Berwick Bandits hit town Thursday!!

THE Pirtek Tigers go into Owlerton action as a team for the first time this season when they face Berwick on Thursday in the Premier Trophy (7.45pm) 2.45 est. On paper, they start as strong favourites against a Bandits side which is much-changed from the squad with finished an impressive second in last year's Premier League. However, the visitors will be fired-up for the meeting after being on the receiving end of a blast from Peter Waite who has been far from impressed with two home defeats so far - and has already threatened team changes. Ben Wilson hopes to make his return to the Tigers' line-up following treatment on the knee injury he picked up at King's Lynn last Wednesday, a problem which caused him to miss the trip to Workington last weekend. Wilson has been having intensive treatment, assisted by staff from Sheffield Utd FC, in a bid to be fit.Tigers promoter Neil Machin is taking nothing for granted, and said: "It will be good to get off the mark at home although we know there will be no room for complacency against Berwick. They have struggled so far, but if their new men click then they will be dangerous." PIRTEK TIGERS: Ricky Ashworth, Ben Wilson, Emiliano Sanchez, Kyle Legault, Andre Compton, Paul Cooper, Benji Compton. BERWICK: Adrian Rymel, David Meldrum, Lee Smethills, Michal Makovsky, Andreas Bergstrom, Danny Warwick, Craig Branney. *THURSDAY'S second half will feature a full-scale first team practice session due to the lack of track time so far as the riders carry out further work on set-ups.