Bandits just fail to plug Gapp

BERWICK’S new-look squad, boosted by the new signings of Nick Morris, Jye Etheridge and Lee Payne finally took to the track against the Ipswich Witches.

Unfortunately they were without Dany Gappmaier, who had been called up by his Austrian authority to race in the European Championship qualifier, with Ben Hopwood guesting to cover his races.

The track caused some issues early on with the sheer amount of grip it was producing, catching Morris out on the first bend of heat one in a 3-3 as Danny King struggled to turn off bend two of the second lap and fell. After half-an-hour of track work the riders returned with guest Hopwood blasting away to win well in a Bandits’ 4-2, reversed in heat three won well and in a good time by Rory Schlein over chasing skipper Kevin Doolan.

A superb pass from Lewis Bridger hard under Cameron Heeps off the second bend of the third lap to lead saw him win well in a shared heat four, but in the fifth King and Heeps made the perfect pair of gates to leave Doolan and Carr in their wake.

Following another shared race in heat six, won by Schlein, the Aussie was back out again in the seventh against the revitalised Bridger, and the Bandits No 5 rode magnificently to take a solid win.

Heeps’ night of brilliance continued with a win in heat eight as Ipswich eased 27-21 ahead, before Doolan roared away for a fine win over King in a re-run heat nine.

Another Ipswich 2-4 widened the gap to eight before Schlein shot from the heat 12 gate to win well over Doolan with the visitors now 31-41 up, but not before Payne had a mammoth battle with Jack Parkinson-Blackburn at the back.

“JPB” was back in heat 14, blasting round Carr off bend four to tuck in behind Kyle Newman who won well in a match-winning 5-1.