Tigers Comeback Secures Victory
(Posted 19/04/09)

The Tigers tenacity showed again at Ashfield this afternoon as they staged another late comeback to come from 12 points down to beat the Comets by 50-43.

It started however with the first opening heat defeat at home for Shane Parker, Kevin Doolan being the man doing the damage.  Doolan gated and although Shane tried hard to find a way by, Doolan held and with rider replacement Mitchell Davey at the back the visitors had opened with a heat advantage.

Our reserve pairing of Davey and Andersen hit straight back despite initially being outgated.  Anders Andersen went for the wide line round the opening bends to hit the front whilst Mitchell went for the inside line to get past a rearing Lawson on the opening bend.  He then gave chase on Cook, an outside pass being thwarted on the third bend but Mitchell cutting inside to get the drive off bend four and pass cleanly on the inside as they crossed the start finish line.  The Tigers were not threatened after that as they went on to claim the 5-1 although Richard Lawson did very well to avoid his partner at the end of the third lap when Cook spun and fell in his path.

Josh Grajczonek paid the price for trying to anticipate the start in heat 3, being left at the start as he had to pull back, the referee correctly allowing the race to go as only Josh himself was disadvantaged.  The Comets pair on the other hand showed a clean pair of heels as they hit back with a 5-1 of their own from the tapes.

Glasgow had no answer to Andre Compton's quick gate in heat 4 which saw him quickly open up a gap and win comfortably.  Tigers were on a 3-3 for a while but an error by Andersen going too wide on bend 2 lap 3 saw Lawson seize the opportunity to nip through the inside into third spot.

Workington were looking far quicker out of the trap than the Tigers and although that trend continued in heat 5, Josh Grajczonek somehow managed to squeeze through between Doolan and Branney, coming out of bend 2 in the lead and powering away for an impressive heat win.

Anders Andersen took the rider replacement ride in heat 6 but things certainly did not seem to be going the Tigers way. Outgated again, this time Compton hitting the front, Parker gave chase and was all over his back wheel only for his bike to start playing up.  It finally gave up the ghost on the pits bend of the final lap and although he coasted round trying to keep things going, Craig Cook was able to come easily inside on the final bend and the visitors recorded another 5-1.

Once again the Tigers were outgated in heat 7, Mitchell in addition loosing it a little and ending up very wide to the fence on the pits bend.  James Grieves gave chase on the Workington pairing, getting close on the second lap but a block by Wright as James tried to go round the outside was effective and James lost pace leaving the visitors to claim the 5-1 relatively comfortably to open up a 12 point lead.

Stewart Dickson took action bringing Josh Grajczonek out in the black and white helmet in heat 8 and it paid off with Josh riding an excellent opening couple of bends round the outside and pulling away for an easy win. Anders Andersen did his best to pressure Richard Lawson in second place, coming close especially in the early stages, but he also had to watch his own back as John Branney was trying hard to get through.  Indeed Branney very nearly got through off the final bend but Anders kept a cool head and held on for the point.

It seems there always has to be a controversial referee decision in speedway these days and heat 9 was one that had a few people rather annoyed at Barbara Horley in the box.  Josh once again tried to anticipate the start, there is no doubt about that.  Again it meant the other three riders got away ahead of him so the referee correctly let it go.  However as they went down the back straight with Josh fighting his way back to the front alongside Compton the red lights came on.  It seemed a very late call that, despite the referee’s protestations to the contrary, only appeared to be made when Josh came alongside Andre Compton coming down the back straight.

However, the riders did not let this affect them and when the tapes went up for the re run, Josh, Cook and Compton gated level.  Josh got the better of the other two on a tough opening bend, taking both Comets riders wide, and quickly opened up a good gap to go on and win a well spread out heat.

There was an element of surprise when Stewart Dickson brought out no 8 Adam McKinna as the rider replacement in heat 10 and in all honesty its unlikely even the team manager realised how big a decision that would be.  Shane Parker shot from the tapes and was quickly so far ahead the race win was never in doubt.  The action all happened for second place however. McKinna had made a good gate and briefly held second place before Rymel passed coming out of bend two.  At the end of the second lap some feel Rymel made a mistake, others that he just lost concentration and did not appreciate the determination McKinna was showing.  McKinna had continued to give chase and made an excellent drive up the inside coming off bend four to power past Rymel into second place and then ride an excellent race to hold Rymel off and ensure second spot.  Take nothing away from McKinna it was a super ride from the no 8 and a very important one in the Tigers comeback that was now well and truly underway.

An excellent race followed in heat 11 between James Grieves and Kevin Doolan, both giving their all.  A level gate was followed by a very tough opening bend with Grieves just getting the better of Doolan.  The two continued to battle hammer and tongs, but James held on for the win.

Adrian Rymel broke the tapes on the first attempt to run heat 12 which made his reaction when the starting marshall pointed out he was off 15m in the re-run rather bizarre.  Rymel headed back to the pits and only some quick talking by Ian Thomas at the pits gate as the clock ticked down got Rymel back to the start in time.  When the tapes went up it was Richard Lawson who hit the front with Rymel coming very hard under Anders Andersen on the second bend into third place.  Mitchell Davey was in second and rode well to keep an unusually slightly erratic Rymel behind him.

Heat 13 is becoming a specialty for the Tigers.  This week saw Shane Parker make an electric gate and he was untouchable almost immediately.  James Grieves looked as if he was going to be the meat in the Comets sandwich on the opening bends but somehow managed to slip through into second place coming out of bend 2.  Another good battle ensued between Doolan and Grieves,  Doolan passing inside Grieves lap two bend 3 before Grieves squeezed round the outside to reclaim his lead on bend 4 with an exceptional pass giving the Tigers an important 5-1 and giving the Tigers the lead in the meeting for the first time since heat 2.

The Tigers have been almost as successful in heat 14 as heat 13 this season and with the way Josh Grajczonek was riding hopes were high for at least a heat advantage.  It was Mitchell Davey who was to hit the front however with Josh stuck at the rear.  The comets pairing were doing their best to team ride in 2nd and 3rd to keep Josh out but he found a way through, passing inside Charles Wright on lap 3 bend 2.  At the end of the lap however, Wright was a bit over enthusiastic in his attempts to hit back and lost control, careering into Josh’s front wheel.  Josh did very well to remain on his bike, the crowd looked for a red light but it did not come, the race instead going to its natural conclusion before referee Barbara Horley announced Wright was excluded for unfair riding.  It was the correct decision, there was no malice on Wright’s part and Glasgow will jut be relieved that Josh managed to retain control of his machine.  Fair play to Ms Horley for making the sensible decision rather than just stop the race.

It mean that everything now depended on the result of heat 15 with the points at this stage capable of going all to one or other club or being split between.  Once again Tigers called on the dynamic duo of James and Shane – despite them having by their standards a rather quiet afternoon – and once again they did not disappoint.  Compton tried the mind games before the start, delaying coming to tapes but the Tigers remained focused and when the tapes went up they both shot from the tapes and won in style - at one stage both trying to give way to each other for the win!

It was not the greatest of meetings racing wise, although there was some good racing in spells, but it was certainly exciting right to the end.  Josh will quite rightly get the plaudits for what was a superb display but mention has to go to Adam McKinna who pulled off the surprise result of the day in his only outing and fully deserved it.

Workington have a good side and their riders did not disappoint – its always a pleasure to welcome back Kevin Doolan and Adrian Rymel both of who are Ashfield specialists and you cannot fail to be impressed by Richard Lawson.

Glasgow though just refuse to lie down.  It is almost as if they refuse to believe that defeat is an option, there is no sign of panic when things go badly its just a case of getting on with it and going out there and pulling things back as a team.  Long may it continue!

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