Devils Battle In Defeat

A new era for the Armadale Devils started in encouraging fashion despite going down to a ten point defeat at Shielfield to the Berwick Bullets.

The Stellar Devils making a return to the 3rd tier of British speedway for the first time in 15 years were no where near disgraced at one of the title favourites and with a little more poise may have been heading home with a point for their efforts.

Star of the show was reserve George Rothery forced into 7 rides after an unfortunate accident for Gregor Millar in his first ride the Cumbrian raced to paid 13 including a heat win in heat 14 and was happy with his nights work saying after 'I'm pretty happy with how I rode and the points I scored, my gating set-up was wrong to start but I got it sorted as the night went on and it's always nice to finish the night with a win.

'It was a solid performance by the team and its good to get the first match in we can be happy with that and we'll try and overturn them at home'

It looked like it may be a long night for Rothery and his team mates as the Bullets flexed their muscles early doors taking the chequered flag in all of the first 4 heats building up a 10 point lead.

This also came at a cost to the Devils as Gregor Miller looped at the start of heat 2 and was forced from the rest of the match with an upper leg injury.

Devils number 1 Nathan Greaves slowed the tide in heat 5 and the Armadale men had their first heat advantage of the new era in heat 6 when Danny Phillips bested home number 1 Leon Flint, Rothery tucking into 3rd for the 4-2.

The gap was never less than 8 but the Devils stuck to their tasks trading heat wins with the home men.

Heat 10 undoubtedly heat of the night as the Devils gated on a 4-2 over Flint the home man not to be denied though cutting under Tom Woolley entering lap 3 this taking place while Lewis Millar also did very well to hold off Ryan McDonald at the back.

The next heat probably saw the end of the Devils hopes of stealing a point as Greaves came to grief on the last lap while leading this 4 point swing proving costly in the long run.

The Devils would finish strongly though and the ten deficit was no disgrace on a night both teams can take positives from.

Berwick Bullets 50: Flint 11, MacDonald 4, Blair 8, Rathbone 3+2, Bickley 12, Douglas 6+1, Watson 6

Armadale Devils 40: Greaves 10, Davies 1, Woolley 9, L Millar 2+1, Phillips 7, Rothery 11+2, G Millar 0