Power performance boosts cup dreams

Jewson Bandits, powered by Keenwood Karpets         54

Scunthorpe Scorpions   36

A battling performance saw the Bandits take a giant step towards reaching their first Knockout Cup semi-final in 15 years.

While the second leg – on 17 May – is far from a formality, an 18 point first leg makes them strong favourites to depose the cup holders.

And it was one of that 2023 cup-winning side, Drew Kemp, who was instrumental in giving the Scorpions a mountain to climb in the second leg. The 21-year-old limped out of the BSN Series defeat at Edinburgh the previous night but dismissed any fears about his fitness with a tapes to flag victory in heat three, going on to claim a further nine points.

With guest Richard Lawson producing another Shielfield masterclass – untroubled on the way to his third maximum around the Borders’ circuit, his 13^th double figure score there.

Skipper Rory Schlein weighed in with 13+1 while Danyon Hume and reserve Bastian Borke were again in the thick of the action as Berwick shrugged off a meagre four points the rider replacement outings in place of the injured Jye Etheridge yielded.

Scunthorpe were well in the competition in the early stages, 5-1s for reserves Jack Smith and Luke Harrison and then Kyle Howarth and the impressive Connor Mountain kept the scores level after five heats.

A typically audacious move from Borke, powering off the second bend and roaring past Jake Allen on the run to the line in four saw him finish behind his skipper for a home 5-1.

Berwick began to quietly extend the gap with Danyon Hume joining Lawson for a 5-1 in six before winning heat eight, and then partnering the Cumbrian to the second of back-to-back 4-2s, including a tremendous scrap with visiting captain Simon Lambert.

Kemp’s second race win of the night set up the first in heat nine before a couple of shared heats pegged the deficit to ten.

A bizarre start to heat 12 saw Lambert incur the wrath of start marshall Andrew Blair for not pulling up to the start line. The other riders uniquely piled on the revs as the drama played out, Smith and Borke burning out their  clutches in the process.

Smith was particularly aggrieved after he left the start line amid a cloud of noxious smoke, remonstrating with the official as he pushed his stricken machinery back down the home straight, earning a fine from referee Willie Dishington in the process. Lambert won the race when it finally started but he too had some choice words – this time aimed at the officials’ box.

Berwick took advantage of some Scunthorpe misfortune in heat 13, Kyle Howarth excluded after the peak of his helmet touched the tapes.

For once this season Berwick were the sharper  from the gate which helped their case, Kemp again popping from the tape to secure victory in the penultimate heat.

Bandits’ fans were already happy with the night’s word but Schlein produced the extra cherry on top of the icing with a brave first bend which allowed him to set up a breathtaking back straight drive past Howarth and Lambert to join Lawson at the front of 15.

Once the celebrations died down the Bandits were able to reflect on a job well done.

One of the heroes of the win, Drew Kemp, said after the meeting: “Personally I felt that I pulled my finger out a little tonight. Despite winning it I was a bit slow in my first race but we made a couple of changes and they seemed to work.

“I enjoyed winning the cup with Scunthorpe but I’m a Berwick rider now and would love to be part of bringing some silverware here.

But manager Stewart Dickson remained the cool head even after the dust settled.

“All credit to the riders, an 18-point lead exceeded all my expectations,” the Berwick team manager said.

“It was a good performance but the job is only halfway through. If the shoe was on the other foot I would be using the defeat as motivation and I’m sure that David Howe will be doing the same before the second leg.”

Lawson will be back with Poole next Saturday, the high-scoring Cumbrian admitting: “It will be strange to wear the white and yellow helmets after a couple of good guest appearances,” he said.

Bandits: Richard Lawson 15, Danyon Hume 8+1, Drew Kemp 12, Rory Schlein 13+1, Freddy Hodder 0, Bastian Borke 6+2

Scorpions: Kyle Howarth 6+1, Connor Mountain 6+1, Simon Lambert 9+1, Michael Palm Toft 4, Jake Allen 6, Jack Smith 3, Luke Harrison 2+1

Pictures: Keith Hamblin