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20 Apr 2008: Glasgow(40) Birmingham (52) |
| Match Report Sunday 20th April 2008 Premier League Knockout Cup - First Leg 'Buildbase' Glasgow Tigers - (40)
Birmingham 'BRC Roofing' Brummies - (52)
After last Sunday's narrow defeat against King's Lynn, it was the turn of the team who ended their four year unbeaten run at home, Birmingham, to call at Ashfield, this time on Cup business. The injury hit Brummies had to use Rider Replacement for Canadian Kyle Legault and a late change saw them able to replace the controversial Phil Morris with guest Jason King and allow Jack Hargreaves to retake his place at reserve instead of the programmed Tero Aarnio. Captaining the Brummies was former Tigers' favourite Jason Lyons and 2005 Tiger Adam Roynon filled the third heatleader role. Gate pattern B in operation. Heat 1 Jack Hargreaves took the first Rider Replacement ride. Lee Smart twitched at the start but the Tigers' pair still hit the turn in front. With Shane Parker heading off into the distance, Smart kept apace with Ross Brady, looking more comfortable than previously, and a challenge on turn 2 lap 2 brought him tight under the Scot. Ross, though, controlled the right lines to keep the youngster at bay and get the Tigers off to the perfect start. Parker, Brady, Smart, Hargreaves (5-1) (5-1) - 60.1 Heat 2 Josh Grajczonek gated with Lee Dicken alongside, but Jack Roberts rode Lee out wide and the big Yorkshireman snaked, lost momentum and dropped behind. Lee kept up the chase and tried the inside line on turn 3 of laps 2 and 3 when outside might have worked and he switched outside on the last lap, just missing out on the run in. Grajczonek, Roberts, Hargreaves, Dicken (3-3) (8-4) - 59.5 Heat 3 The Brummies pair gated and Trent Leverington and Mitchell Davey had no answer. Jason Lyons was taking no chances, however, and guarded the Birmingham guest, tying the scores. King, Lyons, Leverington, Davey (1-5) (9-9) - 59.9 Heat 4 First time around Roberts and Lee tangled on the straight and both came down. The referee ordered all four back. This time Lee made a great start, but undid it when he spun on the turn and everyone flew past. Robert Ksiezak could make no impression, but Lee kept up the chase, rounding Robert on turn 4 lap 3 and got his sights on Roberts. He clearly wanted this point and another outside blast on turn 4 gave him the speed to pip the Brummies' youngster on the line, punching the air in delight. It couldn't stop Birmingham from taking the lead. Roynon, Dicken, Roberts, Ksiezak (2-4) (11-13) - 62.2 Heat 5 King took the Rider Replacement ride. Trent and Mitchell got the drop on the Brummies' pair and were well clear with Mitchell looking more comfortable with the turns and Tigers looking set to overturn the visitors' lead when disaster struck. The Aussie rookie picked up drive on turn 3 lap 3 and this catapulted him out to the fence where his bike caught up and threw him to the ground. He received attention on the track and in the ambulance before being declared unfit to continue although, thankfully, it appears only to be severe bruising to his thigh. The referee excluded the youngster and awarded the race as it stood, leaving Tigers still trailing. Leverington, Smart, King, Davey(F.Exc) (3-3) (14-16) - Awarded Heat 6 Ross and Roynon gated together but the Scot powered away and was joined at the front by Shane who cooly drove through on turn 4. Ross, though, went too wide on turn 3 next lap, so Shane nipped inside, but Roynon was close up and took second before Ross could recover. Nevertheless, Tigers had tied the scores again although Birmingham were winning the cup battle by keeping the scores tight. Parker, Roynon, Brady, Hargreaves(Ret) (4-2) (18-18) - 59.4 Heat 7 King made a super start but Robert kept ahead of Lyons. Robert looked to have the measure of the ex-Tiger until Lyons got a lot of drive off turn 2 lap 3 to pass him down the back straight and take the Brummies ahead again. King, Lyons, Ksiezak, Grajczonek (1-5) (19-23) - 61.0 Heat 8 Ross made another excellent start with Smart chasing and the Brummies' youngster looked to have the other Lee beaten until he overslid on turn 2 lap 2 and the home man nipped through, looking as if the scores would be tied again. Another bodyblow hit the Tigers when, on the last lap, Ross slid off in front and Lee tried to lay his bike down but ploughed into his stricken team-mate. Again there was a long delay as both were attended to and although both walked back to the pits, Ross was ruled out for the day. The referee had to award the race in the order they were when the race was stopped and another chance was wasted. Dicken, Smart, Roberts, Brady (3-3) (22-26) - Awarded Heat 9 Josh took the unfortunate Mitchell's place. Josh was smart from the tapes and, when Trent roared round him on turn 2, it looked as though we might pull it back. Roynon got round the youngster on turn 4 but we had at least clawed back 2 points. Leverington, Roynon, Grajczonek, Hargreaves (4-2) (26-28) - 59.6 Heat 10 Lee, himself not 100%, came in to replace Ross. The Brummies' pair made the start but, as they all bunched up on turn 2, Shane nipped in front of King and set off in pursuit of Lyons, treating us to a great duel, but the Birmingham star always held the upper hand and increased the visitors' lead again. Lyons, Parker, King, Dicken (2-4) (28-32) - 59.3 Heat 11 Roynon came in for the Rider Replacement ride. Again, the Brummies outtrapped the home men, with Smart bumping Josh out wide for another disappointing result. Smart, Roynon, Ksiezak, Grajczonek (1-5) (29-37) - 60.3 Heat 12 Shane was introduced as a Tactical Substitute in place of Lee, although a 15 metre handicap against the unbeaten Lyons looked a big ask although they could still take an advantage out of this race and there didn't seem to be another opportunity if they were to pull this back. Trent gated sharply and headed Lyons into the turn, taking him high, but his fellow Aussie cut back under on turn 2 to lead. Trent let him go and concentrated on helping Shane, who blasted round Hargreaves on turn 4 lap 2. Trent ensured Shane got past him on turn 3 lap 3 and the skipper set off in pursuit of the Birmingham star, but it was a forlorn hope. Still, it had pulled back 2 points. Lyons, Parker(TS), Leverington, Hargreaves (5-3) (33-42) - 58.9 Heat 13 Lyons came in for the final Rider Replacement ride. The former Shawfield favourite, never slow from the gate, made a rocket start leaving Shane to do all the chasing and it quickly turned into two battles as Robert held off Roynon and honours were shared. Lyons, Parker, Ksiezak, Roynon (3-3) (37-43) - 58.9 Heat 14 With Josh already programmed, Lee had to come in to replace the injured Mitchell and Hargreaves came in to replace Roberts. All four headed for the turn but it was the Tigers who got squeezed out giving Birmingham the points that tied up the win. Lee retired, rubbing his injured posterior. King, Roberts, Grajczonek, Dicken(Ret) (1-5) (38-48) - 61.2 Heat 15 Brummies yet again hit the front but even Shane's outside pass on Roynon couldn't lift spirits on a crushing defeat. Lyons, Parker, Roynon, Leverington (2-4) (40-52) - 59.3 Tigers got a masterclass in gating today, and it was clear that is one area which needs improving. The other major problem which seems to have infected the team this year is dropping needless points, twice losing out on maximums with the double agony of losing the riders to injury too. The team positions will change next week so that may see things improve. Full credit to Birmingham though. They had maximum man Jason Lyons at his best with great support from inspired guest Jason King and Adam Roynon. Tigers had better start looking out the oxygen cylinders and crampons for the second leg this week as their task is of Everestian proportions, made worse by the injury doubts of Ross Brady and Mitchell Davey. It is to be hoped that neither injury is serious and that they are on the mend quickly. Report by : John Sloss |
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