After last week’s break it was back to PL action with the visit of a depleted Berwick side. Glasgow’s new look side surely never had a better chance of winning their first match since 4th May with the visitors without high scoring reserve Nikki Barratt and Kozza Smith.
Glasgow 44: Screen 11, Grieves 10, Jacobs 8+3, Compton 6+1, Bager 6, Raun 2+1, Ringwood 1
Berwick 46:Bellego 13+1, Lawson 12, Wethers 10+1, Aspegren 9+1, Starke 2, Carr 0, Smith R/R.
Heat 1: All eyes were on Lawson and Screen but it was Bellego who made the start, Joe just failing to round him on the second bend and almost crossing the white line on the fourth bend in an inside attempted pass. Bellego pulled away after that and Lawson was a comfortable third. 2-4
Heat 2: After an unsatisfactory start it was Starke who took the lead with Joe J chasing in second. Two inside bend 4 attempts were thwarted; with the faster Jacobs almost running into Starke on lap 3. Starke then made an error on the last bend of the race allowing Joe to draw level and on the run to the line just pip Starke. Joey was well ahead of Carr in third. 6-6
Heat 3: Andre Compton was moving at the start and with the referee letting it go; it was Berwick who were on a 5-1 until Henning passed Wethers on the second bend. Aspegren was well clear and that looked like the way it would finish but Andre began to reel Wethers in but his last bend attempt was easily dealt with by the Bandit. 8-10
Heat 4: Lawson was in as R/R and he gated first, James and Joe easily filled the minor spots with Starke at the back, which is how it finished. 11-13
Heat 5: Lawson was out again but it was Compton who made the start, riding around the field to lead. Unfortunately Berwick filled the minor spots. Lawson chased hard and wasn’t too far away at the finish but Comptonheld on. Bellego actually struck and killed a pigeon during the race!!! 14-16
Heat 6: It was Joe who raced into the lead from Bellego with Raun third. Jonas didn’t look too comfortable but Carr was never in a position to pass 18-18
Heat 7: It briefly looked like a 5-1 to the Tigers but Joey got squeezed out on the outside on the first bend by the Bandits, allowing them to settle into second/third behind James.
21-21
Heat 8: Bellego easily won this heat but all eyes were on Jonas who seemed determined to wipe himself out with a couple of ventures to the second bend fence. He almost stopped on the fourth bend but Starke, although close couldn’t take advantage 24-24
Heat 9:Wethers from the inside and Bager from the outside were the ones to show but Henning didn’t have the speed and Wethers easily took the heat. Andre beat Carr for third. 27-27
Heat 10. Joe S made another good start with the Bandits slotting into second and third.
Jonas looking a bit more controlled gave chase to Wethers but was held off
30-30
Heat 11: This looked like a potentially difficult heat for the Tigers but Bellego touched the tapes and went off 15m. Lawson was away again with James and Joey team riding to keep Bellego out. Things were going well until the final bend of lap 3, when Joey went too wide, hit the fence and came down, His bike narrowly missed the following Grieves and Lawson. Race was awarded. 32-34
Heat 12: Aspegren and Bager were close coming out of the second turn but it was Aspegren who led. Joe J slotted into third and that’s how it ended 35-37
Heat 13: Tigers knew they needed a heat advantage and after a tight first two bends it was James who led with Joe S attempting to pass Lawson. James managed to fend off the challenges from Lawson just beating him to the line. 39-39
Heat 14: Wethers took this race easily with Andre and Joe J in second and third. 42-42
Heat 15: Bellego and Lawson both started well until Joe S split them on the opening two bends, that’s the way it ended and Berwick picked up their first away win of the season
44-46
Perhaps not the most exciting of matches but the scores kept it interesting along with some wall of death riding by Raun. Tigers failing of not enough heat winners surfaced again and they were lucky Barratt wasn’t riding.
Bellego came back to haunt us, while Aspegren had his best Ashfield match for Berwick.
For the new riders it was Compton who showed well but as mentioned Raun couldn’t get round. the second bend without almost hitting the fence.
It’s beginning to look like a long season ahead for Tigers fans with the new side still looking like they are a heat leader short. In truth Berwick would’ve won this by a fair margin if Barratt had been riding. Difficult to see where Tigers next win is coming from, especially with their next two home matches against Ipswich and Edinburgh.
Report Courtesy of Derek Watson