Glasgow
Lose at Dull Derwent
Posted
30/05/05
Tigers fans went to Workington confident
of a decent result after running the Comets close earlier in the season
combined with Comets missing Kauko Nieminen through injury. It was
however false hope as Workington recorded a comprehensive victory
which almost certainly puts the bonus point out of Glasgow's reach.
Right from the start the signs were there with Stancl
suffering an engine failure on the start line, leaving Wright and
Stonehewer to claim the 5-1 in the fastest time of the season. Little
gated in heat 2 followed by Birkinshaw. James Cockle was comfortably
in third when he suffered the curse of engine failure again giving
Comets a heat advantage.
Heat 3 certainly did nothing to make the travelling
support feel any better with Comets recording their second 5-1 of
the night by quite a considerable margin, both Leverington and Kristensen
looking well off the pace. The track was looking poor with no passing
lines and it was inevitable that heat 4 was won by Wright from the
tapes, Parker and Birkinshaw ensuring a share of the spoils. Ten points
down, Glasgow brought Stancl out as a TR in heat 5 and it was a move
that paid off. Robson was excluded after he locked up in the first
running, causing Wethers to fall. The first re-run saw the tapes fail
but when the race got underway Stancl gated and pulled clear. It was
left to Matt to hold off Tacey which on a track with only one line
he managed to do.
There was a rare pass in heat 6 when Parker got past
Wright to prevent yet another 5-1 but heat 7 saw Robson and Little
achieve that against Leverington and Kristensen. Little and Wright
added to this in heat 8, although Wright was lucky not to be penalised
at the start, meaning that half the races had resulted in home maximums
so far.
Glasgow elected to bring out Shane Parker as a TR
in heat 9. he gated second, so came second in yet another result from
the tapes. Heat 10 - almost goes without saying from the gate - saw
the Comets fifth 5-1 of the evening. Although Stonehewer gated first
in heat 11 he was closely followed by Stancl and Wethers ensuring
a share of the spoils.
Jamie Birkinshaw was closer to the pace than some
of his team mates and Glasgow therefore elected to bring him in as
a GDTS in heat 12 in place of Trent Leverington. He rode a determined
race but only managed to get third. However, his team mate James Cockle
gated and led from start to finish, although he was unable to do anything
to slow the race down for his team mate.
Heat 13 was certainly the nights controversial heat
and no doubt referee Dave Dowling will not find himself on many fans
Christmas card list. The first running was deemed an unsatisfactory
start, rather fortunately for Stonehewer as his bike packed up going
towards the first bend. It was correctly called as all four back.
As the riders lined up for the re-run, Parker and Stonehewer were
very close, Parker obviously indicating he felt the Comet was infringing
on his lane. Rather than give it time to settle - and the start marshall
also has to shoulder some of the blame for it - the referee put on
both Parker and Stonehewer's exclusion lights for delaying the start.
Both elected to go off 15m so we were then left with the unusual and
perhaps slightly dangerous sight of effectively a staggered start.
The race itself was much less exciting being more or less from the
gate other than Tacey letting his team mate through to give chase
at the end of the second lap.
James Cockle came in for the ineffective Kristensen
in heat 14 and it looked to be a good move as he led from the start.
However going into the second bend of the second lap, James wobbled
and lifted slightly which gave the close following Comets pairing
a chance to go round either side of him and Workington had their 6th
maximum of the evening.
After the shenanigans of heat 13, heat 15 proved
uneventful, the points being shared from the tapes.
The Workington track appears to have gone downhill
steadily in recent years and is fast becoming a gaters paradise with
only one line. When it came down to it, too many of the Glasgow riders
were not able to get out of the gate quick enough and far too many
of the races were over by the first bend. It speaks volumes that the
main talking point from a nights 'racing' was the way they lined up
for heat 13.
Once again it was the middle order where Glasgow
were really made to pay and the bonus point is surely already well
out of reach.
The scorecard and heat details can be found here.
Tiger Performance Points:
| George Stancl |
**** |
on pace, decent showing |
| Matthew Wethers |
** |
respectable score but gifted points |
| Trent Leverington |
* |
sadly well off pace |
| Claus Kristensen |
* |
again well off pace despite gating well |
| Shane Parker |
** |
not one of Shane's favourite places |
| James Cockle |
*** |
determined, worth more than his points tally |
| Jamie Birkinshaw |
*** |
a decent and determined showing |
