Bandits Prove Too Strong for Tigers
(Posted 29/03/08)

Tigers almost clawed their way back into this meeting with the two tactical rides netting them the maximum 12 point return but in the end the Bandits were too strong round their home track.

Berwick had a new look strong line up with the introduction of Henning Bager in place of Manuel Hauzinger and were possibly strengthened further by utilising rider replacement for the unfortunate Gugliemo Franchetti, missing with a broken collar bone.

Tigers meanwhile welcomed Ross Brady into the side for the first time this season only three weeks after breaking his collarbone.

It was Ross who was to gate in the opening heat with an electric start but he was muscled out by Rymel on the opening bends with Magosi also taking advantage to come through in the early stages. Unfortunately Ross was unable to recover from this and eventually retired from the race. Shane Parker meantime had missed the gate and once again looked worryingly down on power at the back giving the Bandits a relatively untroubled opening 5-1.

Magosi won an uneventful second heat from the gate, Josh Grajczonek doing well on his first outing on the strange track with Lee Dicken slotting in behind to ensure the shared heat.

Trent has carried his improvement in gating from last season into this, gating well in heat 3. Bager had also made a good gate but quickly slid back and it was Aarnio who was to provide the main challenge to Trent, the two locked in a very close battle for the opening lap before the Glasgow man pulled away and in the end recorded a comfortable win. Mitchell did not fare as well as his countryman on his first outing on the track and although not significantly off the pace he struggled a bit at the back.

Again gating was important in heat 4, Makovsky hitting the front with Robert Ksiezak and Lee Dicken then slotting in to team ride and ensure a shared heat.

There was a little bit of controversy in heat 5 with a strange decision from referee Barbara Horley allowing Bager back into a re-run of the heat despite him not being under power when the race was stopped on the opening bends. Bager was unable to take advantage of the dodgy decision however, retiring whilst in third place in the re-run. In both runnings, Ross made excellent starts. However Aarnio found his way through the inside on the second bend and the heat was shared.

Berwick used Magosi again in heat 6 and he and captain Adrian Rymel recorded an untroubled 5-1 from the gate. Unfortunately Magosi repeated the feat in heat 7 with Michal Makovsky as his partner and suddenly things were looking very bleak for the Tigers.

Makovsky, Dicken and Brady gated together in heat 8 but the Berwick man muscled his way past Lee into the lead on the opening bend. Ross was obviously tiring and looked to be struggling a little with his shoulder but never gave up. He was however superbly protected for the remainder of the race by his team mate Lee Dicken who slotted in behind him to keep Adam McKinna at bay.

Many were surprised when Robert was named as a TR in heat 9 but the team manager's confidence in him was repaid. Robert gated but was passed by Bager on the opening bends. He slotted in behind the Berwick rider testing the lines for two laps before finally making his move on the third lap to re-claim the lead and go on to secure 6 points. The heat provided two races in one, with Grajczonek all over Aarnio but just unable to find a way through.

Again it was the home side pairing who made the gate in heat 10 although Trent quickly passed round the outside of rider replacement Tero Aarnio when he found drive coming out of the second bend. Rymel had however established a comfortable lead and although Trent never gave up trying he was unable to cause him any worry.

It was probably wise that Ross was rested in what would have been his fourth outing of the night, Lee Dicken coming in to replace him. Rumour on the terraces was that Shane Parker had switched to his second bike and it was certainly a different Shane in this heat from earlier on in the meeting. He was alongside Makovsky going into the opening bend with both riders giving their all. Shane pulled ahead and went on to win the heat comfortably. Meantime at the rear, Magosi showed that if he misses the gate he is a different rider. lee hit the first bend in front of him and there was never any way that Magosi was going to get back into it.

Following his stylish heat 11 victory, Glasgow brought Shane Parker in as a TS off 15m in heat 12 in place of Josh Grajczonek. berwick had surprisingly elected to leave the rather ineffective Adam McKinna in the heat, something Shane was able to take full advantage of, passing the youngster coming out of the opening bend. Trent had gated ahead of Bager and rode a beneficial line to slow the Berwick rider down on the opening lap, pulling further ahead as they crossed the start finish line to allow Parker the room to make a nice clean pass into second coming out of bend two. Trent maintained the lead until the final bends, slowing to allow his team mate through to claim the double points win. Tigers fans on the terraces were hailing Parkers win from the back but it was also a superb ride from Trent to bring the Tigers straight back into the meeting.

Out for his third heat in a row, Shane showed in no uncertain terms that he had re found his form, sweeping past both Berwick riders on the opening bends into the lead and going to on claim an easy win. Robert however seemed to suddenly struggle in this one and was left off the pace at the rear.

Whilst there were still only two points in it, there was still a good chance but luck turned against Tigers in heat 14. Grajczonek came in to partner Lee Dicken in place of Mitchell Davey but once again it was Magosi who gated. Josh and Lee slotted in behind to team ride and keep Aarnio at the rear in a race that occasionally saw some erratic riding. Just when it looked as if the Tigers would get the share of the spoils, the Glasgow pair went too wide on the final bend of lap three and Aarnio took full advantage to come through the inside of Lee Dicken into third with Josh just managing to hold second. Lee tried very hard to claw it back on the final lap but it was not to be and Tigers were to go into heat 15 needing a 5-1 for the draw.

It was not to be however as went the tapes went up on heat 15 Makovsky and Rymel hit the front and were never going to be caught.

After a slow start, the Tigers did manage to pull themselves right back into the meeting with two astute tactical rides but the reality was that the best team won.

There were still positives to be taken from the evening. Ross back in action is good news for Tigers although he will take time to adjust. Four points from 3 rides in his first meeting back on a physically draining circuit is encouraging. Also encouraging, and probably a great relief to many, is that Shane seemed to sort out his problems and returned to the classy rider that we have had the pleasure of watching over the past few years.

There is no doubt Mitchell struggled but it was his first time on a strange track and he is riding in the main body of the team. Again he never gave up and he will have learned a lot from last night and that is what it is all about at this stage. Josh fared better and perhaps rode better than his points tally suggests.

There was another solid performance from The Lee who also appears to be getting on top of his mechanical gremlins. Robert had a bit of a mixed night but saved his best ride for when he was out as a TR. Once again Trent rode well and stepped up to the mantle of second heat leader on a track that he has struggled on in recent seasons.