Redcar Bears 51-41  Berwick Bandits

(Premier League)

The Berwick Bandits were up against the odds from the off as severe travel problems for their new Swede, Benny Johansson resulting in Conference League rider Gary Beaton deputising who failed to score from three rides.

Berwick led the match after heat one when skipper Rymel shot out of the gate to head home the Bears number one, Havelock with Magosi in third for a 2-4, but that two point lead was reversed in Heat two when the home reserves hit a 5-1 past Aarnio and McKinna, the latter coming off a 15m handicap for breaking the tapes.

McKinna enjoyed a far better Heat three when he made a superb gate to lead, but the chase was on from Grieves who just took the win after a huge dive under the young Scot on the final bend of the race.

After a flurry of good home scoring the score rested at 33-21 after Heat nine when Makovsky rode a fine race in the 10^th to win well with Finnish partner Aarnio in second in a Bandit’s 1-5, reducing the deficit by four to 34-26.

A 4-2 in the 11^th led to Berwick using the tactical rider regulation in the 12^th with Makovsky being nominated for the double-point ride but following a good gate it was home man, Grieves who grabbed the lead and restricted Makovsky to four points instead of six in a 3-5 taking the progressive totals to 41-33.

Despite an excellent win from Aarnio in Heat 14 the Bandits had to resign themselves to their first league defeat in 2008, but still gave a display of thrilling and exciting speedway.

Scorers

Redcar Bears: Havelock 7+1, Kerr - Rider Replacement, Grieves 14, Auty 2, Proctor 15+1, Bugeja 7+2, Giffard 6+1, Duffill D.N.R.

Berwick Bandits: Rymel 11, Magosi 3+1, Makovsky 11+1, Franchetti – Rider Replacement, Beaton (Guest) 0, Aarnio 13+2, McKinna  3.