BIRMINGHAM will take an eight-point lead to Shielfield Park on Saturday after a fascinating first-leg clash with Berwick at Perry Barr.

The BRC Roofing Brummies looked set to be building a big advantage when they raced into an early 17-7 lead - but a mid-meeting Bandits fightback left the home side pleased to finish with a 4-2 and a 5-1 to have a lead to defend.

Berwick took big points from Heat 8 when their skipper Adrian Rymel rode as a tactical substitute from a 15-metre handicap and took advantage of Tomasz Piszcz going wide on the first bend - the only saving grace for the Brummies being that Rymel and team-mate Richard Sweetman inexplicably failed to swap places and therefore scored seven points rather than eight.

That setback aside, Piszcz was excellent again along with skipper Jason Lyons and Craig Watson, and Lee Smart stepped up to win Heat 14 after previously struggling.

Guest Krister Jacobsen took a good third place as the Brummies moved four points up, and their Heat 15 task was made easier when Rymel crashed awkwardly on the second bend. Lyons and Watson made no mistake in the re-run to leave the Brummies eight-up at the end of the night.

BRC ROOFING BRUMMIES: Jason Lyons 14, Craig Watson 13+3, Tomasz Piszcz 11, Krister Jacobsen 7, Lee Smart 3, Jay Herne 2+1, Kyle Legault r/r.

BERWICK: Adrian Rymel 14+1, Michal Makovsky 9, Guglielmo Franchetti 7+2, Richard Sweetman 7, Paul Clews 4+2, Scott Smith 1+1, Tero Aarnio r/r.