Home Win Over Islanders
Posted 02/07/06

The Islanders traveled to Glasgow for their third meeting in four days with some major injury worries but were still able to provide a stiff test for the Tigers in a meeting that was never a classic.

Ray Morton was missing from the Islanders line up, rider replacement being utilised, whilst Gary Beaton came in as a Conference League guest in place of injured reserve Nick Simmons. Glasgow were not without their problems too, David McAllan having been hospitalised on Friday with the virus that has been affecting him for the last few weeks and only declaring himself fit to attempt the meeting at mid-day.

Recent rain meant there was no parade lap and we went straight into racing at 4pm. Danny Bird certainly did not hang about as he won the opening heat from the gate by a considerable distance in the fastest time of the season so far. David McAllan finished at the back but was on the tail of Jason Bunyan for the entire race.

The first running of heat 2 saw Chris Johnson come off on the opening bend with the referee announcing that 'due to track conditions' he was inviting all four back. In the re-run, Ksiezak gated and led from tapes to flag. Cockle gated ahead of the Islanders pairing but Johnson tracked him for the entire race and drove up the inside on the final bend, winning the race to the line.

Heat three saw another race from the gate to the flag, this time Kauko Nieminen being the victor. At the back Lee Dicken tried hard all the way and very nearly caught Jason Doyle after trying the drive up the inside on the final bend but the Islander just held on.

In the first running of heat 4, James Cockle was excluded after falling off on the fourth bend of the opening lap. Shane Parker gated in the re-run and although Jason Bunyan was in touch for the first lap, Shane was soon well clear and won comfortably. It was Jason Doyle who was to repeat that feat in heat five with what little action there was again being at the back, this time between Jason Bunyan and Lee Dicken. Lee held off Bunyan for over three laps before Bunyan got up the inside of him on the second bend of the final lap to go on and claim the point for third place.

How Danny Bird stayed on his bike in heat 6 was probably the main talking point of the heat. He seemed to rear and loose control on the opening bend but managed somehow not only to stay on but to also come out of the second bend in the lead, going on to win. Shane Parker followed this up with a win from the gate in heat 7 whilst Robert held off Stojanowski at the back to claim third place behind Jason Doyle.

Jason Bunyan fell foul of the two minutes for heat 8 and had to go off 15m, Chris Johnson having already been brought in as a reserve switch for Gary Beaton. It was David McAllan's turn to win despite being outgated by Chris Johnson, and he did so by a considerable margin after sweeping outside Johnson on the opening bends. It only took Jason Bunyan two laps to catch James Cockle - whose bike was looking and sounding decidedly unhealthy - Bunyan passing on the inside of bend three and the heat was shared.

Nieminen took heat 9 from the gate with Lee Dicken falling coming out of the final bend when trying very hard to get through a gap on the inside of Johnson that wasn't quite there. Bird and McAllan gated in heat 10 and although Jason Doyle did pass David on the outside of the second bend, David refused to give and passed inside Doyle on bend three, thereafter pulling clear to secure Glasgow's first 5-1 of the meeting.

Chris Holder showed just why many rate him so highly in heat 11 when he became one of the few riders who have passed and beaten Shane Parker at Ashfield. Shane had gated but Holder rode the clever line round the outside on the opening bends, catching Shane out, and once past he then rode an intelligent race that denied Shane any opportunity to catch him. Robert Ksiezak held off Jason Bunyan at the back to ensure a share of the spoils.

The Islanders recorded an easy 1-5 in heat 12 after both Glasgow riders failed to make the gate. Although Ksiezak did briefly get past Johnson on the third bend, Johnson returned the compliment on the fourth and in the end the Isle of Wight pairing won quite comfortably.

It is becoming almost expected to see a 5-1 from the Glasgow pairing in heat 13 and they did not disappoint although a very hard opening couple of bends by Chris Holder made Danny Bird in particular work hard for it. It looked as though the Tigers were in line for another 5-1 in heat 14 however when Kauko Nieminen gated and pulled well clear with Robert looking comfortable in second place despite the close attentions of Kryzstof Stojanowski. fate played its part however when Kauko's bike developed major problems on the second bend of the final lap. Kauko did his best to keep the bike going to try and hold on to first place and Robert should get great credit for trying very hard to slow Stojanowski down to protect his team mate. Distance was against the Tigers though and just as Stojanowski looked as if he would pass both Tigers coming out of the second bend, the alert Ksiezak put on that spurt of speed to beat him to the line, Kauko having to settle for third.

Once again heat 15 was very much as expected - a hard opening couple of bends with the tigers pairing coming out ahead and going on to record another 5-1.

Overall, Glasgow must rue missed opportunities today. There were a number of dropped points, many of which should have been unavoidable, and the chance to build up a major lead to take to the Island was squandered. Isle of Wight did well especially considering their injury problems and there is no doubt that in Chris Holder they definitely have a star of the future. However the hard work put in by Jason Doyle and Chris Johnson shouldn't be overlooked.

Tiger Performance Points:-
(based on expectations)

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