Bandits suffer second successive home league loss

But things didn’t go according to plan, with the Bandits losing both meetings.

A 51-39 loss as Redcar means they need to try and overturn a 12-point deficit in the second leg of their quarter-final tie, and as the Bears won recently in the league at Shielfield they know the enormity of the task.

And against Glasgow at Shielfield in the Championship, they lost their second successive home meeting in the league when the Tigers claimed a 42-48 victory.

Team manager Gary Flint said: “Fair play to Glasgow they have given us a lesson in gating tonight and deserved their win. We had too many riders either struggling or still feeling their way back after injury (referring to the fact that Leon Flint and Ty Proctor were both back in action after three weeks out).

Bandits - Chris Harris 15+1, Jye Etheridge R/R, Theo Pijper 1+1, Leon Flint 12, Ricky Wells 6, Ty Proctor 2, Kyle Bickley 6+3, Greg Blair 0.

Tigers - Craig Cook 6+2, Danyon Hume 7+1, Ulrich Ostergaard 5+2, Benjamin Basso 9, Tom Brennan 10+1, Broc Nichol 8+1, Connor Bailey 3+2.

*On Friday Bandits were in action at Redcar in the first leg of their KO Cup quarter-final clash. Berwick lost 51-39 and afterwards, Flint said: “We have left ourselves more to do in the second leg than we hoped for but the tie is still very much alive.

“Even though Redcar ride Berwick well we know that on any given night we are more than capable of beating anyone at home by 12 or more points.”

Bears - Charles Wright 7+2, Adam Roynon 7+1, Erik Riss 11, Kasper Andersen 3, Lewis Kerr 10+1, Jason Edwards 7+1, Jordan Jenkins 6+1.

Bandits - Chris Harris 13, Theo Pijper 3+1, Leon Flint 6+1, Ricky Wells 9+1, Ty Proctor 6, Kyle Bickley 3, Luke Crang DNR.

This weekend, Berwick face a double header against Leicester. The Bandits take on the Lions, who are top of the Championship, in a meeting which starts at 6.30pm, and this will be followed by a National League match between the Bulets and the Cubs.