Home Win in Entertaining Battle
v Berwick, Posted 20/08/04

If ever the BSPA need proof that you don't need a close score for a good meeting then this meeting surely would do it. Berwick made it harder for the Tigers than the scoreline may suggest and the fans were treated to a meeting with plenty passing and good entertainment value.

With threatening rain there was no parade, Berwick began the meeting well. Rymel was pressed all the way by Stancl in heat 1 but took the victory. This was followed by a heat advantage for the Bandits in heat 2, a race awarded after Cockle-already off 15m after breaking the tapes-fell unchallenged on the third lap. Cartwright fell on the first lap of heat 3 but cleared the track to allow the race to continue and Francs victory meant that Berwick unexpectedly held the upper hand after 3 races.

The action in heat 4 was all in the race for second place with a tremendous battle between Carrillo and Pietraszko passing and counterpassing. The young American got the better on the final bend.

Rymel showed he was a formidable opponent rounnd Ashfield by blasting away from the Glasgow pairing in heat 5 to ensure a share of the points. Another faller in heat 6 with Pietraszko falling at the end of the second lap whilst second after coming under pressure from the start from McAllan.

Parker and Franc produced another epic battle in heat 7, the Bandit seeming to have the upper hand until Parker executed an inch perfect pass round the outside on the fourth bend. the support act of Cockle and Cartwright also did their best with Cockle getting the best of Cartwright on the second bend of the third lap. An excellent race all round.

A shared heat 8, surprisingly from the gate was followed by a Glasgow advantage in heat 9 after Grieves past Pietreszko on the opening lap.

Franc was understandably brought in as a TR in heat 10 ad the crowd were to be treated to another tremendous race. Franc gated superbly and it looked all over but no-one told Stancl. he stormed after the Bandit and the two of them gave an excellent exhibition of tactical riding. franc made no mistakes but somehow Stancl managed to perform a phenomenal outside pass at the end of the third lap to take the lead. Unbelieveable!

Rymel was given the tough task of a TR in heat 11 against Parker but the action in thei one was at the back with the battle between Cockle and Kristensen, again passing and re-passing. A good race from the Glasgow novice but unfortunately he made an error on the final bend allowing Kristensen through for third spot.

Still the racing wasn't finished and heat 12 saw Smethills come through for a fine pass on Carrillo on the line to take second place. Gating was not high on the Tigers list of attributes tonight and Parker was to be last out of the gate in heat 13. It took two laps to pass Rymel but only another one to get past Pietraszko and ensure another 5-1 for the Tigers.

There was yet more entertainment still to come. Heat 14 was to provide two superb races in one. Smethills led Grieves, Franc led Cockle. Both Glasgow men were playing catch up and whilst Greives was obviously all over Smethills, Cockle was a bit less obvious in the way he was lining up Franc. On the final lap Grieves pressure paid off an he was able to cut inside him on the backstraight and take the lead. At almost exactly the same time, Cockle executed a neat pass of Franc on the second bend, a pass missed by most of the crowd, and held on to claim third place.

Birthday boy Stancl stormed out of the gate in heat 15 and was never going to be caught. Rymel had gated in second but Shane Parker picked him off on the second lap to ensure his paid maximum.

An excellent entertaining meeting, well worth the entrance money

The scorecard and heat details can be found here.

Tiger Points:

George Stancl	*****	Full marks for the heat 10 pass alone!
David McAllan	***	Quiet but scored well
Paul Bentley	***	Again quiet but scored well
James Grieves	****	Another good performance
Shane Parker	****	More of what we expect from Shane
James Cockle	***	Gutsy performance after slow start
Eric Carrillo	***	Quiet but still good points haul from a reserve