THE Burnt Tree Bays take a welcome break from domestic competition when they entertain the Boston Barracudas in a second round Cup match at South Tees Motorsport Park tomorrow afternoon at 3pm.

Bays team manager Jason Pipe has made two changes to the line-up that lost recently to the Rye House Raiders.

Hartlepool-based Newcastle rider Ashley Johnson and Middlesbroughbased Jitendra Duffill replace Rusty Hodgson and the rider replacement rule. Johnson has been having outings with Newcastle in the Premier League but has found things tough going and should be able to make an impact at this level. Duffill has begun to show some form in second half rides and has been given an opportunity to impress. Hodgson had work commitments prior to last Friday's matches with Boston at King's Lynn, however the weather intervened and was called off on the lunchtime, saving a wasted trip to Norfolk. Pipe promised Johnson and Duffill three matches whilst Hodgson recovers from a series of falls that have cost him physically and financially.

BOSTON have signed York-based former 250cc British grasstrack champion, Paul Cooper. Cooper rides for Sheffield in the Premier League and was recently promoted into the main part of the team. It will be a tall order for the Bays to cope with a rider the standard of Cooper but the Bays are hoping for strength in depth. Adam McKinna, who returned from injury in the Rye House defeat should be able to muster more than the 3pts he scored on his return whilst Martin Emerson makes a welcome return to the reserve berth to pair up with Greg Blair, who is in outstanding form lately.

BURNT TREE BAYS Line-up: 1 Mark Burrows; 2 Gary Beaton; Jitendra Duffill; 4 Ashley Johnson; 5 Adam McKinna; 6 Martin Emerson; 7 Greg Blair.

SPECTATORS arriving early for tomorrow afternoon's Knockout Cup match against Boston have an extra incentive in doing so. The first 100 people through the gate will receive a brochure from the Bays team sponsor Burnt Tree Vehicle Solutions offering them an opportunity to hire a vehicle for a discounted rate. This is one of a number of initiatives that have seen the club and the company introduce to show some loyalty to those willing to reciprocate. Representatives from Burnt Tree and a number of others including Cleveland Police Driver Safety Training, Marske Site Services, Middlesbrough & Hartlepool Council were also in attendance in last week's dramatic last heat decider between the Redcar Bears and Stoke Potters.

THE scheduled Conference League fixture planned for Oxford on Sunday, June 17 has been cancelled. The senior team recently went out of business in the Elite League but four parties were interested in the club continuing at Conference League level. West Country businessman Allen Trump is the man behind the rescue package.

He is currently behind plans to reintroduce speedway to Exeter at Haldon Racecourse but in the meantime has proven a lifeline for Oxford supporters. No new date has been arranged for the Cleveland Bays fixture as yet.

Another big disappointment is the cancellation of the Bays trip to Rye House, Sunday July 1, the day after the British Grand Prix at Cardiff.

The senior team, Redcar Bears, are in Premier League action and the Bays were originally down to follow on after them but now the fixture has been changed to another Premier League encounter with Workington leaving a considerable number of supporters unhappy with such late changes.

ON a brighter note Bays teenage rookie Greg Blair currently sits in second place in the averages. The 16- year old from Jedbergh has made tremendous strides already this season and because of the strict rider gradings can continue if the reserve position for the remainder of the season. Competition is fierce amongst the team with just two points separating seven riders.