This site has RSS newsfeeds. Add the bookmark to your favourite RSS news reader to keep up to date with all of the latest news from Glasgow Tigers Speedway.
RSS FEED
15 Mar 2008: Edinburgh (51) Glasgow (38) |
| Match Report Friday 14th March Spring Trophy - First Leg Edinburgh 'Scotwaste' Monarchs - (51)
'Buildbase' Glasgow Tigers - (38)
With the weather washing out last Sunday's scheduled First Leg, this now became the first chance for both sides to get a run out and a big turnout from both sides of the Great Divide gave the fans a chance to welcome returning stars and new boys alike. The recent poor weather meant the track looked on the slippy side and would cause a number of riders problems over the night although the surface held up well. Ross Brady's shock injury left a hole in Tigers' starting line-up and the Promotion got special dispensation to include unattached Andreas Bergstrom to deputise. New boys Mitchell Davey and Josh Grajczonek made their UK debuts. I don't know which would be the biggest shock, the weather or the West Lothian Arena track! Gate pattern A in operation. Heat 1 Ryan Fisher edged Shane Parker out into the loose stuff outside and Tigers' skipper dropped to the back without making any impression. Fisher, Sneddon, Bergstrom, Parker (5-1) (5-1) - 58.7 Heat 2 Andrew Tully and Aaron Summers got the drop on Lee Dicken and Josh Grajczonek almost ran out of room on turn 4 before Tully slipped off on turn 1, lap 2, causing Summers and Lee to lay their bikes down sharp. The young Scot was excluded and the re-run saw Lee power away with Summers following until he dropped it in the turn. Josh capitalised on the mistake for a debut paid win although the Monarchs' reserve remounted to claim the point to tie the scores. Dicken, Grajczonek, Summers(F.Rmtd), Tully(F.Exc) (1-5) (6-6) - 60.0 Heat 3 Monarchs again gated fastest, but Mitchell Davey collided with the fence in turn 2 and the race had to be stopped with the young Aussie excluded. Monarchs set off fastest again until Thomas Jonasson's bike started to play up at the end of lap 3 and Trent Leverington took him in turn 2, although he almost overcooked it on the final turn. Lawson, Leverington, Jonasson, Davey(F.Exc) (4-2) (10-8) - 59.1 Heat 4 Robert Ksiezak managed to keep those new kevlars clean with a sharp start and Lee tried to battle to the front with him until Matthew Wethers came through on turn 2. Robert looked assured in front and the Tigers had pulled level again. Ksiezak, Wethers, Dicken, Summers (2-4) (12-12) - 60.3 Heat 5 Jonasson couldn't sort out his bike problems and came out late for the start, too late as it happens, and the referee excluded him. He was to be replaced by Tully but he too couldn't make it to the start on time and was also excluded, leaving us with a three rider race. Lawson did his job from the gate but Shane looked strangely subdued. Lawson, Parker, Bergstrom, Tully(Exc), Jonasson(Exc) (3-3) (15-15) - 58.0 Heat 6 Robert couldn't repeat his excellent heat 4 start and the Monarchs left him trailing. Fisher, Sneddon, Ksiezak, Grajczonek (5-1) (20-16) - 59.9 Heat 7 Second year Monarch Tully hit the front and Wethers stayed behind to take care of any challenge Trent could make. Tully, Wethers, Leverington, Davey (5-1) (25-17) - 59.0 Heat 8 The first attempt was called back as unsatisfactory when the Tigers got away. The second attempt saw a good start from both Tigers but Sneddon worked his way round both on turn 2. Lee made a late charge down the back straight on the last lap but the Scot had it in hand. Sneddon, Dicken, Bergstrom, Summers (3-3) (28-20) - 60.3 Heat 9 The Tigers were slow from the tapes but Jonasson slid off on the first turn and Robert laid down quickly. Lawson got away in the restart and Josh showed some more determination going round Robert. Lawson, Grajczonek, Kseizak, Jonasson(F.Exc) (3-3) (31-23) - 58.7 Heat 10 Sneddon got away but Trent held a good line under Fisher and this let Mitchell come through as well. The American was back under the young Aussie on turn 3 and set his sights on Trent. He made up ground on the next lap but ran into Trent with too much drive on turn 3, bringing both down. Tigers' man was not best pleased and the two squared up for a session of 'handbags at dawn'. It was no surprise that the former Elite Leaguer was excluded. The restart saw the home man off again but Mitchell, clearly struggling with the tight turns, walloped the fence coming out of turn 4. and the race was stopped again with the youngster excluded. The second restart gave us a better race as Sneddon made a third good start, but this time Trent cut back under turn 2 to lead down the back straight. The Monarchs' skip kept the throttle on, however, to take him past and that was it, save for a bit of a wobble on the last turn. Sneddon, Leverington, Davey(F.Exc), Jonasson(F.Exc) (3-2) (34-25) - 61.4 Heat 11 Tigers had something to cheer this time as Shane, looking more like his majestic self, hit the front with Andreas third behind Wethers. Tully cut inside on turn 1 lap 2 to join his partner and actually ended up taking second on the line. Parker, Tully, Wethers, Bergstrom (3-3) (37-28) - 59.2 Heat 12 Trent shot away as Josh and Summers battled it out with Jonasson sliding off again. Trent had this well sewn up until the surface caught him out on turn 4 lap 2 and he came to grief. He remounted but not before Summers stole the lead for a surprise win. Summers, Grajczonek, Leverington(F.Rmtd), Jonasson(Fell) (3-3) (40-31) - 62.1 Heat 13 Shane and Robert got the drop at the start, but a great race developed as Fisher split the Tigers on tun 1 lap 2, emerging ahead out of turn 2. Shane cut inside on turn 4 to retake the lead only for Fisher to come back through on the next turn. Not to be outdone, Tigers' top man switched back inside to snatch it back, this time for good. Both men should be applauded for a great race, making light of the conditions. Parker, Fisher, Ksiezak, Wethers (2-4) (42-35) - 59.3 Heat 14 After the heat 13 excitement, this was quite dull and remained as it did at the start. Lawson, Dicken, Tully, Davey (4-2) (46-37) - 58.6 Heat 15 The Monarchs got away with Robert taking up the chase as Lawson completed his maximum. lawson, Fisher, Ksiezak, Parker (5-1) (51-38) - 58.8 It was not the best of nights to weigh up how well our new team will go this year, but there were some pluses with Robert looking fast at the start, Shane looking rusty but over his injuries, Trent showing a bit of determination (and not upset that the printer spelt his name wrong when Tigers had some more obvious candidates) and Lee looking as if a move up to the main body of the team is his aim. Our two new Aussies clearly struggled to adapt to the tricky circuit but Josh still picked up paid seven points and Mitchell will surely do better on his home circuit. . Report by : John Sloss |
 |
