charles Wright after four months on the sidelines is a calculated gamble and he has an excellent record around Shielfield Park.

But he will need support from a hugely talented but largely inexperienced squad of young Brits and steady-Eddie Aussie Jake Allen. Similarly the reunited reserve pairing of Jack Smith and Reid Battye will play a major part in the final result when they go head-to-head with Redcar’s young guns.

Simon Lambert also returns after injury, he is another with an impressive record on our shaleway but recent trips have not been marked with the heavy scoring we are used to from the veteran from Lincolnshire.

A reminder that Season Passes are not valid for Saturday night but holders can claim admission at concessionary prices through either E-tickets or cash on the night at the Box Office entrance.

Accompanied under-16s are free and turnstiles open at 6pm, first race of what promises to be a memorable night at 7pm.

Buy E-tickets here

Bandits: Peter Kildemand, Jye Etheridge, Victor Palovaara, Jordan Jenkins, Nick Morris R/R, Jack Smith, Reid Battye

Tigers: Kyle Howarth, Kevin Juhl Pedersen R/R, Chris Harris, Mario Hausl, Leon Flint, Sam Hagon, Freddy Hodder

Bears: Charles Wright, Simon Lambert, Jake Mulford, Jason Edwards, Jake Allen, Ace Pijper, Jody Scott

An update on the Championship Riders’ Championship which will, as scheduled, go ahead at Sheffield’s Owlerton Stadium on September 12 but it will now start later at 7pm. The reason for that is that the nearby Hillsborough football ground hosts a League one fixture between Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan that afternoon, kicking off at 3pm.