In the opening heat, the usually fast gating Joe Screen was slow out of the start, something we were told later that was down to a clutch problem that was soon fixed. In this heat however,r he had to pass Ben Morley on the opening bends to go on and claim third spot. The visitors Jordan Frampton had got the drop but after excellent opening bends, Theo Pijper passed inside Frampton coming out of bend two, quickly opening up a gap and going on to win the heat comfortably.
Morley was out again for the visitors in heat 2 but his involvement was short as he slid off at the back on his own on the opening bends, clearing the track and allowing the race to continue. Michal Rajkowski had made an excellent start and led from tapes to flag, Nick Morris passing inside of Tyson Nelson out of bend two to join him for a comfortable 5-1.
There was an electric gate from the Rye House pairing in heat 3 but on the second bend Christian and James tried a pincer attack on Hawkins, Christian on the outside. James was unsuccessful but Christian rode a brave line outside Hawkins all the way down the backstraight to edge ahead coming into the third bend. Although Hawkins continued to press Christian all the way, he held relatively easily.
Again the Glasgow pairing were outgated in heat 4 but Josh and Michal both went outside Nelson on the opening bends. Josh followed through on the wide line to try and overhaul Doyle but the Rockets man held him off. Meantime, Nelson nipped back through on Rajkowski and although Michal spent the race trying to find a way back it was not to be.
After a level gate, heat 5 was quickly spread, Frampton winning the shared heat.
Joe's clutch fixed, he made a good gate in heat 6 and took Nelson wide, the visiting rider coming a cropper. Many referees would have called it as all four back but Nelson was disqualified from the re run. Meantime track curator Danny was going spare at his mechanic who had stupidly gone on track to recover the young Aussie's bike despite there being no red lights on at the time and the race still being underway. The re run saw another good start from Joe and another hard opening bend as he held off an outside drive from Jason Doyle this time. Theo had missed the start and had to settle for third.
Glasgow were perhaps a bit lucky prior to the start of heat 7 when all riders were at tapes and Josh's bike failed. The referee only then put the riders on 2 minutes! It looked as if Josh's bike would be okay but it again cut out and quick thinking from Craig McCurdy alerted the pits and James Grieves brought his machine out for his team mate. Josh showed that he has the ability to gate no matter whose bike he is on, flying from the tapes. He blocked an attempt by Neath on the inside coming out of bend 2 to hold the lead. Meantime Nick Morris was at the back but powered round the outside of Hawkins at the end of the opening lap to come through into third spot. He had to work hard to hold off Hawkins in the middle section of the race but pulled clear again on the final lap.
An excellent opening bend from the visitors Ritchie Hawkins in heat 8 saw him push Theo Pijper wide on bend two to give Hawkins the advantage. Theo spent the rest of the race trying to press without making any realistic impression whilst at the back, Rajkowski was involved in a similar battle holding off Tyson Nelson for third spot.
Glasgow now began to turn the screw. Morley made a hash of the gate in heat 9 and compounded his error when he nearly clipped partner Jason Doyle on the second bend but by this stage the Tigers pairing were already pulling clear out front. Doyle worked very hard to make up lost ground however and by the third lap was pressing hard on Grieves tail. James held off a determined drive inside on the second bend and an outside swoop on the fourth to hold on, the 5-1 opening up a 10 point lead for the Tigers.
Rye House immediately and perhaps rather surprisingly took the decision to but Chris Neath out as a tactical in heat 10. It was surprising as Neath would be off the poor inside gate whilst Joe Screen would be out of the lucrative gate 4. Tapes went up and Joe made an excellent start going on to win the race comfortably. Theo had gated marginally ahead of the Rye House pairing and beautifully clamped Neath to the inside line but Hawkins went round the outside into second spot off bend two. Theo pushed hard, nearly passing Hawkins on the opening bends of lap two. He continued to press until the final lap when he settled for sitting in behind to make sure there was no way through for Neath and the Rockets first tactical ride had failed.
Straight away Rye brought in their second tactical, Jordan Frampton wearing the black and white in heat 11. Josh and Nick hit the front out of the gate but Josh appeared to go far too wide on bends three and four of the opening lap. Just when it looked like Frampton would take advantage to come through the inside line into second, his bike cut out, leaving the Rye House man frustrated. Josh meantime recovered his composure to follow Nick home for a comfortable 5-1.
Ritchie Hawkins looked as if he got a flier in heat 12 but the referee felt otherwise. Coming out of the second bend, Nelson passed inside Michal Rajkowski but Michal hit straight back on the outside line down the back straight. Hawkins was however well clear and the heat was shared with Christian taking second spot.
Jason Doyle was quickest to react in heat 13 but Josh Grajczonek, for the third week running, made a very brave and impressive move on the outside from bends 1 to 3, going through the narrowest of gaps at full throttle to take over the lead coming into bend three and there was no way he was going to be caught. Joe settled into third spot, briefly challenged by Frampton at the end of lap two.
Again it was the Rye House pairing who were quickest into the bends in heat 14. Both James and Nick came through inside Chris Neath on bend two however. At the end of the opening lap, Grieves passed outside Nelson with Nick coming through on the inside line off lap 2 bend two to join his team mate up front, the Tigers going on to record another comfortable 5-1.
Nick Morris and Josh Grajczonek lined up against Jordan Frampton and Jason Doyle in heat 15 . Jason Doyle had to make a quick late change after his chain snapped on the way to tapes but it did not hinder him as it was the Rockets pair who gated and when Josh Grajczonek suffered an engine failure at the end of the opening lap, coasting round to the back straight, it was already inevitable that the visitors would record their only heat maximum of the afternoon.
The visitors were definitely strengthened by their change of riding order, brought about by new green sheets, but on the day they were no match for the Tigers. Doyle rode well but perhaps their most effective rider of the afternoon was Ritchie Hawkins. Neath started well but dropped off.
For Glasgow, there were many pleasing aspects including the fact all riders recorded a heat win. Nick looked more like himself, Michal rode well and Theo was in excellent form - his excellent blocking move on Neath in his tactical ride showed he was certainly worth more than his individual points total. Again Christian stepped up to the plate whilst Josh continues to be outstanding and will definitely by a big miss next week. Joe had a quiet day for him and James continues to look a little uncomfortable on his home track yet still score well! Even the rain stayed away. Things are certainly looking rosy in the Tigers camp at the moment.
