Derby
Drawn
Posted 25/04/05
Glasgow recorded yet another draw in an entertaining
meeting against closest rivals Edinburgh at Ashfield today.
Tigers had their share of misfortune but for the
second meeting running riders on both sides should be given credit
for producing good entertainment and allowing each other the room
to race.
The meeting opened, almost predictably, with a race
win for George Stancl although he had to do it the hard way with a
good pass on both Edinburgh riders on the third and fourth bends of
the first lap. Cockle led from the gate in the second heat with Lawson
pressing. James wobbled a little on the first bend of the third lap
then tried to over compensate for this on bend two, coming off his
bike in the process and allowing Lawson to pull clear. Trent seemed
distracted by this and Kugelmann was able to pass him to give the
Monarchs a 5-1. It was clear as they returned to the pits Trent was
also unhappy with his bike.
Jamie Birkinshaw was to come a cropper in heat 3
at the back when his chain appeared to lock catapulting him over the
handlebars in a very nasty crash. It is to his credit that he somehow
managed to pull himself and bike off the track to allow the race to
continue before collapsing in a heap at the edge of the centre green.
The medics were quickly with him and had a neck brace on him before
the heat had ended. After lengthy treatment and a trip in the ambulance,
Jamie was withdrawn from the meeting with broken toes and neck and
shoulder pain. Harrison won the heat comfortably with Bentley managing
to hold off Woodward for second.
Ross Brady made an excellent gate in heat 4 and looked
to be on his way to victory until Shane cut inside him on the final
bend of the third lap. Trent gave chase but was unable to catch Brady.
Once again Glasgow were to lose a 5-1 in heat 5 despite Bentley outgating
everyone. Pijper and Nermark both passed him on the 3rd/4th bend first
time round and the Edinburgh pair won comfortably.
With Glasgow now 8 points down, Stewart Dickson elected
to bring in Shane Parker as a GDTS from 15m much to the surprise of
many Glasgow fans. Will Lawson held Parker up for a lap and a half
and then some excellent riding by Brady made it look as if Shane would
be held back in third despite george trying every tactic he could
think of to force Brady into an error. However on the final bend Shane
managed to find a way past and although it was too late for the win,
the second place was to prove just as important.
Harrison was in exceptional form once again for the Monarchs and pressed
Shane Parker all the way in heat 7 but Shane held out. Unfortunately
Cam Woodward got past Cockle at the end of the first lap however and
the heat was shared. Heat 8 was shared from the gate, with Pijper
winning comfortably as was heat 9 although Brady did appear to jump
the start.
Heat 10 was to provide some great racing with Harrison
and Stancl pitted against each other at the front continually swapping
position with George coming out on top when it mattered. At the back,
Matthew and Cam were having their own entertaining race with Cam trying
everything to get past Matt and Matt just managing to hold him off.
Excellent stuff.
A calmer heat 11 saw Parker win comfortably from
the gate and whilst heat 12 was awarded after Trent fell whilst in
third causing Cockle to lay the bike down it was in effect a comfortable
from the gate win for Edinburgh.
Lady luck was to abandon Stancl again in heat 13.
Good team riding by Parker and Stancl had on the whole kept a very
determined Nermark at bay although at one point all three were so
close you could have thrown the proverbial blanket over them. Just
when it looked like Glasgow had the 5-1, Stancl's engine seized only
yards from the line allowing both Edinburgh riders through. Leverington
came in for Cockle in heat 14 and did his bit to keep the meeting
alive with a good ride despite the early attentions of Cam Woodward.
With Glasgow needing a 5-1 to draw, George and Shane
gated in heat 15 but the impressive Harrison made them battle all
the way in yet another example of good racing with all riders allowing
each other the room to race. The Glasgow men were able to handle everything
he could challenge them with, Shane in particular anticipating almost
every move, and they got the 5-1 needed.
Glasgow may well curse the engine failure that cost
them a 5-1 in heat 13, Edinburgh fans were pointing to the extra 2
points scored by Shane in the TS - at least he had to do extra for
them and it wasn't the dreaded TR. However it was a good entertaining
meeting and one which would make a neutral - if such a thing can exist
for a Glasgow v Edinburgh meeting - want to come back for more.
For Glasgow, once again George, Shane and Trent were
the stars. Paul struggled badly, Matt was a bit ineffective and James
C was obviously unhappy with his bike and tended to be off the pace.
He did come out after the meeting for half a dozen laps and looked
to be testing it out.
For the opposition, you could not fail to be impressed
with Harrison and Pijper whilst Nermark was a vastly improved rider
this time round.
Pictures from home meetings can normally be found
on Ian Adams Website
or Lioness'
Webshots Site on a Monday evening
The scorecard and heat details can be found here.
Tiger Performance Points:
| George Stancl |
**** |
Good performance again |
| Matthew Wethers |
** |
Struggled |
| Jamie Birkinshaw |
* |
only had a couple of laps before his fall |
| Paul Bentley |
** |
Looked poor again sadly |
| Shane Parker |
***** |
Simply Shane |
| James Cockle |
** |
Not one he was happy with |
| Trent Leverington |
**** |
Continues to be quietly effective |
