Bandits First Up

PREVIEW Friday 26th April 2024, 9:00am

by Jim Milton

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Edinburgh's rather stop-start introduction to the 2024 season now threatens to take off in earnest with the midweek trip to Poole quickly followed by their delayed opening home meeting, the BSN Series visit of the Berwick Bandits.

Wednesday's first leg Knockout Cup tie at Wimborne Road was always going to be an arduous test against an accomplished and ultra-successful Pirates side on home shale.

But a challenging evening on the south coast turned out fairly well with the limited damage of a nine-point deficit giving the Blue and Golds a great chance of pulling off an aggregate win in the return leg on May 3rd.

Top scorer in deepest Dorset was, surprise surprise, Josh Pickering with 13 points. However, although no one else got near to double figures, another three of the septet, Paco Castagna, Justin Sedgmen and Max James, did manage creditable heat wins.

Like cream, once again our talisman from Oz rises to the top. However, he cannot carry the torch single- handed. Others must also chip in and, with the desire unquestionably in place.

Friday's clash with Berwick presents the perfect opportunity for the main body of the team to hit their stride with some serious point gathering.

Of course, the Bandits will be tough to overcome but with only four points to recover from the recent defeat at Shielfield, the opportunity to go on and take the spoils, including that crucial bonus points, must be well within our grasp.

That said, the form of top Bandit Rory Schlein in the Borders lays down a warning that the task in hand will be anything but straightforward.

Berwick will once again be without the injured Lewis Kerr but, in guest Kyle Howarth, they will have a rider of real quality who should ensure there will be little if any discernible drop in standards.

With Berwick already surrendering the bonus point from their tie with Glasgow, the right result this Friday would set up our "Scottish" qualifying finale against the Tigers as a kind of sudden death decider to determine which of the great rivals proceeds to the next stage of the tournament.

And with the second leg of KO Cup scheduled seven days after that, Armadale will be laid siege to by both Bandits and Pirates over what promises to be a fortnight of must- see speedway at the West Lothian Arena

Full Result Details