Burza recall hurts Berwick at Glasgow.

Berwick were hit before this match even started with the news very late on Saturday night that new Pole, Stanislaw Burza had been called back to Poland for a match in his home Country on Sunday.

Meaning the situation, which was completely out of Berwick Speedway's hands left a large hole in the side at number 1, and according to the rules, the only facility to cover his absence was a direct replacement with a Conference League standard rider, and Bandit's reserve Craig Branney's brother John Branney stood in at number 1, and as it turned out, it was too-deep a deep end to be dumped in head first for him, and despite a spirited performance, he only managed 1 point.

Thankfully Berwick's qualification for the Premier Trophy had long evaporated, for had anything rested on this match it would have then been a major disappointment. Never-the-less a closer result would have been more acceptable.

Following an opening 4-2, worse was to come in Heat 2 despite a great gate by Warwick for Berwick, only for firstly Cockle to pass him on lap 2, and then Aussie Ksiezak to do likewise half a lap later. 5-1 (9-3). This gap was reduced by 4 points following a second unsatisfactory start with Tiger Ksiezak moving before the tapes went up. In the re-run Smethills was out like a rocket and well in control, and despite a pass by Ksiezak over Makovsky, the Berwick Czech hit back hard to regain 2nd for a 1-5 (10-8).

A 4-2 in Heat 4 took the score to 14-10, before Heat 5 was another deemed unsatisfactory and pulled back as Meldrum fell, but was ok. In the re run it was Meldrum from star to finish. 3-3 (17-13). Despite a vigorous challenge fro, Bergstrom behind McAllan, it was the Tiger who held 2nd behind Bird for another 5-1 (22-14) in Heat 6, a performance repeated in 7 by Parker expertly nursing Ksiezak to a win over the powerful pair of Makovsky and Smethills. (27-15).

Meldrum was nominated a tactical ride in Heat 8, but could only gain 2 doubled up to 4 by passing Cockle on bend 2 of the opening lap. 4-4 (31-19) which was followed up by a magnificent gate from Warwick over Bird in Heat 9, but by the end of the opening bends, following an error from Warwick, Bird was flying high out in front for a 4-2 (35-21).

The monotony of the unsatisfactory starts with another in Heat 10 with McAllan moving, and then a second call back with McAllan's clutch giving up the ghost and laying him low on the track bizarrely at the tapes with an apparent injury, due it was announced later, to an electric shock received from his bike resulting in the on-track collapse. Once they finally got started it was Makovsky and Smethills who grabbed another 5 over the Tigers (36-26).

With the referee's patience worn out a warning had been officially issued that any more movement at the gate would be considered an excludable starting gate offence. In Heat 11 Meldrum moved and was placed accordingly on a 15m handicap. 5-1 to the Tigers (41-27).

Another cracking gate from Warwick in Heat 12 saw him again passed by both Tigers for a 3-3 with Smethills winning well, (44-30). This was proceeded by an easy home 5-1 (49-31) in Heat 13 followed up by Makovsky coming out as a tactical ride in 14 and winning well for 6 points in a 3-6 (52-37), the climactic Heat 15 another easy 5-1 for the Tigers ending the match in the rain, by a score of 57-38.

"There were some good highlights," said Berwick Promoter Peter Waite on his journey home to the Borders, "But there were sadly too few to make us look a good as those good moments. We have a very busy period coming up soon, and it's all in the league, so now this Trophy is out of the way it's time for us all to really knuckle down for success."