Glasgow came within touching distance of a massive win at Peterborough tonight – but saw their challenge halted by the Panthers time and time again.
The Ashfield men fought back from an early 10-point deficit to get within a point of the home team live on Sky Sports – Dimitri Berge’s resurgence from a slow start the main driver of their run. Richard Lawson also scored six when on a tactical double in the sixth race.
But Glasgow had last places in 12 of the 15 heats and that cost them what would have been a significant victory near the top of the Premier League.
They had to settle for one league point with a 48-45 defeat.
Team manager Stewart Dickson said: “We’re inconsistent in races, never mind meetings. We are inconsistent from start to finish unfortunately.
“For three races to be on 5-1s and get swallowed up is a bit of a disappointment. We gave some points away.
“We got a point but when you’re in a 5-1 position in heat 15 to get all three, and you only get one, it’s little consolation.
“I dare say it was a good match for the TV. If we had pulled it back to get a 3-3 and get the point you’d have been happy, but it’s the manner in which we got it.”
However, the team boss praised his riders’ character, having conceded three heat advantages in the first five races.
He added: “I used Dimitri as I could have. Some people might be surprised that I gave Victor (Palovaara) a sixth ride, but it was off gate four, and I knew Dimitri wouldn’t do the business off gate four – no offence to him – and I wanted to save him fresh to go off gate two in the following one.
“This track is very unforgiving – it’s tough, it’s hard racing – and the boys were knackered at the bottom end. I think David Howe realised tonight how he’s not match fit, because he was fighting and struggling with the bike to hold on.
“Aaron Summers will think himself unlucky not to get heat 15, but I felt with the way Nick rode in heat 11, he could pop out. They’re big calls – I had to make it on Sunday and again tonight. Nick went out and did the business.
“Again, though, we had he same problem – it took him three races to come to the party, whereas on Sunday it was four.
“All in all, it keeps our record in tact that we’ve got a point at every away meeting this year – which is something.”
Every Glasgow rider had a last place on their scorecard – yet all barring David Howe won at least once.
Berge scored 10+1 to prove how potent he could be at reserve – beating English wonderkid Robert Lambert – with him and Palovaara taking six rides each as rider replacement was in operation for the absent James Sarjeant.
Morris ran a last in heat one then crashed out of his second race, before finding some better form late on. Lawson, on the other hand, dropped just a point in his first three rides but then filed two last places.
Skipper Summers carried on his good form of late, only dropping points to an opponent when he was run wide by Berge in heat 12.
Glasgow now head to Berwick on Saturday – a track where they were forced to come from behind at to win earlier in the season.
Tigers scorers: Richard Lawson 11, Dimitri Berge 10+1, Aaron Summers 8+1, Nick Morris 8, Victor Palovaara 5, David Howe 3.