REDCAR Bears were handed the 'favourite' tag for the Premier League wooden spoon in pre-season and they don't look like shrugging that off any time soon after a very poor, yet predictable, start to the new season, writes Graeme Bailey.

The Bears' league campaign officially began on Thursday at the Media Prime Arena as Peterborough Panthers - led by Middlesbrough-based promoter Ged Rathbone, who has previously failed with attempts to get involved at Redcar - dished out a comprehensive 53-40 defeat.

Redcar drafted in former rider Stuart Robson as a guest to replace injured number one Lasse Bjerre, but he never looked likely to be an adequate replacement and that is how it turned out as he failed to win a race all evening, indeed only Hugh Skidmore, the home team's top rider on the evening with 13+1, and reserve Lee Payne managed to win a race.

Former Redcar number one Ulrich Ostergaard led the way for The Panthers with 12 points and it was more ex-riders who dealt out another defeat, this time at big spending Glasgow Tigers, on Sunday.

One time Bears number one Richard Lawson was unbeaten with 13+2 whilst former Redcar captain Aaron Summers was just as impressive with 13+1 - but unlike their previous defeat to Peterborough, the Teessiders showed some spirit and with three heats left trailed but just four points before two 5-1 maximums helped the home team to a 51-39 win.

Redcar's next meeting is a League Cup date with rivals Newcastle - who continued their impressive start to the new season with a comfortable 56-37 win over Workington Comets at Brough Park on Sunday with again Great Britain star Robert Lambert leading the way home.

Newcastle have been dealt one blow with the news that Finnish international Tero Aarnio will be sidelined for the foreseeable future after undergoing knee injury and they will need to make a decision on whether to sign a long-term replacement or not.

Newcastle co-promoter Alan Hedley said: “Tero was so looking forward to this season and this is a big blow to him personally as well as the team.

“Whether we bring in a short-term replacement or a longer-term solution depends on the availability of riders and the length of time that Tero will be out for, which at the moment is not known.”