Tigers put one foot in the KOC semi-final with an almost perfect display against their local rivals.
With Luke Chessell guesting for the injured Danny Ayres and Edinburgh sporting no less than 3 World Cup riders, everyone expected this match to be as close as the recent league match between the sides.
Richard Lawson got the home side off to the perfect start with an easy heat 1 win, with the Monarchs well ahead of Fernando Garcia for the 3-3.
Luke Chessell made a superb gate in heat 2 and was gone while behind him Max Clegg and Nike Lunna were having a great battle, Lunna almost coming off down the home straight after a nudge but he finally rounded the Monarch on the third lap for the 5-1.
Tigers extended their lead to 6 after a 4-2 in heat 4, before Heat 5 saw Worrall just holding off a hard charging Sam Masters, with Bach third.
Another home 4-2 followed in heat 6, with Lawson beating Wolbert, with Garcia passing Clegg on the 4th bend for third.
Heat 7 probably had the most exciting first lap around Ashfield ever with Lunna emerging out the second bend in the lead, Ryan Fisher went from last to second down the back straight, diving up the inside of his partner Erik Riss, allowing Summers to also pass him on the 4th bend. Fisher then just holding Summers at bay for Tigers fourth successive 4-2.
Mark Riss flew from the gate in heat 8 but Garcia slid into the fence at the back causing the race to be stopped.
With him out, Edinburgh looked to take advantage but it was Lunna who was quickest away and he won, with Riss not far behind.
With the rain, which had started before the previous race, getting heavier, the last thing the home side wanted was a delay but Worrall went through the tapes in heat 9, meaning Lunna went out again but it was Rene Bach who took the win with Wolbert second, Lunna an easy third.
Heat 10 was looking like another home 4-2 until Lawson made a mistake on the second lap, allowing Erik Riss through for the win.
Tigers responded with a brilliant 5-1 in heat 11, Summers boring a hole up the inside of Masters, quickly followed by Lunna. Masters telling the referee how many points he scored after the race finished, presumably complaining about the rain falling. Tigers were now 18 up and didn’t want the meeting to end.
At this point it looked like the visitors hope of an abandonment looked likely but the referee allowed a 10 minute break and with the rain stopping it was on with the action.
Erik Riss spent too long gardening after the 2 minutes had expired and was excluded although he easily passed Chessell from the 15m mark. Worrall miles ahead at the front.
Masters seemed to enjoy the slightly drier conditions in heat 13, giving Lawson a hard race, whilst holding off Summers for yet another 4-2.
The rain had returned before heat 14 but it didnt stop first Rene Bach and then at the end of the second lap despite the wet conditions, Nike Lunna passing Ryan Fisher.
Presumably the agreement had been that any further rain would result in an abandonment, as heat 15 was called off rather quickly, despite the rain stopping well before it would’ve taken place.
Glasgow haven’t beaten Edinburgh in a cup tie, outwith the final, since 1953 and will never have a better chance in ending that hoodoo. They were easily the dominant side and unusually didn’t allow Edinburgh a heat advantage, in fact the Monarchs only had two race wins, almost unprecedented at Ashfield.
Nike Lunna was the star man, frequently coming from the back, his pass of Fisher being the highlight. His only dropped point coming to Wolbert in heat 9 when the rain had started. The Tigers top 4 all won at least two races with special mention for Luke Chessell at reserve, scoring a good 4.
Edinburgh didn’t really have anyone on form, although Mark Riss had a couple of good rides and the Monarchs will be glad that it stopped when it did, although no one, least the Tigers, will assume that this tie is over.
Glasgow Tigers 54 Edinburgh Monarchs 30- MATCH ABANDONED after heat 14 due to rain-result stands Knockout Cup QF, 1st leg 31/7/2016 Glasgow Tigers Richard Lawson 3 3 2 3 11 Fernando Garcia 0 1 Fx 1* 2 + 1 Richie Worrall 2 3 3 8 Rene Bach 1* 1 3 3 8 + 1 Aaron Summers 3 1 3 1 8 Nike Lunna 2* 3 3 1 2* 2* 13 + 3 Luke Chessell 3 1 0 4 Edinburgh Monarchs Sam Masters 1* 2 1 2 6 + 1 Mark Riss 2 0 2 R 4 Erik Riss 0 0 3 1* 4 + 1 Ryan Fisher 3 2 0 1 6 Kevin Wolbert 2 2 2 0 6 Max Clegg 1 0 0 2 3 Dan Bewley 0 0 1* 0 1 + 1 Heat 1 - Richard Lawson ; Mark Riss ; Sam Masters ; Fernando Garcia ; 57.53 (3-3)(3-3) Heat 2 - Luke Chessell ; Nike Lunna ; Max Clegg ; Dan Bewley ; 59.19 (5-1)(8-4) Heat 3 - Ryan Fisher ; Richie Worrall ; Rene Bach ; Erik Riss ; 58.09 (3-3)(11-7) Heat 4 - Aaron Summers ; Kevin Wolbert ; Luke Chessell ; Dan Bewley ; 57.03 (4-2)(15-9) Heat 5 - Richie Worrall ; Sam Masters ; Rene Bach ; Mark Riss ; 57.59 (4-2)(19-11) Heat 6 - Richard Lawson ; Kevin Wolbert ; Fernando Garcia ; Max Clegg ; 58.03 (4-2)(23-13) Heat 7 - Nike Lunna ; Ryan Fisher ; Aaron Summers ; Erik Riss ; 58.22 (4-2)(27-15) Heat 8 - (re-run) Nike Lunna ; Mark Riss ; Dan Bewley ; Fernando Garcia(Fx) ; 58.92 (3-3)(30-18) Heat 9 - Rene Bach ; Kevin Wolbert ; Nike Lunna ; Max Clegg ; Richie Worrall(XT) 59.72 (4-2)(34-20) Heat 10 - Erik Riss ; Richard Lawson ; Fernando Garcia ; Ryan Fisher ; 60.47 (3-3)(37-23) Heat 11 - Aaron Summers ; Nike Lunna ; Sam Masters ; Mark Riss(R) ; 60.47 (5-1)(42-24) Heat 12 - Richie Worrall ; Max Clegg ; Erik Riss(15m, delaying start) ; Luke Chessell ; 58.53 (3-3)(45-27) Heat 13 - Richard Lawson ; Sam Masters ; Aaron Summers ; Kevin Wolbert ; 59.78 (4-2)(49-29) Heat 14 - Rene Bach ; Nike Lunna ; Ryan Fisher ; Dan Bewley ; 60.69 (5-1)(54-30) Match abandoned