Byker boys could do an early double

NEWCASTLE Diamonds hope to complete their first SGB Championship double of the season when Peterborough Panthers come to the Byker track tomorrow evening (tapes up at 6.30pm).

Just a week ago, the Diamonds rattled up their first away win of the season – winning 47-43 at the East of England Showground, the home of the Panthers.

That was thanks to a solid, all-round team performance, which saw both Robert Lambert and Steve Worrall beaten only once by the home No 1 Jack Holder.

But Holder starts out on the World Under-21 Championship trail this weekend and has been replaced by Sheffield star Lasse Bjerre as a guest for their meetings at Berwick Bandits this evening, as well as for the trip to Tyneside tomorrow to face the Diamonds.

Newcastle’s Lambert is also in an Under-21 World qualifier but flies back into Stansted airport tomorrow morning ready to dash north to help the Diamonds deal with the Panthers.

Diamonds team manager George English said ahead of tomorrow’s meeting: “This has all the makings of a cracker of a match.

“The Panthers line-up includes some very talented racers like Ulrich Ostergaard, Paul Starke and, of course, their guest Lasse Bjerre, who all go very well on our track.

“Another Dane, Kenneth Hansen, also knows the fastest way around our place – so much so that I booked him as a guest for a meeting here a couple of years ago.”