Stoke Easy Rider Potters 55

Andersons Quality Bandits 37

(Premier League)

The Anderson’s Quality Butchers sponsored Berwick Bandits went down at the Stoke Potters last night by a surprising 18 points in a match they had been tipped to perform much better in.

There was an unexpected inclusion in the Border team’s side with Scott Smith declaring himself fit for action late in the day, but with Tero Aarnio out as well in World Cup action Smith’s original replacement, Weymouth’s Jay Herne was allocated the number eight position.

Tomas Topinka was a vital inclusion in the Berwick one to seven in place of Czech Adrian Rymel who was riding in the same World Cup qualifying meeting as Aarnio.

King’s Lynn’s Topinka put in five sterling heats to score a solid 15 points including a four point tactical ride in Heat 11 when he came second in a mammoth battle with Stoke’s reserve Klaus Jacobsen who rode equally as well to block every Topinka passing move the Czech could throw at him.

18 points adrift going in to Heat 12 Michal Makovsky came out to try to rectify a ghastly night for him in which he had already ridden two stone lasts and a win, but having gated ahead, home star Ben Barker shot round from last to first in the first lap, taking an unsuspecting Makovsky by surprise who fell resulting Paul Clews to fall behind.

In the re-run without Makovsky Jesper Kristiansen and Barker took an easy 5-1, instantly reversed in Heat 13 by Norbert Magosi and Topinka with the latter having to recover from being passed by both Andrew Moore and Stoke’s guest from Newcastle, George Stancl by sneaking between them both again in an amazing move mid race to haul Berwick back to their 18 point deficit.

Former Stoke rider, Tony Atkin who had only scored two points up to Heat 14 scorched from the gate to lead well and win in fine style, but with Smith at the rear it was only a shared heat to maintain that 18 point shortfall, which remained after another 3-3 in Heat 15, although Barker nearly swept past winner Topinka with centimetres to go of the race in a grandstand end to the match.

Berwick boss Peter Waite said: “I had expected a far better show from the lads here tonight as 18 points is a lot more than I had expected to be defeated by.

“I have to thank our guest Tomas Topinka for a magnificent effort on our behalf as the other six riders could only manage 22 points between them which really is a long away short of the true capabilities of the side we have at present.

“There were obvious disappointing performances in the side tonight but it won’t help to pick out the ones for individual criticism – they know themselves who were not on form and they also know what they have to do to pick things up again and start scoring these wins we all know we’re capable of.”

Beriwck now move on to a match at Scunthorpe this Friday night at 7.30pm.

Stoke Potters: George Stancl (Guest) 4+2, Mark Burrows 8+1, Ben Barker 12+1, Barrie Evans 5+3, Andrew Moore 7+1, Klaus Jakobsen 12+1, Jesper Kristiansen 7+1.

Berwick Bandits: Tomas Topinka (Guest) 15+1, Tero Aarnio – Rider Replacement, Michal Makovsky 3, Tony Atkin 5, Norbert Magosi 8, Paul Clews 5, Scott Smith 1, Number 8 Jay Herne 0.