Bandits are not "taking anything for granted" in final decider
10 Oct 2026 | 12:17
BERWICK’S Jye Etheridge has vowed his side are “not taking anything for granted” in the MAXiCab KO Cup final second leg.
The Bandits go to Plymouth tonight with a 26-point margin as they bid for their first team silverware for over 30 years, live on BSN.
But Etheridge is well aware that big leads can count for nothing, especially after his ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Play-Off semi-final scare for Sheffield at Leicester last week.
He admitted: “We are not going to Plymouth with a lead, that’s not in our mindset.
“We have to go there to win the meeting like we would in any other situation. We are not taking anything for granted that’s for sure.
“Obviously with myself, Nick Morris and Stewart Dickson involved in the meeting at Leicester and Sheffield, we know that any lead means it’s not over.
“There’s no reason why Plymouth can’t make it difficult for us at their place like we did to them at home.
“But we know we now have to be on our top form for Plymouth. It’s our last meeting of the season but it’s a big one.
“We’ve not won it yet but we go there with the belief to get the job done.
“There’s a Berwick bus going down, there’s people flying down, driving and going by train.
“I’ve got my neices are coming down with their parents in the car. It’s a massive meeting for the club and the town.
“It’s been over 35 years since our last major team KO Cup win. Mark Courtney was riding for the Bandits then and now his son Jamie runs Berwick. So it means a lot to them as well.
“Obviously all this comes with a bit of pressure as well. We need to get the trophy, that’s for sure.”
Etheridge believes the Bandits are now in their best form ahead of the massive clash in Devon.
But he’s also slightly disappointed they didn’t reach the Cab Direct Championship Play-Offs as well.
He added: “Victor (Palovaara) had a difficult patch in the middle of the year but they’d just had a baby so it was a hectic time for him.
“But he’s ending the season really well and the whole team is on fire now.
“We’ve got a cracking team and everyone is loving the season we have had.
“We got a bit unlucky by not making the Play-Offs which was our first aim.
“I think we are a threat for any team in the league because of our home advantage. We can get big scores at home which can help you win any trophy over two legs.
“But we’ve been depleted throughout the season. It was our away form that suffered the most with that. We needed a couple of wins away but it didn’t come off obviously.
“However now our focus is bringing home some silverware on Saturday night. That would be an amazing finish to the season.”
Words by Phil Lanning.
Images by Taylor Lanning.
