THE Belle Vue ‘Cool Running’ Colts hope to bookend their NDL season with one final flourish when they travel to Berwick on Saturday, September 23, tapes up at 7pm.
The club had originally been down to race at Shielfield last weekend, but overnight rain and an inclement weather forecast saw those plans put on hold.
Both clubs moved swiftly to rearrange their final meeting, with the end of season looming, as the curtain comes down on the 2023 campaign for both teams.
The Cool Running Colts were disappointed to bow out of Play Off contention after suffering their first home defeat in two years at the hands of the Leicester Lion Cubs, despite their best efforts.
But they now focus on a positive end to their campaign as they prepare to journey to Shielfield with a 61-29 aggregate advantage, though short a few of their regular riders.
Luke Muff remains side-lined with a hand injury while Sam Hagon also misses out while recovering from a dislocated hip picked up at Edinburgh, and Matt Marson is also unavailable on the day
The Cool Running Colts operate rider replacement for Hagon, with all but James Pearson able to take his rides, while the unattached Ed Davison and Sam Woods step in to cover for Marson and Muff.
Similarly, Berwick also have a number of absentees as a result of injury, with Connor Coles and Greg Blair side-lined, Jamie Halder unavailable and Steve Boxall still under SCB suspension.
The Bullets will track R/R for Coles while Luke Crang, Senna Summers and Archie Freeman step into their team in place of Boxall, Halder and Blair.
Team boss Graham Goodwin said: “It’s been a long time coming and we were disappointed not to be able to run this meeting last week, but the great British weather can’t be helped.
“It has been a real challenge for both sides to ensure we track a competitive team for this meeting, and while it won’t have any impact on the Play Offs we’re still taking this as seriously as if it did.
“The boys have had a brilliant season and we’re still gutted that third place in the table wasn’t enough to see them contest for the title, but hopefully we can finish on a high.
“We have a very healthy aggregate lead and the boys are more than up for whatever the Bullets have in store for them and, hopefully, their best will be enough to secure three final league points.”
The ATPI Aces tackle the deciding leg of their Play Off Semi-Finals against Ipswich on Monday, September 25 at the National Speedway Stadium; tapes up at 7:30pm.
Meeting tickets, race day programmes and hospitality are available at bellevue-speedway.com/events. South car parking is sold out, but St. Peter’s School will be available on the day.
BERWICK V BELLE VUE – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 @ 7:00PM
Berwick ‘GHT’ Bullets: Luke Crang (G) 7.97, Senna Summers (G) 4.58, Archie Freeman (G) 6.33, Connor Coles R/R 7.79, Danny Phillips 6.80, Kieran Douglas 3.00, Mason Watson 3.46; TM: Kevin Little
Belle Vue ‘Cool Running’ Colts: James Pearson 8.67, Ed Davison (G) 5.81, Sam Hagon R/R 8.17, Freddy Hodder 5.81, Jack Smith 8.44, Jack Shimelt 3.00, Sam Woods (G) 3.00; TM: Steve Williams & Graham Goodwin
Aggregate Score: Berwick 29-61 Belle Vue
Image: Ian Charles