Brilliant Bears defeat Bandits
Redcar recorded their biggest home league win of the season as they overcame the Berwick Bandits with a convincing 53-37 victory at the Ecco Arena. Lewis Kerr top scored for the hosts with 14 whilst Berwick’s Chris Harris top scored with 8+1.
The meeting started in the best possible fashion for Redcar as they hit a first heat 5-1 with Charles Wright exquisitely team riding Jason Edwards home under intense pressure from Chris Harris to give Redcar the perfect start. Berwick immediately hit back in heat 2 with their only 5-1 of the evening as their new recruit Jonas Knudsen took an impressive win with Nathan Stoneman claiming second despite early pressure from Jordan Jenkins.
Redcar retook their lead with a heat three 4-2 as Erik Riss glided around Jye Etheridge and with Kasper Andersen keeping Ricky Wells at the back, Redcar took a 2 point lead. Redcar’s second 5-1 of the meeting arrived in heat 4 as Lewis Kerr started off a fantastic evening with a big win with Jordan Jenkins joining the Brit to send Redcar 6 ahead.
Home heat advantages were the order of the day for the Bears as Riss took his second win with a titanic win over Harris. Riss gated but was passed by Harris at the end of the opening lap but Riss, not to be denied re-passed “Bomber” on lap 2 to take a fantastic win. Berwick steadied the ship with a heat 6 win courtesy of Leon Flint but with the Bears packing into second and third, the 8 point lead remained.
Kerr won heat 7 with an unbelievable divebomb up the inside of Etheridge to take a fantastic win but the lead remained at 8 as Berwick packed into second and third. Jenkins gated in heat 8 but the wily Theo Pijper passed the young reserve to keep Berwick within 8.
Gary Flint played his tactical substitute card in the shape of Harris but the Peterborough star packed up on the start line which prevented any form of away heat advantage. The Bandits Leon Flint continued his good night with another win over a Bears heat leader as he took the chequered flag ahead of Riss to keep Berwick within 8.
Redcar delivered a hammer blow to the Bandits hopes in heat 10 as Wright won comfortably from the gate with fantastic action behind him. Edwards initially held second until he was passed by Ricky Wells but the Redcar asset was not to be denied as he stormed up the inside of the Berwick man to send the home fans wild and send Redcar into a rarely seen 12 point home lead.
The 5th and 6th shared heats of the evening arrived in heats 11&12 with both Kerr and Riss taking impressive wins. Redcar secured the much needed home win in heat 13 as Wright won from the gate but Harris put an end to Kerr’s maximum chances with the Kings Lynn man having to settle for third.
The fast starting Dane, Knudsen took another solid win in heat 14 but Berwick’s slim chances of a consolation point were ended with Nathan Stoneman running a last. The final race of the night was another classic as Kerr took the win despite Bombers best efforts. Bomber passed Kerr in the closing stages of the opening lap but Kerr built his pace up on the outside and repaid the compliment in lap 3 to secure his 4th heat win of the evening.
Redcar co-promoter Jamie Swales was happy with his sides performance, “6 of the riders were on form tonight and apart from matches against Newcastle, that hasn’t happened this season. Kasper (Andersen) rode really well despite his points not reflecting his performance. Hopefully we have now turned the corner and we can kick on,”
Swales was also impressed with Jason Edwards as he continued his great season in Bears colours, “Jason keeps getting better, it was a really mature performance from him. Jason made a great, forceful pass in heat 10 to beat Ricky Wells and he is getting more and more home experience which is helping him.”
Redcar = 53
1. Charles Wright = 10+1
2. Jason Edwards = 7+3
3. Erik Riss = 12
4. Kasper Andersen = 5+1
5. Lewis Kerr = 13
6. Kyle Bickley = 0
7. Jordan Jenkins = 7+1
Berwick = 37
1. Chris Harris = 8+1
2. Theo Pijper = 5
3. Jye Etheridge = 5+1
4. Ricky Wells = 2+1
5. Leon Flint = 7
6. Jonas Knudsen = 8
7. Nathan Stoneman = 2+1
