While the score line is every bit as emphatic though as the last time the two sides met at Ashfield, this encounter was a different story with a Leicester side on the whole gating and battling well but just being out done by a very much on form Tigers septet.

The Leicester pairing of Graversen and Bager shot form the tapes in the opening heat only for Theo Pijper to split them with an inside pass on Bager on bend 2. Lee Complin followed his example by cutting inside Bager on bend 3 but although towards the end of the race it got close up front, Graversen was never in any real danger of losing his lead.  Bager fell and remounted on lap two bend 3, retiring on lap 4.

Again the Leicester pairing showed their Glasgow counterparts a clean pair of heels out of the gate in heat 2 but Michal Rajkowski rode a wide and fast outside line on the opening bends to pass Charles Wright whilst Nick Morris slipped through on the inside into third. Michal closed down Ashley Morris and had a look at a few lines before powering down the inside of him into the lead as they entered lap 3.  Morris tried to hit back almost straight away with an inside drive off lap 3 bend 2 but Michal was equal to the challenge and then pulled clear to go on and claim the win.

Glasgow were last from the tapes again in heat 3, James Grieves surprisingly bringing up the rear but it was not to last long.  Richard Hall was well clear so the Tigers pair were left to focus on Ilya Bondarenko, Christian Henry powering off bend 4 lap 2 to pass outside him as they entered lap 3 and James Grieves replicating the move one lap later to ensure a share of the points.

At last Glasgow made a gate, Sweetman and Rajkowski hitting the front in heat 4 but Darkin used the outside line to pass Rajkowski out of bend 2.  Sweetman was well clear but Rajkowski in third was being put under a lot of pressure by Ashley Morris and having to work hard to hold him off.  At the end of the third lap, Darkin in third place in explicably went far too wide and clipped the fence, scraping along it but staying on.  It was enough however to allow Rajkowski and Morris through.  Off the final bend Morris tried a last gasp move on the outside of Michal but the Raj shut the door firmly but fairly to give Tigers a 5-1.

Heat 5 was to be an easy 5-1 from the gate for the Tigers, the only thing of note being Bager suffering an engine failure on the opening lap whilst at the back.

It was back to Leicester gating in heat 6 but there was more vintage Lee Complin as he took the wide line to pass outside Sergey Darkin and kept it wound on to power past Charles Wright going down the back straight of lap 2 as if he wasn’t there.  From that point there was only going to be one race winner and attention switched to the battle at the back with Theo Pijper trying hard to find a way through. Lap 3 going down the back straight Theo tried to pass Darkin but didn’t quite make it.  He remained on the outside line and kept it wound on however to come out of bend 4 ahead of the Russian.

Not surprisingly, Leicester brought Richard Hall out as a TR in heat 7.  The Tigers gated but Richard Hall cleverly muscled Nick Morris out as they entered the back straight, sending Nick to the rear. Richard Sweetman was clear however, going on to win. Nick tried hard to press Bondarenko for third but was no real threat.

Theo Pijper was to make heat 8 his own despite being outgated by Jan Graversen.  It took a lap and a half before he went outside Graversen going into bend three of lap two. All eyes switched to the battle at the rear with Ashley Morris pressing Michal Rajkowski for a couple of laps, Michal then pulling a little ahead and going on to press Graversen for second but Graversen held.

Bizarrely, Leicester chose to send out their poorest rider on the day on a tactical ride in heat 9, Sergey Darkin wearing the black and white as he lined up against James Grieves and Christian Henry. Darkin looked to have made the gate but by the time the four riders came out of bend two it was Charles Wright who was leading for the visitors with Darkin at the rear.  James Grieves was all over the back of Wright who tried hard to contain him but a super move up the inside by James on lap 3 bend 1 saw him come through into the lead.  Christian Henry was not far off Wright without realistically challenging with Darkin off the pace at the rear.

Heat 10 saw the Tigers claim another easy 5-1 with Theo Pijper powering into the lead out of the start.  Lee Complin went from last to first with an outside drive on the opening bends and it was basically heat over.

Nick Morris lifted coming out of the gate in heat 11 but still managed to hold second spot. Graversen came inside him out of bend two but Nick hit back straight away on the outside down the back straight. Again eyes switched to the battle at the rear with Richard Sweetman looking for a way to pass Graversen.  After a few close attempts, Richard patiently tracked Graversen, making the move inside on the pits bend of the final lap to claim third.

A good gate from the Tigers pairing in heat 12 combined with a clever opening bend from Rajkowski to take Bondarenko wide looked as if it would give the home team another 5-1 but Christian was to suffer a puncture on lap 3 bend 2.  Michal went on to win easily.

At this stage, as he returned to the pits Charles Wright had some sort of problem that resulted in attention from the paramedics. Initially it looked as if it might be heat related but he was later spotted with a pad pressed to his left eye.  Hopefully this was nothing serious.

Ashley Morris replaced the poor Sergey Darkin in heat 13. Although Bager gated, both Glasgow riders passed inside him on bend 2, Lee Complin taking the lead from Richard Sweetman on bend 4.  Although Bager never gave up, he was never that close to the Tigers pairing as Glasgow recorded another 5-1 to ensure the win.

Theo Pijper was out helping with Nick Morris’ bike prior to the start of heat 14.  When the tapes went up it was a relatively level gate.  Coming out of bend 2, Hall was very hard but fair taking Nick right out to the fence as they entered the back straight but incredibly Nick somehow managed to squeeze through the smallest of gaps between Hall and the fence to secure the lead.  Again Hall never gave up trying but Nick held on for the victory and with James Grieves well ahead of Ashley Morris in third, Glasgow has secured all the points on offer.

James Grieves got a massive flier in heat 15 but the referee allowed it to go.  Michal Rajkowski moved himself through into second spot off bend two and basically it was race over.

The margin of the win was greater this time than in the Knock Out Cup game but that is not perhaps a fair reflection on the visitors who were on the whole a far better unit this time and gated well.  They were just unlucky to come across a very determined Glasgow side who were at times making it look as if they were passing for fun. It was a great performance from the Tigers, guest Lee Complin again being superbly entertaining doing everything from the back, Richard Sweetman making an excellent debut and Michal Rajkowski continuing to impress and top scoring.  Everyone paid their part, Christian definitely hit the ground running on his return from injury and was unlucky to suffer that puncture, Theo weighed in with good points, James Grieves was James Grieves – Mr Reliable – and although Nick did not have one of his better days he still weighed in with good points and was impressive in heat 14.  Leicester this time were more competitive although again Darkin let them down badly.  Charles Wright however was determined and committed with Graversen looking good and Hall, as expected, being a handful for the Tigers.

Final praise however to two areas that are often criticised by the fans. 

Despite missing the flier in heat 15, today’s referee kept the meeting going at an excellent pace with no long breaks for no reason to bore the punters.  It was a refreshing change and other referees should take note.

However the biggest dollop of praise should go to the hard working track staff.  On what is definitely the hottest day we have raced on this season they produced an excellent track that provided superb entertaining racing with plenty of passing lines and yet despite the heat there was no dusty

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