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Luke here 22 August 2026 News George Dodds A further update to the R.E.D Bandits, powered by STS line-up for… There’s something especially sweet when victory comes against all odds. Cherry on top of the marzipan added when it is dug out from a seemingly hopeless position. On nights like this legends are created. And markers laid down for semi-finals yet to come. Trailing by six points after seven heats, our tactical substitution burned and only Nick Morris able to take the chequered flag, many of those in the crowd not wearing Redcar colours were looking at damage limitation as a reasonable outcome on a tricky night. After all we had gone into the evening less R.E.D and more black-and-blue Bandits. Morris – himself sidelined earlier in the week after a huge crash at Northampton – is in the sort of form we enjoyed in 2017 and subsequently suffered from in various colours until his two years on the sidelines. The last few weeks he has been untouchable at Championship level but the fear was, as at Armadale the previous night, it was to be all in vain. Without being disrespectful to what was a sensational performance – the first five-ride maximum by a full-time Bandit since 2022 – he was our gilt-edged banker on the night. Nick’s out? Mark down three points. Not always fastest to the first bend but never headed down the back straight, the big question was could we find anyone to cash-in on his total dominance? Initially the answer was no. Jye Etheridge took care of Charles Wright in the opening heat but couldn’t catch Jody Scott, Reid Battye was beaten on the run to the line by Simon Lambert in heat two, Palovaara split Jake Allen and Jody Scott in the rerun heat three, reserve Dayle Wood hitting the deck under challenge from Allen with the Bandits initially leading from the tapes. Allen won the rerun, the third successive Redcar 4-2. Morris then unveiled his plan for the night by teaming up with Battye for a heat four 5-1 but again the imbalance caused by absentees saw another pair of 4-2s re-establish Redcar’s six point lead. Palovaara was given the TS ride in seven only to be left badly at the tapes, unable to support Morris. But the spark to light the flame was hiding just around the corner. Battye again provided it, joining Etheridge to leave Allen and Pijper trailing in the distance but was then headed home by Jason Edwards for yet another Redcar 4-2. An obviously unfit Palovaara pulled up at the back before heading for the ambulance and withdrawing from the meeting, a back injury rather than elbow the problem but with three rides completed a request to use IRR to cover his last ride was rejected by referee Simon Humphrey-Kennett. Battye’s third ride in a row saw him show bravery off the second bend to round Scott and Allen and join Etheridge at the front for a 5-1 which levelled the scores. Spectacularly but with minimal fuss, Morris took care of sharing 11 and the fightback seemed to have energised the Berwick side of the pits. Jack Smith found speed from the traps and traded places with Lambert, the wily old Bears’ reserve needing every bit of his vast experience to fend off him and Battye in 12. Morris had the measure of Wright with something to spare in 13 but the key move of the evening was happening half a straight behind him as Luke Killeen pulled a sweet cutback and sailed past Edwards, his golden point putting the home side ahead for the first time. Battye will probably never put more effort into not passing a rider in his career but no matter what line he tried there weas no way past Allen, Lambert’s third place levelling the scores again. Another seven rides, another 13 points (paid 17), surely the signing of the season. He’s going to struggle to have a quiet coffee around town this week! As will Morris and Etheridge – the other members of the Land Down Under TD15 settlement – after they drove Berwick to victory in a memorable heat 15. Wright has taken part in some corkers here over the years and won more than his share. But not this time. The Bandits’ pairing came off the second bend in front, Etheridge holding up Wright for long enough to see his team-mate off into the distance and then concentrated on making sure that Allen stayed off the radar. The aggregate point went back to Cleveland but that didn’t matter. What does is that in two weeks’ time the teams line up again for the BSN Series semi-final second leg. Redcar – who must have travelled home feeling they had choked a great opportunity – will add Jake Mulford to their seven. His R/R outings yielded five points from three rides (Lambert was a reserve switch in the fourth). On the other side of the pits Berwick will, hopefully in an injury-punctured season, have Peter Kildemand and Jordan Jenkins back in tow. Their replacements managed one point from six rides. A fit Victor would have expected to score more than four points. Finding the extra 12 points suddenly doesn’t seem so pie in the sky does it? Bandits: Luke Killeen 1, Jye Etheridge 11, Victor Palovaara 4, Dayle Wood 0, Nick Morris 15, Jack Smith 2, Reid Battye 13+4 Bears: Charles Wright 10, R/R for Jake Mulford, Jody Scott 5+1, Jake Allen 10, Jason Edwards 8, Simon Lambert 11+1, Ace Pijper 1