Battered Bandits face three meetings in three days

The Borderers, already without injured Claus Vissing, saw Mathias Thörnblom and guest Liam Carr both crash out during their at-times controversial 41-42 home defeat at the hands of Sheffield on Saturday.

Captain Kevin Doolan was also left feeling the worse for wears after a heat nine spill when he was left with nowhere to go when Jason Garrity locked up in front of him.

Doolan managed to ride at Newcastle on Sunday, but says he is now likely to miss the meetings at Ipswich on Thursday and Scunthorpe on Friday. He hopes to be back on Saturday for the home meeting against Somerset.

“I have aggravated an old back injury,” said Doolan, “and I have found in the past that the only thing that helps is complete rest.”

Thomblom is also likely to miss the Thursday and Friday meetings, but like Doolan hopes to be back for Saturday.

For Thursday at Ipswich, Bandits have drafted in three guests in the shape of Richie Worrall, Theo Pijper and Luke Bowen.

Club spokesman Dennis McCleary said: “I don’t think I can ever remember a season in all the 48 years I’ve followed, or worked for the Bandits that the club has suffered so many injuries to key riders.”