The Berwick Bandits lost their third home match off the belt on Saturday night as Workington took the win by two points in an incredibly tight match. Down to five men, a legacy dating back to the night before when at Edinburgh their full-strength side lasted all of four seconds when Guglielmo Franchetti fell breaking a collar bone, then four races later new boy from Austria, Manuel Hauzinger aggravated his collar bone fracture, withdrawing in less than one lap.

The authorities duly granted “Rider Replacement” to cover Hauzinger and a guest was allowed for Franchetti in the shape of Newcastle’s reserve, Jamie Robertson. It was a match that the phrase “Nip and tuck” had been specifically coined for with the match lurching one way then the next with the Comets running out in front when it mattered, following Heat 15. Berwick’s super-sub, reserve Norbert Magosi has improved every week and this was no exception as the explosive Hungarian top scored once again for the home side, whilst there were the expected good shows from Czechs Adrian Rymel and Michal Makovsky.

Finnish racer Tero Aarnio also showed some excellent moves tonight, especially some of his thrilling board-scraping moves in his exciting attempts to pass his opposition. Workington had a tad more strength-in-depth, which inevitably tipped the balance, but Daniel Nermark was exceptional value with a great five-ride paid maximum whilst Carl Stonehewer looked a little blunt from the dominant force he was a few years ago

HEAT ONE – saw Nermark take a wild swoop inwards from gate four, cutting the noses right off the two Bandits, not to mention his own partner, Smith to lead well on bend two with thankfully no fallers as a result. Scud Smith rounded Rymel to join Nermark up front on bend three to form an early Comet max. (1-5 /1-5)

HEAT TWO – reversed Heat One very nicely with the superb Magosi jetting away to lead with young McKinna going hard round Haines on bend two. Branny at the back came past his partner on lap three to mount a challenge on McKinna, but the Scot held on just before the chequered flag fell. (5-1/6-6)

HEAT THREE – showed Stonehewer at his best, taking a fast gate to lead and held off a great challenge from Makovsky that lasted the whole of lap one. Wright fell on lap one but to his credit remounted and finished well back. Still all square. (3-3/9-9)

HEAT FOUR – Nieminen well and truly out-gated Magosi who ended up in third place before going round his partner, McKinna to chase the leading Nieminen but to be fair the gap was just too great. Branney again battled with a hard riding McKinna, but this time the Comet took the point right on the finish line. (2-4/11-13)

HEAT FIVE – was a gate to flag win for Nermark, but unexpectedly had to fend off a spirited challenge from Aarnio who raced round Smith and Makovsky on lap one, catching Nermark all the way. On the third lap the new Berwicker almost got even with Nermark before just losing a little board-scraping control to drift back too far to make another passing effort. (3-3/14-16)

HEAT SIX – was Rymel’s turn to make a massive gate and led solidly only having to put up with a very brief battle from behind from Nieminen and with Robertson’s third place it was all level again. (4-2/18-18)

HEAT SEVEN – had to be re-started twice for Stonehwer’s movement at the gate prior to the tapes going up to engage the wrath of the referee. He managed a stationary third attempt, and proved he had no need to move as he shot off into the sunset well ahead of the pack. (2-4/20-22)

HEAT EIGHT – saw Newcastle’s reserve, Robertson put in an amazing opening lap, locked in mortal combat with Smith over the first circuit before grabbing the lead for his self to the end with a well earned three points. (3-3/23-25)

HEAT NINE – had everyone take a sharp intake of breath on the opening bend as Nieminen made an almighty error, drifting wide and letting the fast-moving Makovsky through to lead and eventually win with Aarnio battling all the way with Haines, nealy passing the Comet on the last bend of the race. (4-2/27-27)

HEAT 10 – Stonehewer took the early lead but looked like he was standing still when Rymel shot round him on bend two to pull out a massive lead over lap 2, winning by a mile. (3-3/30-30)

HEAT 11 – was crunch time for the match with Nermark and Smith taking the lead from a pair of excellent gates which left Magosi and Aarnio reeling in their wake.(1-5/31-35)

HEAT 12 – proved again that anything you can do the Bandits can do better with a reverse maximum of their own this time to level the match again, keeping the home fans hopes alive. (5-1/36-36)

HEAT 13 – was another painful one for the Bandits as Nieminen and Nermark made the better gates, ands despite a brave inside move by Makovsky there was little to bother them and even the Czech’s efforts proved fruitless for Berwick. (1-5 /37-41)

HEAT 14 – began with a very physical first couple of bends with Aarnio desperately trying to get round Wright, but failing to make the critical last push. The Finn ended up defending a rear-assault from Branney. (4-2/41-43)

HEAT 15 – was another vital match-decider with Berwick only two points behind but following a brief lead by Makovsky, Nermark stamped his supreme authority down on the race to win and take the match by two small points. (3-3 /44-46)

Berwick Promoter Peter Waite said: “We’re really still reeling from last nights injuries at Edinburgh, but with effectively a much-reduced strength side we didn’t exactly do that badly.

“It was a match we could have been hammered mercilessly in yet only went down by two points, and all I can do is wonder what might have been had we been at full strength. “I have to look at all options here as we actually start our away League programme at Mildenhall next Sunday and I won’t allow silly points to be lost once that kicks in and there in it’s going to be a busy week.”