Despite many people writing off the Tigers chances after Nick Morris was ruled out due to injury, Glasgow once again showed their battling spirit with captain Joe Screen leading from the front and a superb performance from Theo Pijper who amassed an impressive paid 17 points haul.
It is fair to say that Tigers did get some lucky breaks on the night but the riders who benefited had to be there to capitalise.
Joe had led the opening heat for a couple of laps before being overhauled by Jordan Frampton who was to prove to be a thorn in the Tigers side all night - only dropping one point, that being in heat 13 when Joe claimed revenge.
The first heat advantage of the night had gone Tigers way in heat 2 with help from a thrown chain from Tyson Nelson. The Rye Pairing had gated on a 5-1 but Theo had come through into second spot and was challenging Nelson at the time.
Theo was to be a key man for the Tigers and a busy one - out again in the following two heats after Sweetman failed to beat the two minutes in heat 3. Tigers may have been on the wrong end of a 5-1 in that one but theo was constantly buzzing over the back of second place Hawkins and was able to put his additional track time to good use when he combined with a very fast gating James Grieves to record a 5-1 of their own in heat 4.
A couple of heat advantages for the home side followed with some close racing but no real passing before Tigers were made to look very poor in heat 7, the Rockets pairing winning quite easily.
The rot was stopped in heat 8 with a shared heat thanks to some erratic riding from Tyson Nelson who inexplicably straightened on the final bend of lap 3 and ploughed into the fence with Rye House on a 5-1.
James Grieves had to work hard to hold off Ritchie Hawkins for second spot in heat 9 but with Neath winning from the tapes the meeting looked as if it was starting to slide away from Glasgow. When the tapes went up on heat 10 it looked as if things were going to get worse, Rockets gating on a 5-1. However great determination from returning injury victim Christian Henry paid off when he overcame James brundle at the start of the final lap to split the Rockets pairing.
The heat reverse was however enough to see Glasgow in a position to use a TR and true to form Stewart elected to hit as soon as possible, bringing Joe out in the black and white in heat 11. For a short while, to the neutral observer it may have looked as if the wrong rider was on the TR. Theo had shot from the gate with Joe in second initially but Bowen split the Tigers out of the opening bends. It was short lived however, Bowen sliding off on his own a the start of the second lap leaving the way clear for the Tigers pair to rack up an 8-1 with Theo slowing to let Joe through for the win on the last lap.
Theo was out again in heat 12 to get a share of the spoils filling the minor placing's with team mate Christian Henry although Theo had led briefly on the opening bends.
It was then on to heat 13 when Joe inflicted the only defeat of the night on the impressive Jordan Frampton. James Grieves held second spot for the opening lap but an error in going too wide was pounced on by Frampton to split the Tigers pair.
Again you have to say there was a rub of the green for the Tigers in heat 14. Theo Pijper was out for his 7th ride alongside Richard Sweetman who had looked poor all night. it looked from the early stages as if it was to be a spread uneventful heat with Neath leading comfortably when his bike appeared to lose power. He was able to keep going but all other riders passed him meantime, Theo leading from Luke Bowen. On the final bends Bowen was to come a cropper however leaving the way clear for Sweetman to get what has to be acknowledged as gifted points.
It set the meeting up for a cracking climax in heat 15 with Frampton and Neath needing a 5-1 over Screen and Grieves to get the home win. Joe looked to have made the gate but Frampton edged it coming out of the opening bends. Neath was now all over the back of Joe and able to find the grip at the end of the third lap to squeeze through to limit the Tigers to one point for the nights efforts.
For anyone interested, there are some excellent photos from the meeting, posted by a Rye House fan, that can be seen here. Please respect the photographers copyright and many thanks to 'Westhamboy' for sharing!
