Slow Starting Tigers Taught a Lesson
(Posted 07/06/08)

Glasgow were given a lesson in gating and hard opening bends in a rather dull meeting at Berwick this evening.

The track definitely looked better than on previous visits but essentially the majority of the action took place on the opening bends with the Tigers, particularly in the early stages, completely overwhelmed by the home side.

Magosi gated in the opening heat and his partner Rymel game through on the inside of Topinka on bend two and the race was basically over, finishing relatively well spread.

Although Mitchell Davey was first out of the trap in heat two it was very short lived, both Bandits having passed outside him by bend two and again the race was effectively over and the heat well spread.

Possibly due to realising the importance of the gate and perhaps trying just a bit too hard, Lee Dicken found himself well behind the other riders on the opening bends of heat 3 after rearing badly off the gate. The Berwick pairing were well clear by the back straight but never one to give up Lee passed partner Trent Leverington, who looked to be struggling in this one, on the final bend of lap two and gave chase. He made significant progress and had Atkin worried especially on bend two of the final lap when he almost caught him but despite the excellent effort it was not to be.

It was back to a straight forward win from the gate in a well spread heat 4 but this time it was Robert Ksiezak who shot from the tapes to win, alleviating the traveling fans fears of Tigers failing to win a single heat.

Michal Makovsky hit the front in heat 5 but guest Tomas Topinka made a determined effort, drawing level with him at the end of the opening lap, the two riding side by side down the backstraight. However, Makovsky once again pulled clear on the opening bends of the second lap and there was no way back for Topinka. At the rear, Clews and Leverington were doing battle, Trent trying everything he could to find a way through. He pulled level with Clews at the end of the third lap and coming out of the second bend of the final lap on the outside line it looked as if he had the better of Clews. However, Clews drifted wide, right out to the fence, leaving Trent with no option but to shut off giving Berwick another heat advantage.

Robert Ksiezak was first out of the gate in heat 6 but it was short lived with Magosi past him by the apex of the opening bends. He only managed to hold Rymel off for another couple of bends, the Czech rider passing outside him coming into the fourth bend and we quickly had yet another well spread out and uncompetitive heat.

There was some cheer for Tigers in heat 7 though with an unexpected 1-8. Topinka came out in the black and white for a TR and won easily from the gate. Lee Dicken forced his way through to second place on the opening bends and slowed his opponents right down, giving Topinka significant breathing space. Lee did very well to hold off Atkin in particular for the whole four laps. Topinka's winning time equaled the fastest set at Sheilfield this season.

Unfortunately heat 8 made it look as if normal service had been resumed. Magosi got a flier from the tapes although Leverington got the better of Smith on a tight opening bend. Smith took the outside line on bend four and repaid the compliment, the riders were quickly well spread and Tigers had conceded yet another 5-1.

It was more 'all over by bend 2' action in heat 9, Ksiezak gating but Makovsky absolutely flying round the outside to come out of bend two ahead and go on and win a well spread heat.

Rymel won heat 10 - again from the gate - by a considerable distance but in this one the minor placing's were close for most of the race. An attempt by Dicken to challenge round the outside of Magosi for third place at the end of the third lap saw him lose ground however and trail off at the back although Ksiezak held Magosi off for second place.

Trent had looked a little race rusty but certainly found his touch in heat 11. Topinka looked as if he was going to be in front coming out of bend 2 when Trent blasted round the boards to come out ahead of his partner. Both Trent and Tomas rode an excellent race, Topinka holding off a very determined challenge from Clews on the second lap and protecting Trent to claim a deserved and in the end comfortable 5-1.

A very determined Lee Dicken claimed the win in 12 after a superb outside drive saw him go from last to first on the opening bends. Makovsky did attempt to close the gap in the latter stages of the race but Lee was never really troubled and was even able to make an error going too wide on the final bend and still hold on easily for the win.

Adrian Rymel had looked quietly impressive and continued his form with another from the gate win in heat 13 although there were effectively two races in one in the heat. Topinka and Ksiezak seemed to get in each others road a little at the end of the opening lap leaving Topinka to give chase to Rymel whilst it caused Ksiezak to drop back and he was left battling to hold off a very determined challenge from Tony Atkin, particularly on the final lap.

Another excellent move from Lee Dicken saw him get the better of Scott Smith in a very hard opening couple of bends in heat 14 and he quickly opened up a good gap. It was to be in vain however after Smith slid off on the opening bend of lap 2, young Sam Martin and Paul Clews both doing very well to quickly lay their bikes down. In the re-run, Lee had a tougher race. Although he again gated ahead, this time Clews was on his tail the entire race and Lee had to be very sharp to thwart his attacks, especially with a race winning block at the end of lap 3.

Many expected Lee to make another appearance in heat 15 alongside Topinka but team manager Alan Dick elected to bring out the fast gating Robert Ksiezak instead. Adrian Rymel had impressed all evening for the Bandits and claimed his maximum from the gate although Topinka was never far away. At the rear, Makovsky swept round the outside of Ksiezak at the end of the opening lap and was never in danger of relinquishing it.

In all, this meeting was far from a classic, in fact it was downright poor. There is a limit to how many wins you want to see from the gate and for entertainment value it scored very poorly. Particularly in the early stages, Berwick gave Glasgow a lesson in 'gate and go' and were however well deserved winners on the night with Rymel and Makovsky looking superb.

Glasgow Tigers speedway - posted on glasgow speedway dot com, an unofficial glasgow tigers speedway website.