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Berwick Bandits v Edinburgh Monarchs
Premier Trophy (Group), 29 April 2006
Shielfield Park, Berwick

Berwick 51
1Stanislaw Burza3320. ..80
2David Meldrum1120. ..40
3Lee Smethills32*2*2*. ..93
4Michal Makovsky2*3323 ..131
5Andreas Bergstrom12322* ..101
6Danny Warwick2010. ..30
7Craig Branney1*0F3. ..41
Edinburgh 42
1Henrik Moller0R01. ..10
2Theo Pijper21321 ..90
3Matthew Wethers1131. ..60
4William Lawson0313. ..70
5Rusty Harrison2*R16^R ..91
6(g)Richie Dennis02F.. ..20
7Derek Sneddon33101 ..80

* = BP. ^ = TR . ! = TS (15m Handicap). # = TR (Points Not Doubled). & = TS (Points Not Doubled, 15m Handicap).

Berwick were at full strength for this match but . Edinburgh had Richie Dennis at number 6 replacing Sean Stoddart. A bitterly cold night and a heavy, deep, over-watered track are not usually good ingredients for a cracking speedway match and this was no exception. Berwick ran out worthy winners mainly through the electric gating and unbeaten pairing of Lee Smethills and Michal Makovsky. Edinburgh who had seven race winners and six heat advantages always seemed to find this pair popping up to damage their hopes of pulling Berwick’s early lead back.

There wasn’t a pass to be seen in the first half of the match but things improved later on as the riders found a way to race on the slurry. An opening heat 4-2 from Burza and Meldrum was followed by a shared heat 2 won by Derek Sneddon. Smethills and Makovsky leapt from the gate to the first of their three 5-1s in heat 3 but Edinburgh hit back in heat 4 with a 1-5 from Derek Sneddon and Rusty Harrison after Andreas Bergstrom made a terrible start. This took the heat 4 score to 13-11.

Smethills and Makovsky had Edinburgh 6 points in arrears with their second 5-1 in heat 5 but Edinburgh were unlucky not to pull two points back in heat 6. Rusty Harrison, leading the race by a distance, pulled out on the last bend of the third lap with the win in his pocket. This promoted Stanislaw Burza to first and Richie Dennis to second with David Meldrum picking up the gift point. So an Edinburgh 2-4 turned into a Berwick 4-2 and the Bandits were now eight points in front. However Edinburgh hit back with a 2-4 in heat 7 won by William Lawson from Andreas Bergstrom and Matthew Wethers to cut the Bandits’ lead to six points. They then shaved another two points off the lead with another 2-4 in heat 8. It looked like the Monarchs might take a 1-5 as Theo Pijper and Derek Sneddon led David Meldrum. Sneddon was finding the track surface difficult to handle and eventually lost his second place to David Meldrum for the first genuine pass of the night. This brought the score to 26-22 after eight heats.

Makovsky and Smethills then appeared again for their third 5-1 to put the Monarchs eight behind again. In heat 10 William Lawson was badly hampered by David Meldrum who fell in front of him. Lawson clipped Meldrum’s bike and did well to stay on but the referee was not disposed to call for a rerun. Meanwhile Matthew Wethers got to the front and Stanislaw Burza could only follow in his wake. This gave Edinburgh another 2-4 cutting the lead to six points again. Heat 11 was unique – there were two passes! Daniel Warwick jumped out of the start to lead Theo Pijper. As Pijper challenged on the inside Andreas Bergstrom wound it on round the outside to pass both of them but Pijper gained the two points by eventually passing Warwick. The 4-2 increased the Bandits’ lead to eight points again. In heat 12 it was that man Smethills again. Craig Branney made a fast start to head home for the win while Smethills followed him home for a 5-1 and paid maximum. This brought the score to 42-30 after 12 heats.

It was now time for Edinburgh to play a TR card and Rusty Harrison took the ride in heat 13. He won it too with ease while Henrik Moller scored his only point of the match by beating Stanislaw Burza so the Monarchs scored a 2-7 to cut Berwick’s lead to seven points. They pulled another point back in heat 14 when William Lawson rode an excellent race to ruin Michal Makovsky’s maximum hopes although he was helped by Derek Sneddon who baulked Makovsky’s run round the second bend on the third lap with Edinburgh threatening a 1-5. Makovsky did pass Sneddon so Edinburgh had to be content with a 2-4. The last race saw Andreas Bergstrom and Michal Makovsky burst from the gate for an unchallenged 5-1 and nine point win.

Match Report by Merlin