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Berwick Bandits v Workington Comets
Premier Trophy (Group), 15 April 2006
Shielfield Park, Berwick

Berwick 45
1Adrian Rymel13R21 ..70
2David Meldrum0122. ..50
3Lee Smethills0R2*3. ..51
4Michal Makovsky23333 ..140
5Andreas Bergstrom2220. ..60
6Danny Warwick2*0R.. ..21
7Craig Branney31*02*0 ..62
Workington 45
2Tomasz Piszcz2*2311 ..91
3Ritchie Hawkins3131Fx ..80
4James Wright31*132 0.101
5Garry Stead32133 2.140
6Lee Derbyshire100.. ..10
7Aidan CollinsRF111* ..31

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

Berwick were at full strength for this match but Workington were without Paul Thorp who failed a fitness test following his horrendous accident at Edinburgh last night. So once again the Comets had to go without their number 1 although this time they were able to use R/R instead.

There don’t seem to be many dull moments for those who follow Workington on their travels. After scoring 46 points and losing at Newcastle, the Comets scored 46 at Glasgow and won, 45 at Edinburgh and won and, now, 45 points at Berwick and drew! This result almost certainly guarantees them qualification for the later stages of the Premier Trophy.

The Comets scored a 1-5 in the opening heat when Ritchie Hawkins as R/R made a fast start and was joined up front by Tomasz Piszcz after a forceful second bend which saw off Adrian Rymel. Berwick equalised with their own 5-1 in the reserves race but the Comets were back in front after taking a 2-4 in heat 3. James Wright won the race from Michal Makovsky who held off Ritchie Hawkins for second place. This turned out to be Makovsky’s only defeat of the match. A fast start by Garry Stead in heat 4 earned Workington a 3-3 as Bergstrom and Branney followed him home to take the score after the opening four heats to 11-13.

Heat 5 produced a stunning race. Tomasz Piszcz took an early lead and was chased by Michal Makovsky who had to keep an eye on James Wright behind him who was threatening to pass him. With challenges on every bend it took a final two bends charge round the boards by Makovsky to earn the race win and another share of the points. Berwick finally got back on level terms with a 4-2 in heat 6. This time Adrian Rymel made no mistake for a comfortable win ahead of Garry Stead with David Meldrum picking up the third place point for an 18-18 score. However Berwick were behind yet again after heat 7. Ritchie Hawkins won the race from Andreas Bergstrom who held off the challenges of James Wright as Workington took a two point lead from the 2-4. In heat 8 Berwick fell further behind as Tomasz Piszcz won the race from David Meldrum with Aidan Collins getting on the scoresheet with third place. The 2-4 took the score after eight heats to 22-26.

Berwick squared the match again with a 5-1 in heat 9. This time Michal Makovsky was supported by Lee Smethills in second place as Garry Stead was relegated to third. It looked like Berwick were set to take the lead for the first time in heat 10. Adrian Rymel and David Meldrum charged to the front but the 5-1 turned into a 2-4 when firstly Adrian Rymel suffered an engine failure and then David Meldrum was passed by James Wright. So yet again the Bandits found themselves two points in arrears! In heat 11 Workington stretched their lead to 4 points with another 2-4. Yet again Tomasz Piszcz surged into the lead then baulked Andreas Bergstrom as Garry Stead passed the pair of them. However the drama wasn’t over as Daniel Warwick fell at the back and Piszcz’s bike packed up leaving him to free wheel over the line for the third place point. It was all square yet again in heat 12 as Berwick scored an equalising 5-1. Lee Smethills and Craig Branney took full points for the Bandits as Ritchie Hawkins came to grief by falling. The score after 12 heats was 36-36.

In heat 13 Tomasz Piszcz was the R/R for Paul Thorp but it was Garry Stead who won the race from Adrian Rymel with Piszcz taking third place for a 2-4 which put Berwick two points down yet again! Heat 14 was rerun after an unsatisfactory start which saw the Berwick pair rocket to the front. James Wright was not impressed with how close Craig Branney was to him at the starting line but the referee finally overruled the Starting Marshal and Clerk of the Course by ordering Branney to move over. Michal Makovsky eventually won the heat but a clearly disgruntled Branney finished last behind James Wright and Aidan Collins for a shared heat which meant that Berwick were still two points down going into the last heat.

Workington surprised most of the crowd by electing to go for Garry Stead and James Wright in heat 15 rather Tomas Piszcz whose fast starts had caused Berwick a lot of problems. As it happened Makovsky won the race from Garry Stead but Adrian Rymel finished third ahead of James Wright for the 4-2 which drew Berwick back to all square again in what had been a riveting match.

Match Report by Merlin