Tigers
Just Miss Out at Reading
by Casper, Posted 28/09/05
It was a case of so near in the end for Glasgow
at Smallmead as they claimed the bonus point but only just missed
out on all three in a last heat decider.
Surprisingly, the track left a lot to be desired
on a bitterly cold night but that didn't stop george Stancl getting
off to a flying start comfortably beating Zagar and Simota in the
opening race although Leverington finished at the rear. Jones won
heat two from the gate for the Racers and although Cockle battled
hard he ws unable to prevent Johnson claiming second and a 5-1 to
the home side.
The advantage was short lived however as Ekberg and
Kristensen both gated well in heat 3 and team rode to claim Tigers
first 5-1 of the evening. Already it looked as if passing ws going
to be as rare as hens teeth and heat four followed the first three
in being won from the gate, this time by Zagar with Cockle and Parker
following him home.
Through the dust the wins from the gate continued,
Stancl first out of the trap in heat 5, Appleton in heat 6 and Zagar
in heat 7. Kristensen tried hard to find a line past Johnson but to
no avail.
With only 2 points in it Glasgow were to suffer a
serious blow in heat 8 when the Racers claimed a comfortable 5-1,
unsurprisingly from the gate. Although Shane tried hard, he was unable
to find a line past Tresarrieu in heat 9 and when this was followed
by an easy 5-1 for the home side in heat 10 the Tigers suddenly found
themselves 12 points down and fighting to even get the bonus.
It did however mean that Glasgow could bring the
impressive Stancl out as a TR in heat 11 and at last we had a heat
that wasn't just a case of boring and straight from the gate. In the
first running, Stancl was ahead coming into the second lap but under
pressure from Zagar. However the stylish Slovenian made an uncharcteristic
error trying to go outside Stancl, fell and was excluded. In the re-run
it looked as if Glasgow were going to capitalise to the maximum with
George out in front followed by Trent. The handful of Glasgow fans
in attendance - and indeed some of the Reading fans - felt this was
the outcome but the referee decreed that the last gasp attempt by
Johnson to pass Trent on the line was succesful. It was a very close
call and one that you couldn't really argue with one way or another.
Heat 12 also required a re-run after Jones came off
in first bend bunching. Kristensen and Cockle took full advantage,
gating in front at the second time of asking and getting the Tigers
second 5-1 of the evening.
Suddenly Glasgow were back in it and when Stancl
gated in heat 13 the Reading fans must have been worried although
only briefly as Zagar rode a superb opening bend to come through on
the inside of Stancl and go on to claim victory. It looked as if the
Tigers were going to upset the apple cart in heat 14 after Cockle
and Ekberg both gated but Tresarrieu worked hard and was able to produce
one of the nights rare passes inside Ekberg on the third lap, lining
up a last heat decider.
With Glasgow needing a heat advantage to claim all
three points, their efforts were to be thwarted when Zagar produced
a carbon copy of his heat 13 opening bend and going on to claim the
race and the meeting for Reading.
On a very poor track neither team can be blamed for
the lack of decent speedway but full credit to the Tigers for doing
their best. As has happened so often this season, it was just not
to be.
The scorecard and heat details can be found here.
Tiger Performance Points:
| George Stancl |
**** |
another good performance given the track |
| Trent Leverington |
** |
poor |
| Claus Kristensen |
*** |
played good ride bad ride all night |
| Stefan Ekberg |
*** |
tried hard and team rode well |
| Shane Parker |
*** |
not his usual standard but acceptable |
| Matthew Wright |
* |
out of his depth |
| James Cockle |
*** |
did well after poor start |
