Berwick Bullets take to the track for the last time after decision to close team

Mason Watson will captain his home-town club Berwick Bullets in their last ever meeting on Saturday. Picture: Nia Martin

Heavy overnight rain left Shielfield Park waterlogged last weekend, leading to the postponement of the visit of Belle Vue Colts.

The meeting was rearranged for this Saturday and in the continued absence of regular skipper Greg Blair, it is Watson who will spin the coin before the Bullets take to the track for the final time.

It is a neat piece of symmetry as when the team took to the track for the first time in May 2021, the Bullets were led by another Berwick-born racer, Leon Flint.

Flint has since claimed two British age-group championships, raced as reserve in the British Grand Prix and established himself as one of the country’s top talents, in addition to captaining the Championship Bandits this year.

Watson was part of the side that beat Edinburgh in that 2021 opener and, along with fellow reserve Kieran Douglas, provides a link spanning the brief history of the development side.

With Connor Coles joining Blair on the injury list and Steve Boxall suspended it will be a patched-up Berwick side.

Oxford’s Luke Killeen and former Berwick Academy junior Luke Harrison had been due to guest on Saturday but with Harrison’s Championship side Redcar now racing at Glasgow in a postponed league play-off fixture that afternoon the home side will have to look elsewhere.

“There will be some mixed emotions on Saturday night,” Watson admitted.

“I am very proud to be asked to captain my home-town team, but it will be sad to see the Bullets disband after this last meeting.

“It has been a great team to be a part of with Scott and Jamie Courtney, Steve Dews, Gary Flint and Kevin Little all on hand to help and advise us.

“I know teams we race are envious of the support given to them by not just the management but the senior riders at Berwick.”

Despite success on-track – runners-up in 2021 and play-off semi-finalists last year – the Bullets failed to attract viable support leading to the announcement by club owners Scott and Jamie Courtney there would not be a fourth season in the third tier.