Down to Earth With a Bump
(Posted 31/05/09)

There was no robbery involved as the Bandits deservedly left Ashfield with three points for an away win and had it not been for a heat 15 pass from James Grieves it could well have been four.

Glasgow were certainly brought down to earth with a bump and yet again the ineffectiveness of rider replacement was highlighted, as was the effect of Josh Grajczonek’s injury.

It had all started so promisingly for Glasgow as Shane Parker took an amazing 0.6 seconds off the track record in the opening heat although there was an indication that William Lawson was certainly up for a decent meeting as he was not that far behind. At the rear, Makovsky got the better of Dicken.

Simmons and Dicken gated in heat two but Lee seemed to take exception to Simmons coming across him on the second bend.  The move sent Lee to the back but only for a few moments as he got his speed back up and gave chase, sweeping round the outside of bends 3 and 4 to pull back into second place.  He chased hard after Simmons, catching up with him a lap later and using the wide line off bend 4 he pulled slightly ahead at the end of lap 2.  Simmons hit straight back however.  Lee then tried a rather ambitious switch of line on bend 2 of lap three trying to switch quickly from outside to inside but only succeeded in hampering his partner Mitchell Davey who was in third.  It gave Simmons a bit of breathing space and he went on to claim the win.

The Berwick pairing made an electric gate in heat 3 but Harrison passed inside Paul Clews on his favoured inside line off bend two. For a short while Harrison pressed Franc but Franc pulled clear after Harrison went wide at the end of lap two.  Clews took advantage of Harrison's error to make up ground and he was pressing him hard when Harrison bobbled badly on the pits bend of the final lap.  Harrison did well to stay upright, Clews slipped neatly through the inside and the visitors had a 1-5.

Tigers hit back straight away with a 5-1 of their own in heat 4 courtesy of James Grieves and Lee Dicken from the gate.  A good gate from Ksiezak in the next heat was quickly overcome by Berwick with Makovsky passing easily on the outside line and Lawson simultaneously taking advantage of a gap on the inside coming out of the opening bends, the visitors going on to claim another 1-5 with relative ease.

New track record holder Shane Parker was out in heat 6.  He made an excellent gate but encouraged partner Mitchell Davey to go round him into the lead.  Shane settled in behind Mitchell but the pair were never really threatened as they tied the scores with another Tigers 5-1.

Heat 7 was from the gate, the win going to James Grieves with Berwick’s Clews and Franc taking the minor placings.

Robert Ksiezak made the gate again in heat 8 but rider replacement William Lawson swept round the outside of him coming out of bend two to go into a lead that was never going to be challenged.  Lee Dicken had made a poor gate and ran out of track trying a wide line out of bend two, sliding off and clipping the kick boards.  He remounted but retired half a lap later by which time Nick Simmons had passed up the inside of Ksiezak on bend three giving the visitors yet another 1-5.

Mitchell Davey was brought in to replace the ineffective Robert Ksiezak in heat 9 but it was William Lawson who was once again to take the plaudits winning impressively after getting the better of a tight opening bend with Rusty Harrison, Mitchell Davey finishing ahead of Simmons for a share of the spoils.

The initial running of heat 10 saw Shane Parker gate with Mitchell Davey cutting inside Paul Clews on the opening bend to claim second spot before the red lights came on.  No announcement was made as to the reason for the riders being called back but it certainly worked against the Tigers as in the second running although Shane still made the gate Mitchell was left at the back and was never able to make up ground.

The tapes seemed to be held for quite a long time at the start of heat 11. Makovsky on the inside cleverly dropped his shoulder slightly and this was enough to set Grieves off and he went through the tapes.  With the meeting slipping away it was the last thing Tigers needed.  Grieves came out off 15m but with the Berwick pairing flying from the gate ahead of Lee Dicken, Glasgow were never close to preventing another 1-5 for the visitors.

With Berwick now 8 up, many wondered if tactics would come into play in heat 12 with the possibility of a TR in heat 13. It was not to be but the fans were treated to a good competitive battle between Harrison and Clews.  Harrison gated but was passed round the outside by Clews on the opening bend.  Harrison switched lines on bend three, managing to reclaim the lead and setting the tone for the remainder of the race with the two playing cat and mouse. On the run in to the line, Clews made one last determined drive up the inside, pulling level with Harrison but Rusty found that extra little bit of grip to win by a wheel.

With no opportunity for a TR, Glasgow were already up against it if they were to take anything from the meeting.  Parker made the gate in heat 13, encouraged partner Grieves to go round the outside of him off bend 2 and the two then team rode for a comfortable 5-1 with Makovsky unable to mount a serious challenge.

Any hopes of a revival were quickly dashed however in heat 14, Berwick securing the win thanks to a 2-4.  Franc claimed the all important win after passing Robert Ksiezak out of the second bend after Ksiezak had once again made the gate.

Although it was only a matter of pride for Glasgow, Berwick still had it all to play for in heat 15 as a 2-4 would give them 4 points. Franc gated and with Shane Parker missing his first gate of the afternoon and being consigned to the rear it looked likely that Berwick would get the extra point up for grabs.  At the end of the second lap, James Grieves cut back from outside line to inside and picked up the grip that took him passed Franc going down the home straight however, a pass that gave Grieves the win and denied Berwick the extra point that they probably deserved.

There is no doubting that Berwick were worthy winners but yet again Glasgow are left scratching their heads wondering where to go from here.  The manner of the defeat today was unacceptable, rider replacement continues to hurt us as does the extra pressure we are putting on Mitchell Davey at a time he could be doing without it.  Rusty is still doing well enough but it must be frustrating for him riding with a different partner every week – something that can’t be helped whilst Josh is out injured but is still a factor.  James and Shane were in good form today but leaving the new track record aside William Lawson of Berwick was the rider who really made a big difference.

 

 

 

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