Brady Worry as Tigers Lose
(Posted 04/04/08)

Glasgow were always going to be up against it at Armadale last night but they were dealt a major blow when Ross Brady fell heavily in the opening heat of the Premier Trophy tie and was withdrawn from the meeting with fears over his collarbone.

It certainly was a start that Ross and Glasgow could have done without, Ross getting caught as the meat in the sandwich between the Edinburgh pairing in what was classic first bend bunching. Unfortunately Ross went over his handlebars, landed heavily on his shoulder and had to withdraw from the meeting.

After a delay, the re-run got underway and Shane Parker showed that he is back on form with a superb and comprehensive win from the gate. Reserve replacement Lee Dicken was stuck at the back and although never far off Derek Sneddon he was unable to find a passing line.

Glasgow's reserves gated well in heat 2 but Josh appeared to lock slightly on the second bend, sending him to the rear. Aaron Summers took full advantage to come through on the inside line into first place and again Lee chased the whole race but was unable to threaten. Meantime, Tully made an error on the opening bend of lap two and slid off, allowing Josh to come through into third place. Bizarrely there was another faller as Lee toppled off on the second bend after the race was complete but he was quickly back on his bike and back to the pits.

Sneddon came in for Jonasson in heat 3 and he and Lawson won the heat convincingly from the gate.

Wethers was to claim another win from the gate for the home side in heat 4. Again Lee Dicken tried hard to press in the early stages and never gave up. At the back, Summers was well behind after falling and remounting on the opening bend.

Fisher came in as rider replacement in heat 6 but his sole contribution was a hard opening bend on Josh Grajczonek, the youngster slipping to the back after having to shut off. Shane Parker had hit the front coming out of bend 2 and although Lawson gave chase in the early stages, Shane was once again untroubled.

It looked a bit brighter for the Tigers when Trent and Mitchell beat the opposition out of the gate in heat 7 but it was short lived. Matthew Wethers cut up the inside of both off the second bend and within a lap had opened up a reasonable gap. Tully pressured Davey for the opening lap, finally passing on the inside coming up the home straight at the start of lap two. A lap and half later Tully was to come to grief, loosing control on the third bend and sliding off. Mitchell had stuck with it and came through into third.

Things didn't get any better in heat 8. Dicken gated but a pincer movement from the Edinburgh pairing saw Sneddon pass on the outside whilst Summers slipped up the inside entering the back straight. yet again, Lee never gave up trying but another 5-1 went the way of the home side.

Robert Ksiezak made the gate in heat 9 but was quickly passed on the inside of bend 2 by the impressive Lawson. Wethers tried to follow his team mate through but Robert held him off until the fourth bend when the pressure caused him to make the mistake that saw him go too wide and slide off. From then on in another 5-1 was certain, Robert did remount but retired a lap later. Josh Grajczonek kept plugging away at the back but misjudged that fourth bend on the final lap, ending up entangled under his machine up against the fence. He had the presence of mind to untangle himself, get up and finish the race for the solitary point.

Trent Leverington and Ryan Fisher kept the fans on edge in heat 10 with some good racing. Trent hadn't made that good a gate but used the grip on the outside to sweep round into the lead coming into the backstraight. Fisher was all over the back of him, pressuring him all the way. Trent held off until the final lap when this time Fisher used the inside line on bend 2 to get the grip needed to claim first place.

Eighteen points down, Stewart Dickson nominated Shane Parker for a TR in heat 11 and once again the Glasgow captain won by a good distance. The action was all at the back with Lee Dicken and Andrew Tully doing battle, swapping position on four occasions before Tully got the better of Lee, passing inside at the start of lap 4.

Trent Leverington tried the blast round the outside on the opening bends again in heat 12 but found Lawson a different kettle of fish from Fisher and had to settle for second. Lee Dicken, out for his 6th ride of the night, had to work hard again in the early stages to hold off Summers.

Tigers fans were again treated to a Shane Parker masterclass in heat 13 as he easily won from the gate. Glasgow were actually on a 5-1 until Wethers muscled Ksiezak out at the end of the first lap, allowing Fisher through at the same time to share the heat.

There was another good battle between Lee Dicken and Andrew Tully in the opening lap of heat 14 for second place, Lawson being well in front almost from the tapes. Lee again never gave up trying but Tully perhaps got the benefit of tiredness as he was allowed to slip through at the start of the second lap into second place. From then on in, the heat was well spread and Monarchs claimed their fifth 5-1 of the meeting.

Heat 15 finished the meeting off in style with a tremendous battle between Shane Parker and Monarchs top man on the track, William Lawson. Lawson initially hit the front coming out of the second bend but Shane hit back almost immediately sweeping round the outside on the third bend. The crowd were then treated to four laps of two classy riders giving their all with Parker looking as if he would have the edge and manage to hold on for the win. Then, riding the wide outside line, Shane made a slight error of judgment drifting just a bit too wide on the final bend. Lawson seized the opportunity and in an all out battle to the line just managed to beat the Glasgow captain and thwart his maximum.

The result was probably along the lines most Tigers fans expected especially after loosing Ross in the opening race. It was very encouraging to see Shane back to normal and Lee Dicken rode better than his points tally may suggest. It is a track that many of our team this season struggle with and the Monarchs are definitely very strong this year at home, especially utilising rider replacement.

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