It was only the most optimistic of Tigers fans who thought that a patched up Glasgow side would win this match against bogey team Workington so easily.
With Victor Palovaara and David Howe expected to be missing, the last thing Tigers needed was an injury to Nick Morris along with Dimitri Berge quitting the UK. So it was 3 guests and R/R against an as per programme visitors(a rarity this season!!)
With their fingers having already being burnt once before with a replacement for Morris it was a relief to see Lasse Bjerre win heat 1. Both guest reserves took an easy 5-1 in a rather scary heat 2 and already it looked like the home side were not going to give up without a fight. Comets cut the deficit to 2 after heat 3 and after a series of drawn heats, apart from a bizarre heat 6 with two fallers including Bjerre on the last bend, meant the score stood at 25-22 after heat 8. The highlights being both Kyle Howarth and Rusty Harrison passing Nike Lunna in heat 5, with Harrison bringing back memories of 2014 with a last bend outside pass and Roynon and Harrison side by side for the entire opening lap in heat 8.
Tigers then began to turn the screw with Richard Lawson involved in heat advantages in heats 9, 11 and 13, the latter race being the match winner. Aaron Summers then won an entertaining heat 14 from the back, with Matthew Wethers almost going from first to last, just holding off Lunna.
Then the Tiger’s heat leaders finished with a 5-1, for the second week in a row, although without any last bend dramas this time!!!
Everyone on the home side was paid for at least a heat win, with Lawson and Summers leading the way with 31 between them. Bjerre was effective without ever looking comfortable, while Roynon was voted most exciting rider, much to his surprise. Lunna rode better than his score suggested and James Sarjeant recovered well after two pointless rides. Bizarrely every one of his heats involved a re-run, with no other races pulled back. He wasn’t at fault every time either!!
For the visitors, their heat leaders had been singled out as a potential weakness and whilst none of them rode well it was the Comet’s reserves who were really poor. Matthew Wethers in particular never seemed to recover after Matt Wiliamson collided with him on the opening bend of heat 2. It was left to Kenneth Hansen and Rusty Harrison to carry the fight with both of them massively improving on their previous visit.
It was an important home win which sets the Tigers up for their biggest week of the season so far.
Glasgow Tigers 53
Workington Comets 36
Premier League
12/7/2015
Glasgow Tigers
Lasse Bjerre 3 F 2 2* 7 + 1
James Sarjeant 0 0 3 1* 1* 5 + 2
Aaron Summers 2 3 3 2 3 3 16
David Howe R/R 0 0 2* 3 (5 + 1)
Richard Lawson 2 3 2* 3 3 2* 15 + 2
Nike Lunna 2* 0 0 1 0 3 + 1
Adam Roynon 3 1* 2 1* 7 + 2
Workington Comets
Kyle Howarth 2 2 F R 4
Rusty Harrison 1* 1* 3 2 1 8 + 2
Rene Bach 1 1* T 3 5 + 1
Kenneth Hansen 3 2 3 2 0 10
Ricky Wells 3 2 1 1 7
Matt Williamson 1 F 0 0 1
Matthew Wethers R 0 0 1* 1 + 1
Heat 1 -(re-run) Lasse Bjerre ; Kyle Howarth ; Rusy Harrison ; James Sarjeant ; 58.1 (3-3)(3-3)
Heat 2 – Adam Roynon ; Nike Lunna ; Matt Williamson ; Matthew Wethers(R) ; 60.1 (5-1)(8-4)
Heat 3 -(re-run) Kenneth Hansen ; Aaron Summers ; Rene Bach ; James Sarjeant ; 57.8 (2-4)(10-8)
Heat 4 – Ricky Wells ; Richard Lawson ; Adam Roynon ; Matthew Wethers ; 59.0 (3-3)(13-11)
Heat 5 – Aaron Summers ; Kyle Howarth ; Rusy Harrison ; Nike Lunna ; 58.7 (3-3)(16-14)
Heat 6 -(re-run)(awarded) James Sarjeant ; Ricky Wells ; Lasse Bjerre(F) ; Matt Williamson(F) ; (3-2)(19-16) no time
Heat 7 – Richard Lawson ; Kenneth Hansen ; Rene Bach ; Nike Lunna ; 58.8 (3-3)(22-19)
Heat 8 -(re-run) Rusy Harrison ; Adam Roynon ; James Sarjeant ; Matthew Wethers ; 59.4 (3-3)(25-22)
Heat 9 – Aaron Summers ; Richard Lawson ; Ricky Wells ; Matt Williamson ; 58.7 (5-1)(30-23)
Heat 10 -(re-run) Kenneth Hansen ; Lasse Bjerre ; James Sarjeant ; Rene Bach(T,15m) ; 59.4 (3-3)(33-26)
Heat 11 – Richard Lawson ; Rusy Harrison ; Nike Lunna ; Kyle Howarth(F) ; 59.3 (4-2)(37-28)
Heat 12 – Rene Bach ; Aaron Summers ; Adam Roynon ; Matt Williamson ; 60.0 (3-3)(40-31)
Heat 13 – Richard Lawson ; Lasse Bjerre ; Ricky Wells ; Kyle Howarth(R) ; 59.3 (5-1)(45-32)
Heat 14 – Aaron Summers ; Kenneth Hansen ; Matthew Wethers ; Nike Lunna ; 59.7 (3-3)(48-35)
Heat 15 – Aaron Summers ; Richard Lawson ; Rusy Harrison ; Kenneth Hansen ; 59.4 (5-1)(53-36)