The Bears' management have moved to cover the absence of injured French star Mathieu Tresarrieu by drafting in experienced German rider Robbie Kessler.

Robbie has been with the Stoke Potters in recent seasons and was an effective points-scoring visitor to the South Tees Motorpark for the Staffordshire club in 2006.

Mathieu is back home receiving treatment for a broken collarbone sustained in a crash at Glasgow on April 15th and hopes to be fit to ride in the World Under-21 Championship Qualifying Round at Rye House Speedway on Saturday May 12th.

With Robbie coming in at number four the Bears can dispense with the rider replacement facility and field seven riders. Jason Lyons of the Birmingham Brummies is drafted in as a guest replacement for the injured Gary Havelock.1.

Their opponents at the Motorpark on Thursday evening at 7.30pm will be the Glasgow Tigers in a vital Premier Trophy North fixture. For the Bears were leading the group until the visit to Glasgow on April 15th when the loss of Mathieu Tresarrieu and talismatic skipper Gary Havelock to hospital meant a 56-37 defeat and 19 aggregate points to claw back.

Then an accumulation of mishaps last Thursday saw a 42-48 home defeat to Newcastle. So Glasgow are now in the driving seat to top the group with the Bears determined to make up for lost ground.

The Scottish side have a formidable top two in the shape of Australian Shane Parker and Czech Republic International George Stancl. Both gave Glasgow the Premier League Pairs Championship in 2005.

They are backed up in the top five by the lively young Aussies Robert Ksiezak and Trent Leverington alongside Lee Smethills who assisted the Bears at the closure of the 2006 season.

REDCAR BEARS:
1. Jason Lyons
2. Daniel Giffard
3. James Grieves (C)
4. Robbie Kessler
5. Chris Kerr
6. Jamie Courtney
7. Rusty Hodgson
Team Manager: Chris Van Straaten
GLASGOW TIGERS:
1. George Stancl
2. Trent Leverington
3. Shane Parker (C)
4. Robert Ksiezak
5. Lee Smethills
6. Lee Dicken
7. To be confirmed
Team Manager- Stewart Dickson

Redcar Bears skipper Gary Havelock was released from hospital in Glasgow last Thusday lunchtime. He was collected by James Grieves and reunited with his family in Middlesbrough that afternoon.

The former World Champion broke two ribs and suffered lung and kidney damage in a heat fourteen crash at Glasgow when riding off a 15 metre handicap as a tactical substitute.