MIDDLESBROUGH Bears speedway team have a busy month ahead with a number of youth development and junior challenge fixtures to race.

The Bears have been invited to Berwick tomorrow and then compete in matches at Hull (Hull Magic) 20 August, Glasgow (Ashfield Giants) 24 August, Hull (Scunthorpe) September 3 and Buxton 14 September.

They are also hoping to rearrange matches at Newcastle (the original was postponed) and Sheffield (following a draw last week).

BERWICK-based Gary Flint was the star of the show for the Bears at Owlerton with two impressive victories and a second place before Luke Priest's first bend crash called a halt to proceedings at 10.30pm. It was decided to call the match a draw with one heat remaining. Flint has just signed for the Sheffield Prowlers and promoter Neil Machin must have been impressed with his new signing, even though he was riding for the Bears.

The Bears team manager Henry Atkinson found himself on overtime duty at Sheffield. Stoke arrived at Owlerton for a Premier League match without their team manager's licence so Henry was asked by Stoke promoter Dave Tattum if he would stand in for the meeting. It had been 31 years since Henry managed the Teessiders at Middlesbrough's Cleveland Park but the Elland-based 70-year old soon got to grips with the task ahead, though he couldn't prevent the Potters losing 55-35pts.

IT was a week of contrasting emotions for Bedale-based grass track rider Richard Hall. The Sheffield asset appeared for basement boys Hull Vikings for their home match against the Isle of Wight and failed to score from three rides and was told his services were no longer required. He was scheduled to appear for the Middlesbrough Bears at Sheffield but found himself promoted into reserve for his parent club against Stoke Potters and scored 8 paid 10pts from four rides. He then asked to be withdrawn from his rides against the Sheffield Prowlers due to exhaustion. His request granted Shrewsbury-based grasstracker Luke Priest took his rides and riding so impressively with a win and a second place before his crash in the final heat brought proceedings to a premature halt.

BAD news for Jonathan Bethell who dislocated his shoulder in a three rider pile-up whilst riding for Buxton against Rye House on Sunday. The Kendal-based rider had laid his bike down to avoid the stricken Steve Boxall but the rider behind Bethell did not react quick enough and his machine struck him.

MORE bad news as locally based Chris Hunter has parted company with the club due to Conference League commitments with his parent club Peterborough Pumas.

Hunter was in fantastic form in the East Riding Cup matches at the beginning of the season but has found it hard to combine matches with Peterborough and Middlesbrough.

The Bears team manager Henry Atkinson said: "We would like to thank Chris for his efforts on our behalf and wish him well for the future. We understand he has just been promoted at work and was finding it harder to combine the number of matches we wanted him to ride in. He would be welcome back at some point if his situation changed.".

FORMER Middlesbrough riders Mark Fiora and Rob Woffinden are currently visiting England from Australia. Fiora, affectionately nicknamed 'Felix', rode for the club between 1985 & 1988 before injury curtailed his career and now works in the family brick business in Adelaide. 'Wuffy' emigrated to Australia a decade ago and is staying with family in Scunthorpe, his son Ty is being chased by a host of British clubs.

The match at Berwick on Saturday takes place immediately following the Berwick/Reading Premier League match which starts at 7pm prompt. A four man Bears team will race Berwick's juniors over six heats:

The Bears will line-up as follows: 1 Steve Jones, 2 John Branney, 3 Benji Compton or Mike Pickering (TBC), 4 Scott Nettleship.