Fans frustrated as Bandits lose six in a row at home

The Bandits lost their sixth successive home meeting 37-56 to the Rebels in a performance which seemed to lack any fight and it was a display which raised many questions through social media.

Considering the club’s current plight - the management have indicated they are looking for help running the sport on Tweedside or a new buyer . . . or face possible closure - some even suggested it was a case of throwing in the towel.

But promoter John Anderson responded by stipulating that he hopes his side can get back to winning ways again “before the shutters come down on the 2015 season.”

In what proved to be another difficult week for the Borderers, they went down 60-30 at Ipswich on Thursday before taking a losing bonus point from a 49-44 reverse at Scunthorpe on Friday, when guest rider Ryan Fisher won five of his six races in a 17-point haul.

Mathias Thomblom, who had been injured the week previous at Shielfield, missed the Ipswich meeting but returned to the side at Scunthorpe.

Unfortunately he fell and aggravated his shoulder and neck and was forced to sit out meeting against the Rebels.

Bandits now hope the Swede will be able to return to the saddle this weekend when Berwick face another three meetings in three days.

On Friday they travel to Edinburgh, for what will be another very difficult fixture. And on Saturday and Sunday they face successive home and away meetings against Workington.

BERWICK BANDITS 37

SOMERSET REBELS 56

Struggling Berwick went down to their sixth successive home defeat as Somerset picked up maximum points in their march to another play-off place at Shielfield on Saturday.

In truth, this was another toothless performance from the Bandits, who in effect were only a three man team.

Already using rider replacement for Claus Vissing, Coty Garcia and reserves Alex Edberg and Richard Hall only beat one opposition rider in 13 starts between them, and this put the home side at a distinct disadvantage.

They were 2-10 down after the first two races, 12 down at 6-18 after four and it was obvious at this early stage a heavy defeat was on the cards.

Somerset, with five of their six riders all ramming in paid double figure returns, went on to record no fewer than ten race winners, and ten heat advantages, which made their eventual 19-point victory seem oh so comfortable.

This was another night when Berwick were simply beaten out of the starts, and on a track which produced fast, smooth racing, but little in way of passing, the visitors just gated and powered their way to an emphatic win.

Thomas Jorgensen, who has been a shining light for Berwick for most of the season, won three of his six starts, including one as a double-pointed tactical ride in heat six, and with guest Theo Pijper backing him up with two wins, and skipper Kevin Doolan scoring every time he was out without taking the chequered flag, at least some of the Bandits tried to make a fight of it.

But against a Rebels side who appeared to be firing on all cylinders, this just wasn’t enough.

The closest Berwick got was to close the gap to seven points at 16-23 after heat six, but with only one other home heat advantage after that, in nine, it wasn’t enough to prevent a near complete capitulation’ with Somerset providing four of the last five race winners, the exception being Jorgensen in heat 15.