Tigers Still Top
Posted 07/08/06

Glasgow went four points clear at the top of the Premier League this afternoon and at the same time managed a long overdue victory over Workington at Ashfield, the first since 2000. Meetings with the Comets have always been close in recent years but the Tigers won this encounter quite comfortably in the end.

Danny Bird once again came out and won the opening heat from the gate but with David McAllan at the back unable to get by Richard Juul despite all his pressure and a final determined drive to the line, the heat was shared. James Cockle was on new machinery today and a combination of what looked a much faster bike and some determined hard riding by the youngster saw him come out of the second bend of heat two in second place behind fast gating team mate Robert Ksiezak. Aidan Collins challenged James for a couple of laps but it ended up a comfortable 5-1 for the Tigers reserves.

The recent trend for the Tigers pairing to miss the gate in heat three continued but once again Kauko found that outside line on bend two to sweep round into the lead. Harrison gave chase but came off on the third bend of lap three whilst a good couple of bike lengths down, allowing his team mate Piszcz and Lee Dicken through. Lee chased Piszcz all the way but was unable to get that extra bit speed to pass the Pole.

James Wright has been a major thorn in the Tigers side in recent times and heat 4 when he came up against Shane Parker was much anticipated. For almost the entire race, the two rode side by side, Shane on the outside line, James Wright the inside line. Coming off the final bend Wright actually pulled ahead of Parker but Shane powered past him on the way to the finish line. At the back, James Cockle and Aidan Collins were having their own battle, James thwarting his Workington counterpart for the entire four laps.

Once again bad luck was to befall Kauko when in heat 5 his engine blew on the final bend of the third lap when Kauko had a lead of almost a quarter of a lap over Stead. Stead and Juul took full advantage and claimed the 5-1 with Lee looking off the pace at the back.

James Wright tried to jump the start in heat 6 and just avoided touching the tapes but as a result was left at the back with Danny Bird and David McAllan out front. Surprisingly, and very late, the referee put the red stop lights on as the Glasgow pair were coming out of the second bend and decreed an unsatisfactory start despite Wright being the only one affected. Still, that's speedway and David and Danny were not fazed by the decision, both gating in the re-run. In a relatively close race, David did very well to hold off James Wright for three laps before the Comet managed to get round him on the fourth bend and although Wright then hunted down Danny, he was unable to catch him before the finish.

Tomas Piszcz gave the Tigers a fright in heat 7 when he gated ahead of Shane but he fell victim to the third bend on the second lap, falling and allowing Shane through into first. Although Piszcz re-mounted, he retired on the final lap when it was clear all other riders were going to finish.

There has been much criticism of Glasgow's team manager in the weeks before he went on holiday over heat 8 but he showed he was spot on in his thinking when David MCAllan and James Cockle recorded a comfortable 5-1, David forcing his way through from the back on the opening bends. Aidan Collins was less than pleased with his team mate Dickie Juul in this one when Juul inadvertently blocked him at the end of lap two, Collins retiring shortly after whilst well off the back.

As expected Workington brought James wright out as a TR in heat 9 against Kauko Nieminen, on his second bike, and Lee Dicken. However the Glasgow pair gated but reserve Sean Stoddart came to grief at the back causing the race to be stopped. Sean was unfortunately unable to take his place in the re-run and was replaced by Aidan Collins. The re-run saw Wright gate but once more Kauko executed his trademark opening bends manoevre to hit the front coming out of the second bend, going on to win by a good margin. Unfortunately a mistake by Lee Dicken coming into bend three on the opening lap was seized on by Aidan Collins who came through the inside into third and the Comets got the benefit of a heat advantage.

It certainly spurred the Comets on and the entertaining Tomas Piszcz came out and won heat 10 after a mistake by Danny Bird at the end of the second lap allowed him to muscle through in a hard but fair move into the lead. With David trailing off at the back, Workington had another heat advantage.

The majority of the stadium thought Glasgow had hit back in the perfect way with a 5-1 in heat 11 but the referee stunned some of the home fans by awarding a 4-2 in what was in fairness a very close call. the Workington riders had gated but the Australian pincer movement saw Robert and Shane leading coming out of bend 2. Robert did well to hold of Stead's attentions and most felt that the final drive by Stead to the line had been unsuccessful. However, from the referee's vantage point above the start finish line Mr Dowling decreed that Stead had timed his drive to perfection and awarded him second place. Stead meantime rather bizarrely took umbridge with Shane Parker at the end of the race, apparently unhappy at the opening bend of the race and we had a show of handbags at 10 paces as he tried to confront Shane heading back to the pits.

With Piszcz looking impressive it was no surprise that he was brought out as a TR in heat 12, Glasgow anticipating this and bringing Robert in as replacement for Lee in an attempt to thwart the move. Although Robert gated, Piszcz passed on the opening bends and was never going to be caught - despite a major wobble on the final bend of the first lap - although Robert tried hard. James Cockle came off on the third bend of the second lap, remounted but then retired a lap later.

With the Comets back to within 5 points, Glasgow's top two came out and delivered the required 5-1 from the gate in heat 13, Shane winning easily and Danny claiming second despite obvious problems with the third/fourth bend on laps one and two before taking a wider line for the remaining laps of the race.

Glasgow now only needed one finisher in the remaining two heats but Kauko ensured the points in style, once more making heat 14 his own. Aidan Collins was the only rider to pass in this heat, coming up the inside of Robert Ksiezak on bend three of the opening lap.

Having looked impressive, Kauko was given the option of going out in heat 15 with Shane but common sense prevailed, choosing instead not to risk aggravating his troublesome wrist injury when it was not necessary. Instead, Danny lined up as usual alongside Shane and the two recorded their second comfortable 5-1 of the meeting from the gate.

Workington's challenge was a lot more muted than in recent times. Piszcz looked good and was certainly entertaining but Wright had an off day by his high standards and Stead's points flattered to deceive.

For the Tigers, David McAllan was worth more than his points total suggested. Lee had an off day but the rest of the team scored freely. Kauko would have had a thoroughly deserved maximum of it had not been for the expensive engine failure so instead Tigers had to settle for only one maximum man, once again it was Shane. the meeting certainly was a confidence booster for the forthcoming mini southern tour of Isle of Wight and Kings Lynn although it has been an expensive weekend equipment wise with both Shane and Kauko completely blowing engines.

Tiger Performance Points:-
(based on expectations)

R003