Will
It Be A Knockout for Hull?
Posted 31/05/05
Tomorrow sees the second leg of the Knock
Out Cup tie between Hull and Glasgow at Craven Park with the Tigers
holding a 22 point lead from Sunday's first leg.
This may look a hefty lead but it has
to be remembered that this competition is pure speedway only with
no tactical rides or tactical substitutes allowed. Therefore strength
in depth of a visiting team is more important than top end strength
to combat home team advantage.
Three of Hulls team - Stead, Sanchez
and Thorp - have averages round their home track well in excess of
10 points, this underlining that Glasgow still have a fair bit of
work to do. Emil Kramer is not far behind on home average although
fellow second string Craig Branney is considerably weaker and has
struggled a little at home since moving to second string. Branney
did however have a decent meeting at Glasgow and this may well bolster
his confidence.
Reserve Simone Terenzani is only competing
in his fourth home meeting but to date his poorest score at home has
been paid 6 on his debut. Joel Parsons has struggled to regain the
form that everyone knows he is capable of since his injury but like
Branney Sunday's display may well encourage him.
Craven Park is well known as a gaters
track and worryingly Glasgow visit on the back of a hefty defeat at
a Workington track described as a gaters paradise - something that
will no doubt be on many minds.
With gating being so important it tends
not to be a good hunting ground for Shane by his standards although
he has show this season at Ashfield that he is capable of good gating.
George should thrive on it and will be very keen to prove a point
to Mr Thorp after Thorps outburst last Sunday.
Trent had a decent score at Hull earlier
this season but that was from the reserve berth and he will find it
tougher this visit. Matthew is a bit of a worry at a track he has
not done well at in the past and being up against two of Hulls top
average home riders in most outings. Our best gater in the middle
order is probably Claus who has already ridden Craven Park this season
with Newcastle, starting slowly but finishing strongly.
Jamie Birkinshaw's gating has improved
in recent weeks but still has a way to go. He may well find it very
difficult on a narrow track which does not easily lend itself to his
passing style. James Cockle missed Glasgow's last visit to Hull through
injury but did guest there for Sheffield, rather unsuccessfully, at
the end of April. When he makes the gate he is one of the faster gaters
but his machinery problems recently have been well documented.
It will be important for Glasgow to
keep things as tight as possible early on if they are to acheive a
scoreline that will take them through to the next round and a tie
againt the winner of the Rye House v Edinburgh meetings.
