Tigers Beat Stoke but Lose Another Point
(Posted 03/08/09)

Tigers luck again deserted them yesterday as they surrendered another home point, defeating Stoke by 48-42.

The Tigers pairing had gated in the opening heat and although Shane Parker was able to sail off into the distance, Jesper Kristiansen nipped inside Josh Grajczonek coming out of bend 2 to take over second spot. The racing became very close with Josh continually pressing Kristiansen whilst having to keep an eye on Bunyan who was on his tail. On the final bend of the race an excellently timed move from Josh saw him find grip to pass up the inside of Kristiansen and simultaneously block an attempt to come through by Bunyan, giving Tigers the best possible start to the meeting.

The track was heavy in the early stages and this was very evident in heat 2 where the riders finished in the order they gated and were evenly spaced out.

A superb gate from William Lawson followed by a faultless ride saw him claim all three points after a tough opening bend with Klaus Jakobsen in the third race of the afternoon. Jakobsen helped the Tigers cause by holding up his own team mate Lee Complin for a couple of laps but the result was never in any doubt.

Unfortunately the conditions took their toll on James Grieves in heat 4. After a level gate, Grieves bike packed up on the opening bends with the engine completely caked in wet shale. It left the way clear for Stoke's Robert Ksiezak to record the win, Lee Dicken having to settle for second place.

Lee was out again in heat 5 but it was Lawson who again showed everyone a clean pair of heels, winning easily from the gate. Lee had made a poor gate but somehow managed to come through into second place coming out of the second bend. Bunyan was all over him however and went by him on the inside of bend 3 on the second lap to split the Tigers pairing.

A superb gate by Josh Grajczonek saw him hit the front but Parker missed the gate completely in heat 6. However he used his cutback up the inside of bend 2 to go from last to second and slotted in behind Josh for what was to be Tigers easiest 5-1 of the afternoon.

After a level gate, James Grieves worked the Stoke pairing wide on the opening bends of heat 7 to allow Mitchell Davey to slip through into second place behind him. Grieves pulled clear and once again it was Stoke's Lee Complin who was all over the back of Mitchell, finally driving through on the inside line at the end of the second lap but by that time James was well clear.

The 4-2 from heat 7 meant that the TR was now an option for Stoke but they faired to utilise it in heat 8. Madsen gated for the visitors but Josh swept very wide round the opening bends and quickly opened up an unassailable lead. All the action was for second spot with Lee Dicken pressing Madsen hard, coming very close at the end of the second lap but on the final bend of lap 3, just when a pass looked possible, Lee locked up badly coming off and landing heavily on his hip again. With Josh already having started the final lap, the race was awarded as a 3-3 and after treatment Lee was able to carry on.

Stoke once again ignored the opportunity to use a TR in heat 9. Glasgow were badly outgated although Lawson got past Branney going into the back straight of the opening lap. The race quickly split in two with Lawson all over Ksiezak but unable to pass and looking a little indecisive as to the best line coming off the final bend. Mitchell meantime was all over Branney in the early stages but the Stoke youngster held.

Parker and Grajczonek had looked an excellent pairing and continued the trend in heat 10, absolutely owning the opening bends and pulling well clear of the opposition. At the end of lap 3, Josh reared badly on bend 4 but managed to regain control although it allowed Complin to catch him up. On the pits bend he was not so lucky, went far too wide and was sucked into the fence. It says a lot about Josh's attitude that afterwards he attempted to make no excuse but blamed the error fairly and squarely on his own fitness and vowed to spend more time in the gym working on his upper body strength! It was a lost opportunity however, Glasgow having to settle for an awarded 3-3.

Heat 11 required a re-run after Mitchell was the only rider who didn't move at the tapes! When it got underway, Kristiansen made good use of the outside line to come out of the second bend ahead for the visitors. Bunyan momentarily passed Grieves on the backstraight but James pulled it back going into bend three and lined up for an attempt on Kristiansen on the fourth bend. Unfortunately for Glasgow however, Kristiansen locked up, Grieves had to shut off to avoid a collision, Bunyan slipped through the inside and he and Kristiansen pulled away to go on and record a maximum for the visitors.

Another excellent gate and opening bend from Lawson saw him make sure he came out of bend 2 ahead and went on to claim another win. Lee Dicken held third place for a couple of laps before Branney got the better of him, passing up the inside.

After a ragged start, Shane Parker took to the front in heat 13 and went on to win comfortably. Ksiezak was in second spot and Bunyan made it through into third courtesy of an inside pass on an unusually slow looking James Grieves on the backstraight. Grieves did not give up trying but the Stoke pairing easily team rode to hold him off.

Although Tigers had looked well on top during the meeting they now once again found themselves in the unenviable position of trying to hold on for the win and in real danger of loosing the extra point.

Once again William Lawson looked a class above in the all important heat 14, winning easily. Lee Complin held second quite comfortably with Mitchell Davey claiming third spot after a poor start after passing up the inside of Madsen into the backstraight.

Glasgow had ensured the win but needed at least a 4-2 from the final heat for the extra point. Lawson and Parker lined up at the tapes against Complin and Ksiezak and gating was always going to be important. As it was, it was the Stoke pair who made the best gates and hit the front but Lawson came through into the lead on the opening bends with Parker getting passed Ksiezak using the tight inside line out of bend 2. An excellent race developed between Lawson and Complin with Lawson holding off everything that Complin threw at him over three laps before Glasgow's bad luck reared its ugly head again as he went into lap 4. Looking certain to win, Lawson suffered a puncture and his frustration was clear for all to see. Complin couldn't believe his luck as he took over the lead, pursued by Shane Parker. In fairness to Lawson he actually tried to keep going and it was the backstraight before Ksiezak caught up with and got by him. By this time Complin and Parker were into the final bend where Shane made a super switch to the inside line to find some drive and beat Complin to the line.

It was another of 'those days' for Glasgow but again they should have finished the opposition off earlier on in the meeting. James Grieves had early machinery problems and definitely had a day he will want to forget. Mitchell struggled a little and Lee was understandably not the same rider after his spill. Josh was on his way to a paid max before tiredness took over and rode very well. Parker and Lawson were just immense, William just losing out on a paid max due to a missed gate.

Stoke didn't really have a stand out but worked hard as a unit to get the points that mattered.

Glasgow will be hoping that the bad luck that is plaguing the team this season will go awol before next Sunday's tough derby encounter with Edinburgh.

 

 

 

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