Tigers Sting Scorpions
(Posted 18/05/08)

It went right down to a last heat decider but Glasgow managed to salvage their second home league win of the season from this afternoons meeting despite one of the worst starts in recent times.

The now almost customary 1-5 in the opening heat from the gate was followed by another in heat 2 in somewhat frustrating circumstances.  Firstly, Mitchell Davey had problems in the pits and despite having had extra time following his rider replacement ride in the opening heat he missed the two minutes and went out off 15m.  Unfortunately, Ross Brady then touched the tapes.  As only one rider can go off 15m, Ross was excluded and Mitchell was left facing the Scorpions pairing on his own from 15m back.  It was a gap he could not close and Glasgow found themselves 8 points down after only two heats.

Kauko Nieminen, guesting for Shane Parker, got the better of Magnus Karlsson on the opening bends of heat 3 only for the race to be stopped after Benji Compton came off at the back on the third bend shortly after being passed on the inside by Lee Dicken.  In the re-run, Magnus got the better of Kauko out of the gate and although Nieminen was never far off, Karlsson won the heat from the tapes.

Tigers finally came to life in heat 4.  An electric gate from the far from fit Ross Brady saw him hit the front with partner Robert Ksiezak able to settle in behind, helped by Bekker impeding his team mate Bergstrom on bend 2.  Ross worked hard at the front to win the race but great credit should also go to Robert for this one as he dropped back to protect his team mate and make sure there was no chance of either Scunthorpe rider getting through to challenge.

Although Lee Dicken was first out of the trap in heat 5, he was at the back by the time the riders came out of the second bend. Kauko however had swept round the outside into the lead and went on to win the shared heat with ease.

The Tigers got help from an unexpected source in heat 6 and took full advantage.  Ross, in as rider replacement, once again made a superb gate and was followed by Trent.  Magnus Karlsson, who was undoubtedly Scunthorpe’s biggest threat, had missed the gate and for the majority of the race was impeded by his partner Bergstrom.  It took Karlsson many attempts and 3 laps to get by his slower team mate by which time Brady and Leverington were well clear and recorded Tigers second 5-1 of the meeting to tie the scores.

Scunthorpe hit straight back in heat 7 however with Magnus Karlsson tailing Robert Ksiezak for the entire race, pressing him all the way before passing round the outside of the final bend to claim the win. With Benji Compton claiming third, the visitors were once again in the lead.

A re run was needed in heat 8, Ross anticipating the start just a little too keenly for the referees liking although he and Robert still came out ahead in the re-run. Robert came round the outside of bend 2 into the lead and pulled well clear.  Ross made a sterling effort to hold off Carl Wilkinson, managing to do so until the end of the second lap when Wilkinson squeezed through into second.  Wilkinson attempted to give chase but by this time Robert was well clear and Tigers pulled the scores level again with the resultant 4-2.

For the first time in the meeting, Glasgow went ahead thanks to Kauko Nieminen and Lee Dicken in heat 9.  Kauko gated and was soon well clear, once again winning by a considerable margin.  Lee meantime held off a challenge from Bergstrom for the first two laps before opening a comfortable gap between them, Scorpions Benji Compton well off the pace at the rear.

Magnus Karlsson got the better of Ross Brady in a tough opening bend in heat 10. Trent settled in behind Ross but Bergstrom, in as reserve replacement for Compton, was all over him.  It looked as if the Scorpion had got passed at the end of lap two but Trent hit right back.  Bergstrom made no mistake however at the end of lap 3, finding the smallest of gaps on the outside to get through into second.  To add insult to injury, Trent’s bike spluttered shortly afterwards and he was left coasting to the finish.

Heat 11 hit hard, Scunthorpe’s pairing recording an easy and uneventful 1-5 from the gate.

The impressive Kauko Nieminen was out again in heat 12 against the almost as impressive Magnus Karlsson. They did not disappoint.  Karlsson gated, Nieminen settled in behind him looking for his opportunity. It came towards the end of the third lap, Kauko coming up the inside off the final bend, holding the inside line.  Karlsson tried to clamp him to the inside but Kauko was able to edge him wide, leaving himself the opportunity to drive up the inside on bend two into the lead and from then on there would be no catching him.  At the back Bergstrom had come inside Brady on the second bend of the opening lap and a rapidly tiring Ross had finished off the pace in this one.

Heat 13 was to be a turning point for the Tigers.  Robert Ksiezak gated and in a very tough opening bend Trent Leverington held firm to get the better of Carl Wilkinson and came through in to second whilst Wilkinson slipped to the back. Moore took up the challenge and pressurised Trent, a good battle taking place between the two of them.  Just when it looked as if Moore might have the beating of his opponent, he made an error of judgment as he tried to pass him on the first bend of the final lap.  He had neatly maneuvered to get the inside line and looked to have the speed to beat Trent.  However, he misjudged the gap and swung his rear wheel out just a shade too quickly, collecting Trent and sending him hurtling into the fence.  The referee had little option but to award the heat as a 5-1 to the Tigers, giving them what was to be a crucial 2 point lead going into the final two races.

Ross Brady came in for Mitchell Davey in heat 14 and once again showed his prowess from the gate with Lee Dicken following his example. Bergstrom passed inside Dicken coming out of bend 2 and was all over the back off Ross Brady.  Ross did well to hold him off for two laps but Bergstrom came up his inside at the end of the second lap to take the lead and pulled clear.  Crucially, Lee Dicken stayed ahead of Byron Bekker, who fell off at the back on the final bend, and the heat was shared.

It was now down to a last heat decider with Tigers needing at least a share of the spoils to secure victory.  Scunthorpe won the toss and elected to go off 2 and 4 but surprisingly put Karlsson out of the poorer gate 2. Kauko Nieminen was to continue in the excellent vein of form he had shown all afternoon, gating and being well ahead by the third bend, going on to secure the win needed to keep the points at Ashfield.

It certainly wasn’t the greatest of meetings.  At times, you get the feeling that if it weren’t for bad luck Glasgow would have no luck but when it comes down to it, the team dynamics just aren’t right at the moment and its hard to pinpoint an exact area.  Effort was not in short supply and for Ross to complete 7 rides and score so well when he was struggling walking before the meeting deserves special credit. Kauko was, as always, a superb choice of guest and in all honesty looks the nearest you could get to a viable replacement for Shane.

It was however a meeting that Glasgow could just as easily have lost, especially if Moore’s judgment had just been fractionally better in heat 13.

Still the important thing is that we do have another two points on the board and we didn’t lose.  The medical room was still like emergency ward 10 at the end of the meeting but the team have a full week now to recover before facing a strong Redcar side next week

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