Tapes Up: Early slump by Diamonds in League Cup

Thank you to the media team at Newcastle Diamonds Speedway, for providing the post and photo.

Diamonds Slump Early On But Make Bandits Fight For League Cup Points By Final Race

Sponsored in 2012 by Sapphire Engineering & Darrian Properties

Berwick Bandits 50
Newcastle Diamonds 43
(League Cup)

Smarting from a sizeable defeat in the League Cup at Newcastle last Sunday, the Berwick Bandits were keen to redress the balance in last night's return fixture at Shielfield Park.

Ricky Ashworth warmed a bitterly cold night up magnificently in Heat One, squeezing between both Mark Lemon and Christian Henry coming off bend two to lead and share the heat 3-3, but Alex Edberg and Lubos Tomicek in the second jetted away from the gate to take a decisive 5-1 over the usually dominant Worrall twins moving the score to 8-4.

Sebastian Alden and Tomicek again made a startling gate in Heat Four to hammer home another unopposed 5-1 with Stuart Robson falling on lap two and retiring before the end with the Bandits well in control 15-9.

Lee Complin, Berwick's skipper shocked the crowd as well as Henry and Lemon in Heat Five by missing the gate completely and struggled to get past his partner David Bellego, but on the entrance to the last lap he wound on the power, took third and eased round Henry off bend two and caught Lemon unawares and rounded him too off the final bend to take a sensational three points, the score now 18-12.

Another Ashworth win in the sixth in a 4-2 was followed by a Heat Seven 5-1 to Alden and Edberg over a subdued Richie Worrall and Ludvig Lindgren which took the score to 27-15, which allowed Newcastle Diamonds' team manager George English to nominate Henry as a tactical ride for double points in Heat eight.

Henry made a speedy gate to lead with Richie Worrall behind, but Jason King is getting to know the faster lines at Shielfield now and he took the twin from behind with ease and chased hard on Henry, but the Diamond took the six points in the 2-7 which tightened the match 29-22.

A second consecutive win for Robson in Heat 11 saw him soar ahead of Complin as Lindgren took third over King for Newcastle to hit home a 2-4 and reduce the deficit again to 34-29, but a fine first and second bend from Ashworth and Alden to relegate Lemon and Robson to one point between them and snatch a match-winning 5-1, 45-36.

Team Manager George English said: "Mark was looking like he's getting more power out of his bike tonight which is pleasing to see and with that improvement, we all know there's a lot more to come. Christian can be an enigma at times, but if he goes out and scores like he did on the big track at Berwick tonight, then he can be as obtuse and unpredictable as he likes… no problem. The twins weren't their usual over-powering selves tonight - but we're not worried - we know they will do better than that in the other matches in 2012.

"Our comeback was good, and it's pleasing to see and proves we have a good fight in our belly when it's needed. Just disappointing we didn't get any League Cup points - which we deserved, in my opinion."