Anderson’s Quality Butchers Berwick Bandits 54

Glasgow Buildbase Tigers 39

(Premier League)

Berwick Bandits took another fine win in the Premier League to go equal fourth, climbing back towards the top of the pile in a great match with Glasgow.

In a match where the home side initially looked to be on to a massive victory, being 27-9 up after six heats, the Glasgow Tigers started to put some decent rides in and stopped the rot to keep a degree of respectability by the final shout mainly thanks to a great guest show from Tomas Topinka and full time Tiger, Lee Dicken.

The latter in particular had two spectacular wins late on to keep his side afloat despite Berwick’s skipper, Adrian Rymel banging in another paid maximum which highlighted a fascinating fact that he has only been beaten at home since March by Tomas Topinka, but not tonight.

Michal Makovsky and Norbert Magosi, the latter fresh back from his Hungarian Championships both weighed in with good solid double-figure scores whilst Paul Clews, Tony Atkin and freshly back from injury, Scott Smith all rode some determined races with forceful excitement to score vital points.

HEAT ONE: saw Berwick lay down the law in determined fashion as Magosi and Rymel both hit bend one out in front of the forceful Topinka in third but with the gap extending on lap three the maximum was in Berwick’s hands (5-1 / 5-1).

HEAT TWO: and the onslaught continued with firstly Smith then Clews shooting around Mitchell Davey’s outside on bend two to pull ahead in a big lead for another top scoring heat (5-1 / 10-2).

HEAT THREE: provided another home one and two despite an early lead from Trent Leverington who was taken on the inside by Atkin on bend one, as Makovsky shot round both of them on the outside line as Dicken took up the chase in third, and despite a great effort from the Tiger it remained 5 to the Bandits (5-1 / 15-3).

HEAT FOUR: brought a break in the 5-1 scoring with Ksiezak gating well in front of the field to take a huge win in the shared heat (3-3 / 18-6).

HEAT FIVE: saw guest Tiger Topinka make the big gate, but Makovsky went past him on bend two, shooting down the back straight just as Clews went round Leverington for third with the Berwick reserve getting right up with Topinka briefly on lap two before the Czech powered up leaving Clews and Leverington to provide a great battle for third, won by the Bandit (4-2 / 22-8).

HEAT SIX: had Glasgow out in front again with a fine gate from Ksiezak, but this time it was Magosi who took the grip and shot round him on the speedy outside line on bend two with his skipper Rymel joining him up front on bend three of lap two to return to the maximum pattern (5-1 / 27-9).

HEAT SEVEN: was where Glasgow finally put a stop to Berwick’s high-speed run of points as they nominated Topinka to race as a tactical ride, and as per the script he shot out to lead with his team mate Dicken grabbing and early second and holding it to the end to haul a whopping 6 points back from their deficit (1-8 / 28-17).

HEAT EIGHT: put Berwick four more points ahead with another maximum as initially Magosi and Smith roared out to lead, but Leverington passed Smith in a very tight move off bend two only for Smith to take a sensational outside pass right up against the fence coming off the high banking of bend four to bring the house down (5-1 / 33-18).

HEAT NINE: again looked good for the speedy staring Ksiezak as he led into bend one, but Makovsky was round him to lead before the end of bend two with Smith relegating Davey to the rear (4-2 / 37-20).

HEAT 10: gave the virtually invincible Czech Rymel the fastest time round Shielfield Park for nearly two years (65.6) as he shot out to lead and win well as Ksiezak and Magosi battled well for second (4-2 / 41-22).

HEAT 11: gave the Tiger fans more to cheer as emerging from a viciously tight opening bend where all four riders were in close up action, until Topinka and Leverington pulled ahead down the back straight although Clews tried to sneak up the outside of Topinka who slammed the door fairly shut in his face to block his passage (1-5 / 42-27).

HEAT 12: saw Dicken really hit form as he shot from the gate to lead with authority shocking Makovsky who just wasn’t expecting that level of competition, and took up the chase, but Dicken rode an fine race to keep his three points (3-3 / 45-30).

HEAT 13: had Rymel and Topinka elbow to elbow on the opening bends until the Bandit’s captain hit the drive going into the back straight to ease out a lead to secure his win whilst Atkin rode all over the back of Ksiezak making some superb attempts to pass, just missing out (3-3 / 48-33)

HEAT 14: was again Dicken’s heat taken from another cracking gate as Smith tried to pass at all cost, but unfortunately fell at the star5t of the second bend with Clews and Martin laying their bikes down and in the re-run without Smith it was Dicken again who shot out to lead although briefly Clews too the first position before Dicken took control again making a superb race of it as the Bandit made a last ditch effort on the run to the flag just missing out to Dicken in a fine effort (2-4 / 50-37).

HEAT 15: looked from the off as if Topinka would again take a win over his Czech mate Rymel, but the Bandit’s skipper make a massive pass round the Tiger guest on bend two just as Makovsky was passed by Ksiezak, although within half a lap the Bandit’s longest-serving rider had regained his point with eventual ease (4-2 / 54-39).

Andersons Quality Berwick Bandits 54

1. Adrian Rymel © 2*,2*,3,3,3 = 13+2
2. Norbert Magosi 3,3,3,1 = 10
3. Michal Makovsky 3,3,3,2,1 = 12
4. Tero Aarnio – Rider Replacement
5. Tony Atkin 2*,2,1,R,0 = 5+1
6. Paul Clews ® 2*,1,0,1,2 = 6+1
7. Scott Smith ® 3,1*,2*,1,1*,Fx = 8+3

Glasgow Buildbase Tigers 39

1. Tomas Topinka (guest) 1,2,6^,2*,2,2 = 15+1
2. Trent Leverington 0,0,0,1,3 = 4
3. Anders Andersen – Rider Replacement
4. Lee Dicken 1,2*,R,3,3 = 9+1
5. Robert Ksiezak 3,1,2,2,1*,R = 9+1
6. Mitchell Davey ® 1,0,0,0 = 1
7. Sam Martin (Guest) ® 0,0,0,1 = 1