Berwick Bandits v Edinburgh Monarchs

EDINBURGH completed a weekend double over Berwick to go to the top of their Championship Jubilee League group.

The Monarchs won 46-44 at Shielfield Park on Saturday, coming back from ten points down with five races remaining to take the meeting with a last-heat 5-1 from Sam Masters and Josh Pickering.

Masters scored a paid maximum (14+1) and Pickering collected 15+1, as they teamed up for two 5-1s and a 4-2 in the closing stages. Theo Pijper scored 8+2 for the Bandits.

Monarchs racer Kye Thomson said: “I couldn’t get into things early, but I made a great gate in my last to finish on a win.

“When you have Sam and Josh, those boys were unreal, and it keeps everyone going as well as we are never out of it.

“This has been a big weekend for us, and we are right in this competition.”

Berwick boss Gary Flint said: “While you could pick out individual moments – such as Nathan’s (Stoneman) Heat 2 ride, Leon (Flint) leading Sam Masters for three laps, another good display from Jonas (Knudsen) – in the end it’s another disappointing home result.

“Edinburgh rely heavily on their top two and they delivered big style, especially in the key heats.”

BERWICK 44: Theo Pijper 8+2, Charles Wright 7+1, Leon Flint 7+1, Jonas Knudsen 7, Jye Etheridge 6+2, Ricky Wells 5+1, Nathan Stoneman 4.
EDINBURGH 46: Josh Pickering 15+1, Sam Masters 14+1, Kasper Andersen 6, James Sarjeant 5+1, Kye Thomson 4, Lee Complin 2, Jacob Hook 0.

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Photo credit: Keith HAMBLIN