Reading Finalise the Win
v Reading, Posted 13/07/04

Glasgow had to go into the second half of this semi-final without Paul Bentley and using rider replacement. In all honesty though they had left themselves a mountain to climb after the home leg at Ashfield yesterday and it would tak e amajor surprise to deny the Racers a place in the final.

Right from the off Reading signalled their intentions with a 5-1 from the gate although Glasgow gained a 3-2 advantage in heat 2 after Blackman was excluded and Mills had an engine failure in the re-run.

Heats 3 and 4 were shared, from the gate, with a win apiece and although Reading were to gain a 4-2 in heat 5, it still looked possible for Glasgow to challenge.

Sadly heats 6 and 7 saw the Racers step up a gear and Glasgow had no answer to it. The resultant two 5-1's, the latter in an awarded race after Dicken fell at the back, basically finished off any hope Glasgow had.

Parker was brought in as a TR in heat 9 but failed to beat the impressive Morris and the shared heat was followed by another Reading 5-1 in heat 10.

Heat 11 saw Stancl in as a TR but although the heat advantage went Glasgow's way he could get no-where near the on form Zagar.

An engine failure for Schramm in heat 12 guaranteed a share of the points for the Tigers with Carrillo chasing Mills all the way but unable to capitalise.

The 'big' heat 13 certainly lived up to its billing in this one. Parker gated and seemed well wound up for this one. Zagar's form tonight though was immense and he clawed his way back before beating Parker on the final bend with a superb inside pass after Parker blocked the outside line.

A last gasp effort was made by the Glasgow management throwing the frankly poor Grieves in as a GDTS from 15m in heat 14 but unsurprisingly he finished in the same position he started and the formalities were complete, Reading were in the final.

The final heat was a formality ans was won by Zagar after an unsatisfactory start. Most hope that this would be a repeat of heat 13 but it was not to be with Parker looking completely demoralised at the back of the field.

Reading were far hungrier and deservedly won through to the final. Glasgow looked jaded and were not helped by one or two surprising management decisions.

The scorecard and heat details can be found here.

Tiger Points:

George Stancl	**	Blew hot and cold
James Grieves	*	Very poor
Lee Dicken		Awful-send him back to where he came from
Shane Parker	**	Again blew hot and cold
Corey Blackman	*	Looked out of his depth
Eric Carrillo	***	A little unlucky and tried hard