STEWART Dickson says an “inspired performance” from just one rider could be the difference between Glasgow booking their place in two cup finals – or having to settle for one.
The Tigers are revving up for the biggest few days of their season as they face Somerset over two legs in the KO Cup semis – as well as trying to finish off their fixture against Workington to make the League Cup final.
And as long as the Ashfield men come through a series of commitments elsewhere unscathed this week, they’ll go into the weekend’s ties fully fit and in superb form after Sunday’s 64-25 first-leg demolition of the Cumbrians.
Team boss Dickson hopes that by close of play on Sunday, the club will be looking ahead to their biggest season finish since they won the Premier League in 2011.
He said: “The weekend is very big. Somerset are as tough as they come. On Friday we’ll go there and try to win. That might sound impossible to some people but I think that’s the best policy, and see where it gets us.
“I think it’ll be close and I think they know it’ll be close as well. I know they beat us earlier in the season but we’ve come into a bit of form.
“They’re in for two tough meetings and we think the same – and we might need an inspired performance from a certain rider. It might make the difference between the two teams.
“I’m not going to kid on – it would take a catastrophe for us not to reach the League Cup final on Saturday night. They will probably want to win on the night just to give them back some credit. Our riders will go there confident again and we will do a professional job and try to win the match – and try to come through the two nights unscathed.
“Then it’s all about Sunday. Come 5pm on Sunday we could be in two cup finals, which would be fantastic. We want to be in both finals and that is the target over the weekend – and nothing less will do.
“As long as all the guys are fit I’m sure we have a great chance. Our destiny is in our own hands.”
The Tigers have recorded three big wins in four meetings to recover from a home league defeat to the Rebels on August 21.
Dickson believes his side are a more competitive proposition a month on from that meeting.
He said: “Even forgetting that they had Dan Bewley in guesting that day and scoring 13 points, I think we are better placed.
“Coty Garcia’s mechanic and mentor from Argentina came over last week and they were out practising, doing certain things. I think he feels at home with him because he’s done it for him since he was 15 or 16. It showed in his racing on Sunday.
“Rene Bach has found a bit of form too and so has Aaron Summers.
“I think we’re a different Glasgow than what we were four or five weeks ago. We know they’re a top side, they know we’re a top side, and it should be good.”
Glasgow’s second strings – Bach and Nike Lunna – bagged 23 points between them on Sunday, which Dickson described as “frightening scoring”.
He’ll shuffle his line-up slightly for the away matches with Aaron Summers going to No 3 and Richie Worrall at 5, before reverting to the norm for Sunday.
He continued: “I’m pretty excited, as every supporter will be, and I’m hoping for a big crowd to get behind the boys on Sunday and cheer us over the line. If we can get by Somerset, it would be a tremendous achievement in itself.
“There’s a good feeling in the camp. The boys aren’t saying much but you just know that within, there’s something simmering below, and we’re just playing it cool and racing well.
“But we want to go one better than last season, that’s for sure. They don’t want to come this far and not win anything.”
Glasgow have now learned that they will face either Sheffield or Newcastle in the semi-finals of the Premier League Championship play-offs.
The Diamonds will be the favourites for that tie, but Dickson insists it’ll be tough no matter who makes it through.
However, he added: “My main focus at the moment is Friday, Saturday, Sunday – it’s big and hopefully we’ll have two cup finals by Sunday and a wee lie down on Monday.”