Shell-shocked Redcar Bears team manager Jitendra Duffill says he won’t be hitting the panic button despite a disastrous start to the season.
The Ecco Finishing Bears crashed 56-36 at home to Workington Comets in the first leg of their A66 Trophy challenge.
They head across the country for the concluding leg at Derwent Park tonight (7pm start) and they’ll have to travel without captain Stuart Robson who was taken to hospital after a heavy fall when his chain snapped in heat seven on Thursday. Robson was left with concussion plus leg and arm injuries - he reported yesterday that he could put no weight on his left leg - but hospital tests revealed no breaks, so he is eyeing a swift return to the saddle.
Duffill will also be hoping Hugh Skidmore is quickly over the bout of tonsillitis that affected him on Thursday and that Jan Graversen is able to show his best form after blowing his first choice motor first time out.
“We got a really good beating on Thursday,” reflected Duffill. “It’s not nice to get beaten at home and especially to get beaten by so many. It was a tough start.
“But we’re not going to press the panic button just yet - it was the first meeting of the season.
“Obviously losing Stuart so early on was a big blow to us and we couldn’t really cover his rides - we didn’t pull any points back from that.”
It wasn’t all doom and gloom, however, and new No 1 Lasse Bjerre notched 14 points - including a tactical ride win - on his Media Prima Arena debut.
The highlight of his night, and that of the Bears supporters too no doubt, was when he came from behind to beat Rene Bach - the only time his fellow Dane failed to win all night.
Now Duffill is hoping Bjerre can keep it up at Derwent Park and beyond.
“Lasse was absolutely outstanding,” said the Bears boss.
“If he can carry that sort of form on for the rest of the season then we’re going to have an outstanding No 1 for the rest of the year.
“Matej Kus was on it all night as well, and Rafal Konopka did alright in his first meeting back and took a good scalp in Rusty Harrison.
“So there were some bright spots but certainly we’ve got a lot of work to do and we need to do a lot better than that.”
The big Derwent Park track hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Bears in recent years and tonight’s visit becomes even more daunting after the first leg.
“To be fair, Workington were absolutely superb at our place,” said Duffill, “and we can’t make too many excuses.
“We just need to take the opportunity now to get a bit of practice, take these rides and make sure we get all of these gremlins out of the way so we can hit the ground running when the League Cup starts next week.”
The Bears will operate rider replacement for Robson tonight while Workington could have Kenneth Hansen back.
Hansen missed the first leg after being told he probably had testicular cancer - but further tests have revealed nothing more serious than a cyst.
COMETS: Rene Bach, Nicki Barrett, Nathan Greaves, Kenneth Hansen, Rusty Harrison, Kyle Howarth, Ricky Wells.
BEARS: Lasse Bjerre, Jan Graversen, Rafal Konopka, Matej Kus, Ben Morley, Hugh Skidmore, R/R for Stuart Robson.
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