Pirates double? Who has who, 21-up, Smile please

Saturday 8 August, 7pm: R.E.D Bandits, powered by STS v Poole Pirates, Cab Direct Championship Buy tickets

So what’s better than a victory over Poole? Two of course.

Which is what we want, indeed need, on Saturday when the Pirates – beaten for the first time in this season’s Cab Direct Championship by Plymouth on Saturday – arrive at Shielfield for a rearranged fixture.

Of course the bonus point will be a bit of a stretch as no-one can remember the last time anyone put 61 points past the Pirates, especially in the second-tier – but 60 would be enough to force a Super Heat assuming all points were claimed.

And despite the noises coming from the South Coast they have been vulnerable on their travels in 2026, not only losing 55-35 here in the KO Cup semi-final but also at Scunthorpe in the previous round of the cup, Oxford and Edinburgh in the BSN Series in addition to drawing at  Scunthorpe and last Friday at Oxford.

Will Cairns missed the semi-final on SGP2 duty and will make his second career appearance at Shielfield Park, having guested for Glasgow last season.

Along with fellow “out past their bedtime” Pirate Cooper Rushen, Cairns has now broken into the main body of the team allowing the Dorset side to use 5.05 point guests for Fraser Bowes at reserves – Scunthorpe’s Luke Harrison and Edward Kennett their regular heat-leader-for reserve picks.

Berwick await a report on Jack Smith’s hip injury and must also decide how best to cover for Jordan Jenkins on an evening when there is no other Championship action. Full preview later in the week.

Ω It’s the business end of the season with all bar Workington believing they have at least an outside chance of reaching the top four.

Those currently in possession cannot feel too safe as they are due to take points off each other in the closing rounds of fixtures over the next three weeks.

Here’s the remaining fixtures club by club.

Ω That’s now four heat ones on the road skipper Jye Etheridge has either won or been paid for the win, the in-form skipper taking the flag at Oxford, Poole and Workington and following Peter Kildemand home for a 5-1 at Redcar. One more league opportunity this season at Edinburgh which would probably be the most celebrated.

Ω In case you missed it Reid’s incredible paid 20 haul on Saturday is the highest score by a Bandits rider since Matej Kus achieved paid perfection – 20+1 – in the August 30, 2014 Berwick victory over Redcar Bears at Shielfield Park.

With the Bandits using rider replacement for Matty Wethers, team manager John Anderson used him in five of the opening seven heats and the Czech flier won five of them.

In the days of double points tactical substitutions Aaron Summers recorded a six point race win for the Bears and Mark Lemon a double point second in the 52-43 Bandits’ win.

Steen Jensen, who with 12 points was the only other Bandit in double figures, was the only rider to beat Kus to the flag in heat nine probably not realising that the move would deny Matej a place in the record books with the perfect 21.

A score achieved by the legendary Ivan Mauger riding for Newcastle at Poole in 1966. Mauger would go onto win six world titles but that July evening he was still a reserve for the Diamonds.

Despite his perfect seven race wins Newcastle still lost the 16-heat Knockout Cup tie 43-53.

Another in the 21 Today Club was Dutchman Henny Kroeze in a big win for Halifax over Birmingham at The Shay in 1976.

Plenty of advice on-hand in the pits for Reid of course on Saturday with Victor Palovaara also having a 20-point haul to his name – for Edinburgh against Oxford last June – as well as a couple of 19s in his astonishing start to the 2025 season.

Ω Good news on Monday that Workington’s Tate Zischke escaped serious injury in his frightening crash after tangling with Nick Morris at Workington.

The way the young Aussie was flipped onto his shoulder and neck looked ominous but the rider revealed yesterday that only the nine-day concussion rule is keeping him sidelined.

Ω A busy week for the Bandits makes for interesting reading for the stats’ fans.

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Ω A welcome visitor to Shielfield Park on Saturday was Barney Kennett, chairman of the World Speedway Riders’ Association and self-proclaimed selfie-stick king Barney Kennett.

Brother of Gordon and Dave, uncle of Edward who is back racing for Oxford, and Poole’s guest of first choice this season Barney was a frequent visitor to the Borders during his racing career which was mostly spent in the colours of Canterbury Crusaders.

Barney’s first visit was in 1971, scoring two points in a 32-46 defeat for the Crusaders on a night when a young Australian called Phil Crump guested for the visitors and scored a 15-point maximum.

He also tried his luck in the first division and any transfer between promoting legends Johnnie Hoskins of Canterbury and Hackney’s Len Silver were always likely to be different.

In 1973 Barney became the most expensive second division ever as Hoskins sold him for £1500.01 – a penny more than the previous record paid to Eastbourne by Oxford Rebels for … Gordon Kennett!

Hoskins also negotiated a loan-back clause so Barney continued to ride for Canterbury until 1984, making a couple of visits to Berrington Lough in its early days.