REPORT: Berwick Bandits v Poole Pirates

A treble of heat maximums across the final three heats by the Berwick Bandits denied Poole three league points from their visit to Shielfield Park, but the Pirates secured the bonus point to move a point clear of Glasgow, Scunthorpe and Edinburgh at the top of the table.

BERWICK 47
Leon Flint  1',2,2',2',3=10+3 (5)
Jye Etheridge 2,0,0,TS=2 (3)
Victor Palovaara 1',2,1,0=4+1 (4)
Jordan Jenkins 2,1',0,3=6+1 (4)
Nick Morris 3,3,3,2,3,2'=16+1 (6)
Vinnie Foord 0,1,0,RS=1 (3)
Reid Battye 2,1,2,1,2'=8+1 (5)

POOLE 43
Sam Masters 3,3,3,3,1,1=14 (6)
William Cairns 0,0,R,3,1=4 (5)
Rider Replacement
Cooper Rushen 0,2,0,2',X0=4+1 (5)
Lewis Kerr 2,1,2',1,0=6+1 (5)
Edward Kennett 3,3,3,3,0=12 (5)
Sam Hagon 1,0,1,1=3 (4)

Ht 1:  S.Masters, J.Etheridge, L.Flint , W.Cairns 3-3 3-3 [65.9]
Ht 2:  E.Kennett, R.Battye, S.Hagon, V.Foord 2-4 5-7 [66.4]
Ht 3:  S.Masters, J.Jenkins, V.Palovaara, C.Rushen 3-3 8-10 [66.2]
Ht 4:  N.Morris, L.Kerr, R.Battye, S.Hagon 4-2 12-12 [65.2]
Ht 5:  S.Masters, V.Palovaara, J.Jenkins, W.Cairns 3-3 15-15 [66.1]
Ht 6:  E.Kennett, L.Flint , L.Kerr, J.Etheridge 2-4 17-19 [66]
Ht 7:  N.Morris, C.Rushen, V.Foord, W.Cairns [rtd] 4-2 21-21 [67.5]
Ht 8:  W.Cairns, R.Battye, S.Hagon, J.Etheridge 2-4 23-25 [66.4]
Ht 9:  E.Kennett, L.Kerr, V.Palovaara, J.Jenkins 1-5 24-30 [66.9]
Ht 10:  N.Morris, L.Flint , L.Kerr, C.Rushen, J.Etheridge [Tac Subbed] 5-1 29-31 [66]
Ht 11:  S.Masters, N.Morris, W.Cairns, V.Foord 2-4 31-35 [66.6]
Ht 12:  E.Kennett, C.Rushen, R.Battye, V.Palovaara 1-5 32-40 [66.4]
Ht 13:  N.Morris, L.Flint , S.Masters, L.Kerr 5-1 37-41 [65.9]
Ht 14:  J.Jenkins, R.Battye, S.Hagon, C.Rushen [exc] 5-1 42-42 [67.9]
Ht 15:  L.Flint , N.Morris, S.Masters, E.Kennett 5-1 47-43 [66.9]
SGB Referee Mr Willie Dishington 

Poole had an early view of just how well Sam Masters rides the Berwick circuit as he made it look so easy in heat one, the first of the Pirates' guests leaving the Bandits' skipper, Jye Etheridge, and the first of their stand-ins, Leon Flint, well beaten. William Cairns almost caught Flint off the final turn and truly deserved something for his efforts. In heat two, two other guests appeared to want to share the same grid space, but Edward Kennett won the battle off the line as he and Vinnie Foord drove hard towards the first turn, the Berwick guest dropping off sufficiently to allow Sam Hagon to pass him and then apply pressure on Reid Battye. Just as he had done in the opener, Masters blew the opposition away for a second win, while Cooper Rushen's intention of trying to switch lines didn’t quite pay off, but he still maintained pressure on Victor Palovaara. The gating gloves were worn by Nick Morris in heat four, but Lewis Kerr mitigated the damage with a hard-fought second place and recovered strongly after a minor error in the middle of the third and fourth turns, one which Battye was unable to exploit. For the third time in five heats, Masters was out there showing his capabilities, but Cairns couldn’t make his third place stick once Jenkins found his line. (15-15).

There were two winners in heat six – Kennett and speedway – but, to be fair, there deserved to be three as Flint tested Kennett throughout. Given the size of the Shielfield circuit, there was very little room at times between these two temporary additions to their respective sides, and Kerr’s third place largely went unnoticed as all eyes were on the front-runners. Poole were dreadfully unlucky in heat seven when Cairns packed up in a clear point-scoring position whilst Rushen was looking hungry as he pursued Morris. A heat share slipped out of their grasp and, given the way the meeting unfolded, was more significant than first thought. Whatever the bike problem was, Cairns professionally put it behind him and stormed to a heat eight victory, one that was converted into a heat advantage as Hagon made the most of Etheridge lifting off the line and being unable to make any contribution for the second time. Special K time in heat nine, as Kennett and Kerr blasted clear to offer up the Pirates some breathing space and even secure the bonus point so relatively early in the proceedings, and lips were beginning to be licked at the possibility of all three league points and a double over the side that had eliminated us from the KO Cup. Berwick's response was positive, standing down Etheridge in favour of Morris to form a formidable partnership for the Bandits, and Flint did well to battle Kerr back out of the second turn to tighten the scores back up. (29-31).

Masters came under pressure for the first time in heat eleven, when he broke Morris' unbeaten run, and with Cairns making a valuable early move on Foord, Poole took the 4-2 to double their lead. Kennett again was quick in heat eleven, but the key ride was that from Rushen, who came back a second time to pass Battye, and now Poole had their biggest advantage over Berwick all meeting. But the Bandits began to breathe again when Masters' colours were eventually lowered, with the heat ten partnership again coming together for the home side and quickly seeing off Masters. The home fans were being encouraged to still believe, whilst Dorset and beyond were expecting to see Kennett drafted in for the all-crucial heat fourteen. But whilst Battye deputised for Foord, there was no change on the Poole side, Kennett struggling in the pits and having to refuse Gary Havelock's invite to take a fifth ride so soon after his fourth. But Hagon – who would have been the one pulled out – made a blistering gate from the outside and hit the fresh air. Rushen was in second, but Battye went by him down the back straight. Going for a tighter line out of turn four, Rushen moved back into second, but there was contact which was deemed unfair riding, and so, for the second time this year on a visit to Berwick, Rushen was disqualified, much to the pleasure of the partisan fans. Hagon was unable to replicate his start in the re-run and, whilst he chased well, he could not prevent Jenkins and Battye from levelling the meeting scores. The momentum was now in Berwick's favour and, with the light having rapidly worsened, Flint and Morris were sent out and secured the 5-1 to maintain their unbeaten home record, whilst for the second time this season in the league the Pirates suffer a 43-47 defeat on the road. The bonus point for Poole allowed them to break away from the pack of four at the top of the table, with the play-off positions for themselves, Glasgow, Scunthorpe and Edinburgh looking even more likely.