RYE House Rockets, the team that pipped the Berwick Bandits to the Premier League title in 2005, return to Shielfield Park tonight at 7pm to test the border side in the Premier League.
However, the Bandits go into Saturday’s match without three of the side that took a spectacular last-heat victory at Newport last Sunday.
“Josef Franc and Gino Franchetti are both involved in Continental fixtures dictated by their national associations, which is a handicap forced upon us and a downside to our having international star riders on the roster,” admitted team manager Dave Peet.
“In addition, Tero Aarnio has a broken hand, which he first damaged at Sheffield two weeks ago but he’s tried to ride through the pain barrier.”
To bring his squad back up to strength for the Rockets’ visit, Peet has recalled two popular former Berwick riders – Carl Wilkinson, of Scunthorpe, who will replace Franc, and Tero Aarnio’s No 7 race-jacket is to be filled by Adam McKinna – now racing with Newcastle, for whom he came within one race of a maximum return last weekend. The Newcastle Diamonds play hosts to an equally strong Somerset Rebels at the Newcastle Stadium tomorrow at 6.30pm in the Premier League.
The Byker outfit are another side with a slightly unfamiliar look, with Steve Boxall missing out on another match due to his hand injury, and tomorrow Berwick’s Willie Lawson will race in his place, with the Diamonds’ management hopeful that the youngster can repeat his recent 15-point maximum at the track he scored a perfect score at just a few weeks ago against Newcastle. Kenni Larsen has a busy weekend, racing tonight in the Under-21 World Cup Qualification round for his native Denmark and will have a race against time to make it back to Newcastle.
Berwick Bandits: 1. Michal Makovsky, 2. Guglielmo Franchetti Rider replacement, 3. Paul Clews (Captain), 4. Willie Lawson, 5 Carl Wilkinson (guest), 6. Greg Blair, 7. Adam McKinna (guest).
Rye House Rockets: 1. Jason Lyons (guest), 2. Tommy Allen, 3. Chris Neath (Captain), 4. Joe Haines - Rider replacement, 5. Linus Sundstrom, 6. Luke Bowen, 7. Andrew Silver.
Newcastle Diamonds: 1. Willie Lawson (guest), 2. Trent Leverington, 3. Jason King (Captain), 4. Derek Sneddon (subject to fitness test) or rider replacement, 5. Kenni Larsen, 6. Adam McKinna, 7. Craig Branney.
Somerset Rebels: 1. Emil Kramer, 2. Simon Walker, 3. Cory Gathercole, 4. Brendan Johnson (guest), 5. Steve Johnston (Captain), 6. Tom Brown, 7. Justin Sedgmen.
