It was the third match in as many days for the Tigers and if that wasn’t bad enough the visitors were Workington who have a good Ashfield record.
Tigers were missing two of their top 5 with Ashley Birks guesting and R/R for Ringwood, whilst Workington had Arnio missing
Glasgow 40: Screen 9, Grieves 8+2, Jacobs 7+1, Bager 7, Birks 6, Horwood 3, McBain (no 8) 0
Workington 50: Lawson 15, Howarth 12, Morris 8+2, Bech 8, Harrison 6+1, Mills 1
Heat 1: Both Comets make the start, Joe S supplies early pressure but this ends after he locks up, allowing Lawson and Morris to pick up the 5-1. Lawson was only 0.1 outside his own track record
Heat 2: Harley just sneaks ahead down the back straight ahead of Morris, with Joe J third. It quickly becomes two races in one with Harley fending off Morris and Joe likewise ahead of Mills, until a fall by the latter ends his challenge. Harley just holds on for the win. 5-7
Heat 3: Tigers guest Birks leads Harrison and Howarth with Henning at the rear. He wasn’t going particularly fast and had both Comets snapping at his heels, although this allowed Henning to catch up.Harrisonjust failed with an outside charge on the final bend while Henning managed to get up the inside of Howarth again on the final corner to level the scores. 9-9
Heat 4: Bach was too quick for James who slotted into second, while Joe J got the better of former Tiger Mills who had briefly headed Joe on the third bend. It was fairly strung out until Mills fell on the fourth bend and couldn’t get up. The referee then awarded the race 12-12
Heat 5: Lawson gated and was gone, Henning rode around the outside of the opening bends to take second, disappointingly for Glasgow, Morris had got ahead of Birks and despite an early chase, he could catch him 14-16
Heat 6: Both Tigers make the start but Harley attempted to round Joe S but ran out of room and had to bail out, hitting the pits bend fence.
After a delay to take him to hospital, Joe S again made the gate and won comfortably.
17-19
Heat 7: With Harley out of the meeting,Glasgowneeded to run with 3 riders in a heat. They opted for this one but James was unable to stop Howarth and Harrison at the start. He got byHarrisondown the back straight and was after Howarth.Harrisonwas also buzzing about and James did well to hold him off. It looked like he might pass Howarth on the third lap but the Comet just held him off. James tried a final move off the final bend but didn’t have the speed.Harrisonfell and remounted for the point. 19-23
Heat 8: Howarth was out again and he had to work hard around the outside to pass Joe J in the opening bends. Henning had missed the start again and could make little headway as Mills picked up his only point 21-27
Heat 9: Conditions were becoming dusty and the track becoming slick which suited the fast starting Bech, Henning took an easy second with Morris ahead of Birks. That’s the way it would end 23-31
Heat 10: The meeting was beginning to slip away but with Mcbain having to take a R/R it didn’t look like this would be a profitable heat. That’s what happened with Joe S taking an easy win with Harrison and Howarth next. 26-34
Heat 11: Another swift start from Lawson saw him take his third win, behind him, Jacobs and Grieves shared the heat. 29-37
Heat 12: It looked like a 5-1 was on the cards with Birks and Jacobs ahead of Harrison but Rusty managed to get by Joe and then survived a hairy moment, nearly coming off on the final lap. Unfortunately Joe was too far away to take advantage. 33-39
Heat 13: Lawson shot out the start and headed for the outside line. Joe S reading this cut up the inside but didn’t have the speed, behind them James was ahead of Bach and that’s the way it ended. 36-42
Heat 14: Tigers needed two 5-1s but it was the Comets who gated. Henning gave chase and forced an error from Mills on the final corner but it was mere consolation as the 4-2 won the match 38-46
Heat 15: A tight first bend saw everyone move out, catching Joe S out who was left high and dry on the fence. Lawson was gone again with James in second and that’s the way it ended.
It perhaps wasn’t the greatest of matches, the meeting being drawn out and the track dusty and slick
Harley’s injury seemed to be the turning point as Tigers had pulled back Workington’s early lead, although whether they would’ve won is debatable. Lawson never looked like being headed and he was well backed up by Howarth and Bach.
For the home side no-one reached double figures although this was a better performance than the Edinburgh match, ultimately Workington had the better team
With the announcement of two possible signings, it can only be hoped that they can turn Glasgow’s fortunes around