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11 May 2008: Glasgow (51) Isle of Wight (42) |
| Match Report Sunday 11th May 2008 Premier League 'Buildbase' Glasgow Tigers - (51)
Isle of Wight 'Wightlink' Islanders - (42)
Tigers, still in search of their opening league win of the season, were dealt more injury blows when Mitchell Davey, after his crash last Sunday, and Josh Grajczonek, suffering a broken wrist in the Monday rematch with the Diamonds, both joined Shane Parker on the injured list. New averages meant that Shane's choice of replacement was restricted, but who better than Workington's Carl Stonehewer, the Glasgow fans' favourite visitor and a self confessed lover of the Ashfield citcuit. Josh had to be covered by Rider Replacement using Robert Ksiezak and the reserves, and Mitchell's deputy was Gary Beaton, getting an opportunity to stake a claim for the next available place. James McBain was tracked as No. 8. The Islanders had to operate Rider Replacement for Krystof Stojanowski although all remaining Islanders were eligible. Following an horrendous crash at Shielfield Park on the Islanders' Berwick visit last night, Paul Fry was ruled out with broken toes although he was apparently lucky to get off so lightly. Bandits' Finnish rookie, Tero Aarnio, stood in for him. Gate pattern A in operation. Heat 1 Ross Brady and Jason Bunyan took the respective Rider Replacement rides. The Islanders' pairing hit the turn first, but Ross kept on pace and then tried an inside drive on Bunyan on turn 3. The Islander held his wide line well and pulled away to join his team-mate Cory Gathercole for a well worked maximum to the visitors. Trent Leverington retired with engine problems on the final lap. Gathercole, Bunyan, Brady, Leverington(Ret) (1-5) (1-5) - 57.8 Heat 2 Tigers needed to bounce back quickly and the reserves came up trumps. Ross left no-one in any doubt that he was in charge from the start and Gary Beaton absolutely leapt into turn 1 ahead of Holder. The young Aussie was all over Gary's back wheel and looked faster but the young Scot covered all of the visitor's moves and couldn't help but show his delight at securing a paid win for the home men and drawing them level. Brady, Beaton, Holder, Bargh (5-1) (6-6) - 59.2 Heat 3 Carl Stonehewer and Lee Dicken trapped ahead of Glen Phillips and the Islanders' top man came crashing down when Lee drifted out at the apex. The referee ordered all four back to try again. This time Stoney shot away and the visitors made better starts, but Lee moved wide as Phillips locked, and the Yorkshireman gave chase on Aarnio. He was clearly making up ground with his wide runs but the Finn blocked every move on the straights. Still, the Tigers had edged in front. Stonehewer, Aarnio, Dicken, Phillips(Ret) (4-2) (10-8) - 59.6 Heat 4 Robert Ksiezak was fast from the start and Ross drove hard into the turn while the visitors got themselves into a bit of a fankle on turn 2 and it looked as if the Tigers' might increase their lead. That was forgetting the intrepid Bunyan whose progress was spectacular. First he finally got past his partner on turn 2 lap 2, then on the same turn, final lap, he blasted round Ross as he closed in on Robert and finally powered round the leader on the last turn for an impressive and entertaining win. Bunyan, Ksiezak, Brady, Holder (3-3) (13-11) - 59.7 Heat 5 Aarnio came in as Rider Replacement. Gathercole looped at the gate and the referee had no option but to exclude him. Second time around it was the Tigers who commanded the turn. Carl showed that there were no ill feelings after their early season spat when he slowed on the inside to let Lee take the lead. He hadn't counted on Aarnio being so close and the little Finn nipped through after Lee. Lee, with a good turn 3, put some daylight between them, so it was left to Stoney to chase. He made up some ground until a good run off turn 4 lap 3 took him through as they finished the lap and Tigers had extended their lead. Dicken, Stonehewer, Aarnio, Gathercole(F.Exc) (5-1) (18-12) - 59.4 Heat 6 Ross came in for the Rider Replacement ride. Bunyan, showing his liking of the circuit, made short work of the task in hand for a comprehensive win. Bunyan, Brady, Leverington, Bargh (3-3) (21-15) - 58.6 Heat 7 Robert made a swift gate but let it drift on turn 2, letting Aarnio cut right across his bow for the lead. He kept up the chase but the Berwick man's awkward style cut out any challenge the Aussie made and the visitors had nicked a couple of points back. Aarnio, Ksiezak, Phillips, Beaton (2-4) (23-19) - 60.2 Heat 8 Robert took his Rider Replacement ride. He and Ross, the home men's best from the traps, made the most of this to charge into the turn. Robert let Ross take up the lead and had his hands full trying to repel Gathercole's advances. the Aussie's eccentric style was entertaining but unproductive for the Islanders and the Tigers had, at last, put a gap between them. Brady, Ksiezak, Gathercole, Holder (5-1) (28-20) - 60.0 Heat 9 Bunyan jumped at the start, although it did him no favours as Carl hit the front but referee Clarke ruled it unsatisfactory and all four were invited back. Bunyan made no mistake next time and he had a great tussle with Carl, trying every bit of track to pass, but the former New Zealand champ was master this time. Bunyan, Stonehewer, Dicken, Bargh (3-3) (31-23) - 59.2 Heat 10 Gary came in to take the final Rider Replacement ride for Tigers. Aarnio and Phillips made the start but Trent, from his gate 4 position, swept round the field to a convincing win. Leverington, Aarnio, Phillips, Beaton (3-3) (36-30) - 59.9 Heat 11 Phillips came in to take his Rider Replacement ride. Robert made a decent start but Gathercole took the wide run to sweep into the lead from turn 2 and, with Phillips taking third, the Islanders had reduced Tigers' lead to six. Gathercole, Ksiezak, Phillips, Beaton (2-4) (23-45) - 59.9 Heat 12 Team Manager Croucher decided to switch reserves with Holder coming in for Bargh. Ross leapt from the tapes and Carl, wisely, took up the shotgun position to repel any Islanders' attack, which never materialised. Significantly, however, Tigers increased their lead to ten, leaving tactical options available. Brady, Stonehewer, Holder, Phillips (5-1) (41-31) - 60.1 Heat 13 Gathercole came in for the final Rider Replacement ride and it was also designated a Tactical Ride. Most in the stadium probably expected the unbeaten Bunyan to take the double pointer, but no doubt the Islanders' manager had a cunning plan for heat 14. Gathercole and Trent got caught up together and the pair collected Bunyan on their way out to the fence. All four were called back to contest the restart. This time Gathercole was faster from the tapes but Trent tucked in behind to give chase. Even although the Gold Coast racer couldn't catch his compatriot, Robert held Bunyan at bay until the very last turn when the Islanders' captain swept round him and reduced the gap to five. (Rerun) Gathercole(TR), Leverington, Bunyan, Ksiezak (2-7) (43-38) - 59.9 Heat 14 With the scores so close, Team Manager Stewart Dickson used Ross, who had looked much improved this week, to replace Gary. First time around, Holder came off unaided on turn 1 and was excluded. This finished off the Islanders' challenge short of mass engine failures for the Tigers. In the rerun, Ross and Aarnio clashed, with the domino effect bringing Lee down. This time the referee brought all three back to contest the rerun. Finally Ross made a great start and comfortably held off Aarnio to complete his best day in Tigers' colours. (Rerun) Brady, Aarnio, Dicken, Holder(F.Exc) (4-2) (47-40) - 60.7 Heat 15 Aarnio and Bunyan gated ahead of the home pair and looked set for the heat win until Bunyan retired at the end of lap 2. Stoney took up the chase and passed the Finn down the back straight of lap 3. Stonehewer, Aarnio, Leverington, Bunyan(Ret) (4-2) (51-42) - 60.5 Finally the Tigers opened their league account with a well fought win. It was a good team performance with Carl proving an able deputy for skipper Shane and Ross seeming to have recaptured the form of which he is capable. Special mention for Gary Beaton, whose vital second in heat 2 brought the Tigers level and changed the momentum of the meeting. Jason Bunyan, most entertaining rider on the day, Gathercole and high scoring guest Aarnio all chipped in high scores but they lacked the necessary backup. Report by : John Sloss |
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