The Diamonds injury jinx continues to hit, Mark Lemon suffering a broken collar bone in a heat 6 clash but the Tigers stuck to the task and despite some excellent performances for the home side, notably Stuart Robson and Richie Worrall, Glasgow took maximum points.

The Diamonds pairing gated in the opening heat, Mark Lemon pulling clear and going on to win comfortably.  Joe and Theo were all over the back of Derek Sneddon however and in a pincer movement Joe passed outside him at the end of lap two whilst Theo simultaneously passed up the inside line and the heat was shared.

After an aggressive couple of opening bends, Nick Morris won heat 2 at a canter although he perhaps accidentally baulked partner Michal Rajkowski out of bend 2. Michal was sent to the back and although he tried hard to press Worrall there was no way back for him.

The third heat was also to be shared, Stuart Robson winning impressively from the gate although his partner Claes Nedermark was easily overhauled by both James and Christian coming out of the opening bends. Nedermark, in his first race at home, was to finish well off the pace but, as he did at Ashfield, he was to improve significantly as the meeting progressed.

The deadlock was broken in heat four and how.  Michal Rajkowski made an excellent start, Josh swept round the outside of the opening bends to take over at the front and the Tigers pair  were quickly well clear for an easy 5-1.

Joe Screen came out on his second bike for heat 5 after feeling his first has been down on power and it certainly made a difference for the Tigers captain as he stormed from the gate for a comfortable heat win.  Theo had done well out of the gate but Robson went outside him on the opening bends. Theo was left to fend off Nedermark for the single point in what finished a fairly well spread heat.

It is fair to say heat 6 had a major impact on the meeting.  On the initial running, Mark Lemon made the gate.  Josh tried a cut up the inside of him on bend two, pulling almost level but Lemon clamped him right to the inside.  Still on the inside coming into bend 3, there was nowhere for Josh to go, he clipped the inside of the track and it turned him right into Mark Lemon.  Lemon was sent over his handlebars and it was inevitable from the way he landed that he had suffered a broken collar bone.  Josh was sent heavily across the track and only some quick reactions from Derek Sneddon and perhaps also some good luck prevented Josh being hit, Sneddon coming off as a result of  his efforts.  Meantime Nick Morris reacted well at the back to lay his bike down to avoid colliding with Lemon. A racing incident, but Josh was correctly excluded and with Mark Lemon out of the meeting Richie Worrall came in to replace him in the re run.

It was perhaps a surprise that Richie Worrall was the rider who hit the front out of the gate as the youngster gave notice that he was far from there to make up the numbers.  He rode a good race to win the heat despite some pressure from Nick Morris.  Nick was also involved in a tense battle with Derek Sneddon for second spot and Sneddon did overhaul him down the backstraight of lap two. Nick hit straight back however on the third bend and rode sensibly to ensure that there was no way back for the Diamonds captain.

Christian Henry and James Grieves gave Tigers a little breathing space with a comfortable 5-1 in heat 7 – although Matej Ferjan was not that far behind them he was never any real threat.  Newcastle hit straight back however with a 5-1 of their own in heat 8.  Sneddon was well clear out front for the home side, Theo Pijper nearly came off on his own at the back at the end of the opening lap.  Nick Morris gave chase on second placed Richie Worrall, making an attempt to find a wide line round bend two of the final lap but sliding off and into the fence.

Suddenly Newcastle were right back in it with another 5-1 in heat 9 courtesy of new boy Claes Nedermark and the impressive Stuart Robson.  For the Tigers, Josh appeared to be suffering from the after effects of his heat 6 fall and neither he or reserve replacement Michal Rajkowski were able to provide any resistance in this heat.

After being passed by Derek Sneddon on the opening bends of heat 10, James Grieves executed a superb pass on the outside coming out of bend 4 of the opening lap to regain the lead.  The focus then switched to the minor placing's where Christian Henry tried hard to find a way past Richie Worrall but the Diamonds youngster, who was having an excellent meeting, held him off.

Heat 11 was initially called back with Tigers on a 5-1, Joe making a similar start again in the re run and won what was quickly a well spread and processional heat with partner Theo in third.
Nick Morris reared out of the start in heat 12 and was left at the back but Christian Henry again used the outside swoop on the opening bends to great effect, coming out of bend 2 ahead and going on to win comfortably.  Nick tried hard to make up ground on Worrall in third but an inside drive saw him clip the Diamonds riders back wheel, managing to stay on but retiring and needing medical attention on his ankle.

Josh did well in heat 13 to push Matej Ferjan wide, allowing him and Joe to stroll to a 5-1, giving Tigers a 6 point advantage going into the last two heats.

A heat win in heat 14 would have guaranteed victory for the Tigers. Richie Worrall was first from the traps but James Grieves pulled off another excellent outside pass at the end of the opening lap to take over the lead..  Stuart Robson followed him through however and you could see him tracking James, finally passing in an inch perfect move round the outside down the back straight of the final lap to take the meeting to a last heat decider.

Tigers needed a 5-1 to secure all 4 points and to avoid a 5-1 against to ensure the win.  With Stuart Robson in such fine form it was certainly not an easy ask but Joe Screen and James Grieves stepped up to the mark in heat 15.  Joe gated and pulled clear, obviously making sure of the win. James was side by side with Stuart Robson for most of the opening lap, edging slightly ahead out of lap 1 bend 4.  Again it looked as if Robson was tracking him for a couple of laps but there was no way James was going to allow a repeat of heat 14. In fact he put a couple of bike lengths between himself and Robson by the time he went into the final lap to secure all four points headed back home to Glasgow.

Again it was a team effort.  However the form and scoring of Christian Henry and James Grieves played a big part in the Tigers victory and it was good to see both find their form round their old track.  Joe was, again, class but all seven riders weighed in with important points on what was a very good night for Glasgow.

Glasgow Tigers Speedway Unofficial Website Glasgow Tigers Speedway Ashfield Stadium Glasgow Tigers Speedway Joe Screen Michal Rajkowski Josh Grajczonek Theo Pijper Christian Henry Nick Morris James Grieves