Berwick Bullets suffer a mauling against play-off chasing Leicester Cubs

Berwick Bullet Danny Phillips hits the deck behind Perry Max of Leicester Cubs. Picture: Keith Hamblin

Berwick Bullets were simply blown out of the water by the rampant Cubs as Joe Thompson returned from injury with four unbeaten rides and Lee Complin, guesting for the injured Dan Thompson, got his second NDL maximum of the season at Shielfield.

Star of the show was Ashton Boughen, the 15-year-old living up to the hype with a performance mature beyond his years.

His only real problem came in heat one as Connor Coles forced his way past into second place only for his engine to grind to a halt, handing the Cubs a 5-1.

Berwick’s luck never really improved as they had no answer to the red-hot pace of their opponents.

Danny Phillips could have expected to get a second chance after falling on the first bend of heat three but there was no stop light and, despite Jamie Halder’s emphatic victory, the heat was shared.

Heat six saw all the action behind joe Thompson and Coles. Greg Blair marking his return from injury with a high-speed trip into the third bend fence. He appeared to collect Vinnie Foord, who fell awkwardly and was unlucky to be excluded along with the Bullets’ skipper.

Steve Boxall managed to keep the two Maxes – Perry and James – at bay before Blair suffered more misfortune and failed to beat the two-minute warning.

Heat 10 began chaotically as Perry snaked off the startline and was collected by Coles, falling awkwardly but making it into the rerun. Blair was half a lap adrift after problems with his fuel tank and fell on the first bend. Amid the mayhem Coles recorded Berwick’s third and final heat win.

Complin followed Boughen home in 11 despite losing his steel shoe mid-race but the loss of another piece of equipment stunned onlookers in 12.

Perry again looked out of control from the start and tangled with Mason Watson on the first bend, being thrown heavily into the barrier and losing his helmet.

There were sighs of relief as the teenager got back to his feet.

Bullets team manager Kevin Little reflected: “It was a disappointing performance, but we just couldn’t match the Cubs from the gate.”