Ouch!

I’m still a bit sore after smashing into the Sheffield air fence last week.

Still, all a bit my own fault quite honestly.

I was chasing hard in third place and was hurtling to try and get into second. The track was a tad tricky but I was busting a gut, probably trying a bit too hard. Bang!

I took my final ride after being excluded in that one but quite honestly I was already feeling sore, having taken a big bang on the knee.

Two big meetings for me as a guest rider for Poole against Somerset on Good Friday, which I was really looking forward to, were shelved as I called up Poole promoter Matt Ford to say there was no way I could do them.

I don’t like calling off, but it was the right decision. The next morning not only was my knee very sort, but I had obviously suffering a bit of whiplash and my neck was stiff too.

I only needed one of my arms to stiffen up and I would have been walking round the house like one of those Cybermen in Dr Who!

It never entered my head not to ride for the Witches on Saturday night against Peterborough though.

I was still sore, but at Ipswich now we have a masseur.

Kerry, of KW Massage in the town has been our masseur for a while and she is brilliant.

All the riders take her up on her offer of a massage before, and often, after meetings. She has made a big difference to our preparation and, yes, I will use my column as an advertisement for her... Because she is superb.

In fact I had a massage before and after the Peterborough meeting, especially on my neck and it must have helped as I got a 15-point maximum.

But don’t let those 15 points fool you, I was struggling.

Still, the boys got a good win, Peterborough made the track look twice as tricky as it actually was and we all went home happy.

It was another big Saturday night crowd and we will be racing at home this Saturday too.

On Easter Sunday my front room was taken over by chocolate!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the odd chocolate (although I’m not that keen on them).

But Casey and Logan - and more’s the point the wife, Clara, love chocolate. As if the boys didn’t get enough eggs from the Easter Bunny, Clara, who is a teacher, was given loads of eggs from her pupils at her school!

We had Easter Eggs everywhere.

It’s just as well Ritchie (Hawkins) didn’t get wind of it, because he would have been round to scoff some straightaway!

Instead of chocolate, I had about four baths on Sunday to try and ease the pain in my knee and neck. We’re getting there... Slowly!

At Peterborough on Easter Monday we were all left a bit frustrated by not picking up a victory against the Panthers.

Although I was far from 100%, I was ok and Peterborough isn’t a difficult track to race on. It’s big and fast and not too technical.

I wasn’t happy with my first two rides, but won my next two before me and Rory (Schlein) could only draw the last race and the Panthers won by two.

There were hundreds of Witches fans there and thanks for your brilliant support. You seriously are some of the very best in the country.

Yes, we were disappointed to lose, but we got a point and we must take all the positives we can from the meeting – and there were plenty.

None more so than the performance of Cameron Heeps.

He was flying round Alwalton and I know Ritchie had a tough decision leaving him out of the final heat.

Cam was looking so quick out on track, but I think Ritchie felt it was up to me and Rory, as senior riders, to take the pressure of that final race.

So, we head to Redcar tonight and another league clash.

I was riding at Poole last night for Coventry. I’m writing this on the way to the meeting and I’m certainly feeling much less sore as the days have gone on.

But back to Redcar. They have a real bunch of racers in their side, Jason Garrity, Ben Barker and Charles Wright. They lost at home heavily to Peterborough, but then went and won at Scunthorpe on Monday. They are sure to be a bit hit and miss, but they are a very dangerous side.

Let’s hope we get the better of them this week.

See you Saturday. Remember children go free on Saturday night. See you there

DANNY

AS TOLD TO MIKE BACON