It'S Friday night speedway at Queensway Meadows this week when the Newport Wasps race the Berwick Bandits in the first of a Premier League double bill, with tapes up from 7.30pm.

Both sides have revamped their teams in recent weeks, with Charlie Gjedde having started the season with the Borders side but transferring to Newport and posting an impressive unbeaten five-ride maximum on his debut last Saturday.

The teams will meet again at Berwick’s Shielfield Park Stadium this Saturday night.

The Bandits management have drafted in two young Swedish riders, with the number one spot now in the capable hands of former Swindon Robin Sebastian Alden.

Alex Edberg has been signed as a temporary replacement for injured rider Hynek Stichauer after having impressed on UK tours with Team Viking. He is regarded as one of his nation’s most promising young riders.

The visitors have a very solid look about them, with the experienced Czech Republic international Josef Franc and the gritty Yorkshireman Lee Complin able to give good scoring support to Alden at the top end of the team, while Australian Kozza Smith is a top second string.

And the Bandits reserves – Kiwi Jade Mudgway and Aussie Mitchell Davey – know their way around Queensway Meadows.

But Newport are on a high after thumping high-flying Glasgow 57-37 at home last Saturday.

Team manager Kevin Brown is now seeking consistency.

“There is no doubt that the recent signings of Jason Doyle, Justin Sedgmen and Charlie Gjedde have made an immediate impact,” he said. “But we cannot afford to be complacent. There is a lot to do yet in order to ensure that we continue to climb the league table.

“Berwick have also put together a competitive team and will be up for a scrap. We need to try to maximise our points return both at home and away this weekend.”

NEWPORT ‘MIKE MANNING AUDIO’ WASPS: From Robin Aspegren, Jason Doyle, Charlie Gjedde, Mark Jones, Todd Kurtz, Leigh Lanham (Captain), Justin Sedgmen

BERWICK BANDITS: From Sebastian Alden, Lee Complin (Captain), Mitchell Davey, Alex Edberg, Josef Franc, Jade Mudgway, Kozza Smith.

- More riders have been confirmed for the Welsh Open Championship on the afternoon of Sunday, June 26.

Former winner Kevin Doolan of Ipswich and Australia plus Great Britain’s James Wright, who rides for both Workington in the Premier League and Birmingham in the Elite League, will join the already confirmed pair of David Howe (Scunthorpe/GB)  and Ryan Fisher (Coventry/USA) in the line-up from 1pm.

This annual event follows the staging of the British round of the World Speedway Championship at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, the night before and traditionally attracts fans from home and abroad.

Fans can make it a bumper speedway weekend in South Wales, especially with Newport Speedway also having a National League fixture between the Hornets and the Dudley Heathens on the Friday evening before the big Saturday event.