topsoil

The very reason I don't like speedway tracks which are inside greyhound tracks

With all the complaints regarding guests and r/r and how this is 'killing the credibility of the sport' it was interesting to read some of the articles in the Berwick programme last night. Twenty years ago this week Berwick were riding at home against Long Eaton. Their team featured 4 guests (at a time of 6 man teams). There was also an article on Newcastle (last night's visitors) and their 1976 season. That year they beat Newport in the Inter League Cup. They were missing two riders, Tom Owen and Ron Henderson due to injury, so used r/r for both riders in that meeting. In the next round they faced Hackney, whose number one Finn Thomsen refused to race because of the track conditions. Ah, the good old days. Each one of these may have been isolated incidents, but I couldn't help but laugh at the coincidences. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I sat and watched Kevin Doolan, Dany Gappmaier and David Howe signing loads of autographs tonight after the meeting. And kids taking selfies with them on iPads and phones. Have to say the Berwick riders do really well with young fans after meetings. The kids love it.

Decent meeting and a good result for Berwick. Four wins in a row, things coming together, just too late in the season. Thought it would have been a bit closer, I expected bigger scores from Steve Worrall and Stuart Robson. Racing was better than last week, the track was still quite slick, but it's been baking hot here today and they have to work around the football. Good crowd tonight, a few visitors always helps. Cracking to see all the riders in the crowd after the meeting posing for photos and signing autographs. Great to see with all the kids. Also good to see al the crowd staying behind to watch the NJL meeting. Luke Harrison has a great style for such a young lad.

This has all the makings of another close match, Berwick are probably in their best form of the season, while Newcastle have three heat leaders who all go very well around Shielfield. Pity that Robert Lambert is missing, but Ricky Wells is an able guest. Stuart Robson could be the key for me, he always scores well up here. Forecast is good, hopefully a bit more dirt on the track this week and a good travelling support to make an atmosphere.

Both Mason Campton (heat 1, later withdrew from meeting) and James Sarjeant (heat 8, came off going down the home straight at high speed) had bad falls on Saturday night. Not surprised if either one was affected for Sunday night. Sarjeant's especially, probably the worst place to fall, going high speed on the straight.

The current 15 heat format is fine by me.Certainly no return to the 13 heats and a second half. Can you imagine the riders' response to that? And the excuses that will be served up to avoid riding in the second halves. One thing I would like to see is a junior meeting after every meeting. Force each team to have a junior team of some sort. Try and get a lot more young riders into the system. There's your "second halves" if you want it. Gives the youngsters a lot more track time as well. And the more riders we get into the sport the faster we can phase up doubling up / down.

Jye Etheridge and David Bellego

The technical term is banking :-) Sad to hear the small crowd tonight. Things seem to have gone stale for Workington. Thought having Craig Cook would have brought a few fans back.

Being honest, that was the poorest meeting of the season racing wise at Berwick. The track was way too slick. First time this season I have walked away thinking the racing was quite poor. It reminded me a lot of some of the meetings last season. That said you can only beat what is in front of you and Workington didn't come close to what I thought they would, Cook apart. Ty Proctor and Jorgo both had one heat win, both against an out of sorts looking David Howe, who had one of his poorer meetings at Berwick this season i thought, which just goes to show how good he has been since signing. Maybe the slickness didn't suit him so much? Big pay days for Berwick riders tonight, really pleased to see Dany get such a big score, only beaten once, by Craig Cook. Certainly didn't see that coming. Jye and Captain Kev looked a good partnership as well. Three wins in a row. Chuffed for the promotion that things are starting to come together. It would be good to end the season with a run of victories.

Another cracker in prospect tonight, with IMO the best rider in the league visiting. Machinery issues aside, I don't see anybody beating him tonight, he is class around Shielfield. Always good to see Jorgo back and he has been in great form for Kings Lynn as well. All the Bandits will need to be on top form tonight. If Nick Morris rides like last week his races against Cook are worth looking forward to. Need David Howe and the Captain to be on their toes and beating Jorgo and Ty Proctor. The swapping of Jye and Danny could be interesting. Need Danny to start scoring big as Jye did at reserve. All i'm looking for from Connor Coles is to beat his opposite number and he has done his job. Rangers to show bouncebackability and take 3 points at Cowdenbeath. Bandits by 2 points tonight. And TAFC to win this afternoon. Happy days.

You really don't want that

Not often two Berwick riders top score for their teams in a Premiership match

Must be getting away with it then

Two maximums in two days for Liam Carr

Another cracking meeting, passing in most of the races, even in the ones where there wasn't the racing was tight. Two evenly matched teams, close scores right up to heat 14 the result was in doubt. Most of the passing done by Scunthorpe it has to be said as the Berwick team riding didn't go to plan. Nick Morris was a class above tonight, also very impressed by Lewis Kerr for the visitors. Don't grudge him a thing after coming back from that crash at the fours. Two wins in a row, these are heady days for Berwick :-) great entertainment again and the result to go with it, you can't ask for much more. Added bonus is that JPB cannot gate. His moves up the banking are great to watch. He is going to be a good one. Ha yes that went a bit wrong

There is a lot of gloom and doom surrounding speedway at the moment, but one positive aspect has been the increasing numbers competing in the youth championships. You are slowly seeing these names filter through into the National and Premier Leagues. Some will go on to have big careers, some will fall by the wayside. The most important thing is there is that these riders are coming through and the youth setup should be given as much backing as possible. Now lets see more clubs getting involved by expanding the NJL, MDL and SJL. A match after every meeting would be great.

You'll know two hours before me :-)

Is there the chance of covering the track at Armadale? I don't know if access is a problem, as it is with some stadiums. But the cost of rain-off meetings must be mounting up now.

No real star names for Scunthorpe (MPT maybe) but they have a really solid look about them. Pity Jake Allen is missing. I always look at his career progressing and think back to the time he was almost a Bandit. Ryan Douglas put in a good guest appearance for Berwick earlier in the year and Josh Auty and and Leis Kerr both go well here. But the trump card could be Tero. I would expect him to get 6 or 7 rides tonight. Could be interesting how he matches up with Jye. Looks like a decent day is forecast. I'm going out on a limb and saying it's a Berwick double this afternoon and tonight. Rangers by a couple of goals and Bandits by a similar scoreline to last week.

I was expecting closer to this last night as well, he is usually very good around Berwick. To be fair he was second in the race he uncharacteristically fell off. Don't know how much that may have affected him in his last race.

I understand where you are coming from. I've never been one to get hung up on guests, r/r or doubling up and why fans get upset trying to explain these concepts to newcomers. Concentrate on the racing. That's what people come to see.

68.6, 67.7, no time (awarded) and 68.0

Well that meeting had nearly everything. Thought it was away from us after Doolan looped in heat 14 and Pboro got a 5-1 to put them a point in front. Couldn't see anybody catching Holder to be honest. Morris flew from the gate and David Howe managed to hold off Holder for a huge point. You could throw a blanket over 2nd to 4th in heat 15. All round team performance from Berwick, Gappmaier came up with a couple of crucial wins, JPB had a cracking last to 2nd in heat 8, Doolan had a couple of heat wins and a big 5-1 with Morris over Holder. First time I have seen Steve Worrall come to Berwick and not win a race. Holder when was in front looked very fast. Love Ostergaard's style. One thing it is never short of at Berwick is entertainment. Plenty good racing tonight as well, Howe's pass of Ostergaard was textbook and JPB's last to 2nd in heat 8, great to see from the young lad. Hope he is okay after his fall in heat 12. Everything was there tonight, tight scoreline, plenty good racing, home team win.

If that is the case (one league) then let's see these riders manage on only 14 meetings a year. Not long before the excuses of not enough meetings / rusty etc. Can't wait to see it all implode, karma for those who think they can run the sport by throwing money at everything.