Tigers Back on Winning Trail
(Posted 20/07/09)

Glasgow got back to winning ways, Josh and Shane returned, new signing William Lawson made his debut and from the 'Norman Collier' style interview Stewart Dickson gave over the microphone it sounds as if another new signing could follow shortly - things are starting to look up for the Tigers.

Perhaps the margin of victory wasn't as some people hoped, especially after the opening heats, perhaps it was disappointing to lose out so heavily in heats 13 and 15 but things definitely appear to be heading in the right direction.

The meeting got off to a great start with two 5-1's for the home side, Grieves gating in the opening heat and winning by the proverbial country mile with Josh Grajczonek getting the better of Steve Johnston on the inside line coming out of bend two and holding him off for the remainder of the race. Heat 2 saw excellent gates from both Tigers, Lee winning easily and Mitchell comfortably in second despite a major wobble at the end of the opening lap.

Unfortunately Tigers got a wake up call in heat 3 when both Glasgow riders missed the gate. Lawson recovered quickest and by the end of the opening lap was on Simmons tail but despite constant pressure the Rebel's rider held.

The initial running of heat 4 saw Lee Dicken give the Tigers some worries when he fell heavily on the final bend of lap 2 after locking up whilst in third place, with partner Shane Parker well clear at the front. Behind Lee,Gathercole did all he could to avoid the Glasgow man but just clipped him. Thankfully after lengthy treatment Lee was able to carry on with the remainder of the meeting, although obviously excluded from the re-run of the heat. Justin Sedgmen made an excellent gate for the visitors in heat 4 and when Cory Gathercole slipped inside Shane Parker at the end of the opening lap things looked worrying. Shane hit back almost immediately, passing inside Gathercole on the pits bend of the second lap, and chased Sedgmen in what was a good competitive race. Shane's final drive off the inside of the final bend saw him pull level and although it looked from our angle as if Sedgmen had managed just to hold on, the referee awarded the win to Shane, giving Glasgow a share of the spoils.

Steve Johnston won heat 5 from the gate with the Tigers pair filling the minor placings.

An attempt to anticipate the tapes in heat 6 resulted in Rebels Tom Brown being well off the pace in heat 6, the referee correctly allowing the race to continue. Josh flew round the outside of the opening bends into the lead with James settling in behind him and protecting him from a slightly erratic Cory Gathercole. Just when it looked as if Tigers would have another 5-1, Gathercole picked up grip coming off the last bend and shot across in front of Grieves just before the line. Only some excellent anticipation from James prevented a horror crash as he shut off against the fence. The crowd were none too happy that it meant Gathercole was given second spot but there was very little else the referee could do. Gathercole himself was quick to apologise to James on the way back to the pits.

Simmons tried to anticipate the tapes in heat 7 and disappointingly the referee called it back despite Simmons being the only one affected. Shane won the re-run from the gate but this time Mitchell made a sloppy start and had to fight his way through inside Simmons on lap 1 bend 4. Simmons never gave up and there was an excellent battle between the two for the remainder of the race with Mitchell managing to hold on for third.

Josh reared out of the gate in heat 8 leaving him at the back but not for long as he swept round the outside of the opening bends into second place then switched inside to pass inside Simon Walker on bend three and go on to win the heat comfortably.

Now 10 points down, Somerset made the expected move and brought Cory Gathercole out as a TR in heat 9. It certainly paid off for them as he made an electric gate and was never troubled as he secured 6 points for the visitors. Tigers filled the minor placings with Brown falling and remounting whilst at the back on lap two and finally retiring on his last lap.

Heat 10 took place in persist ant rain, James and Josh making the gate despite poor visibility. The impressive Kramer managed to get round the outside of Josh on bend 2 however and although Josh never gave up he had to settle for third place, James winning the heat comfortably.

It was the visitors who made the gate in heat 11 however although Shane managed to split them on the third bend by passing inside Simon Walker. Not for the first time in the afternoon, Mitchell was involved in a close battle at the rear, this time with Simon Walker but despite coming close on a number of occasions it was Walker who claimed the point to give Somerset a heat advantage.

Glasgow racked up another 5-1 in heat 12 although it took two runnings after Nick Simmons took out his partner Tom Brown at the end of lap 3 whilst both were well behind. The rules dictate you cannot be excluded for taking your partner out and so it was Brown who was excluded from the re run. Lawson repeated his excellent gate from the first running to win comfortably whilst Lee claimed second place after holding off Simmons for all four laps.

If the Tigers fans thought that made things look safe we were in for a rude awakening in heat 13 when Gathercole and Johnston outgated Grieves and Parker and recorded a surprise 1-5 from the gate.

William Lawson again showed how to gate in heat 14 and was well clear after the first lap, winning the heat in style and securing the win for the Tigers. Unfortunately Mitchell again was sluggish out of the gate - something he was clearly working on rectifying after the meeting - and Tigers had to settle for a share of the spoils, meaning that heat 15 decided the fate of the final point up for grabs.

Somerset needed a heat advantage in heat 15 to get the point but went one better when Gathercole and Johnston again made super gates and recorded a 1-5 from the tapes.

The margin of the win may have been slightly disappointing given the Tigers domination in the early stages of the meeting but at least we are back to winning ways. Shane looked shattered by the end of the meeting but it was good to have him and the impressive looking Josh Grajczonek back in action and new signing Will Lawson more than played his part in helping the Tigers to victory after struggling with his set up early on.

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