Team Websites for News and More Detailed Match Reports:
Glasgow Tigers Website (Official)
Glasgow Tigers Website (Unofficial)

Live Updates for a Current or Recent match: Live Speedway Updates
Discussion on Matches and Other Speedway Issues: Speedway Forum

Glasgow Tigers v Edinburgh Monarchs
Premier Trophy (Group), 24 April 2005
Ashfield Stadium, Glasgow

Glasgow 46
1George Stancl333R3 ..120
2Matthew Wethers01*1.. ..21
3Jamie BirkinshawF.... ..00
4Paul Bentley211*0. ..41
5Shane Parker34!*333 2*.182
6James CockleF0001 ..10
7Trent Leverington1122Fx 3.90
Edinburgh 46
1Daniel Nermark22*1*2. ..72
2Theo Pijper1*3320 ..91
3Rusty Harrison32231 ..110
4Cameron Woodward11*02. ..41
5Ross Brady2131*. ..71
6William Lawson3002*1* ..62
7(g)Joachim Kugelmann2*00.. ..21

* = BP. ^ = TR . ! = TS (15m Handicap). # = TR (Points Not Doubled). & = TS (Points Not Doubled, 15m Handicap).

This was a brilliant match from start to finish with all sorts of twists and turns. Any neutral attending for the first time couldn’t fail to be impressed by one of the best local derbies for a long time. There were many talking points such as – when was the last time a home side used a Tactical Substitute as early as heat 6 and - has anyone else scored a 20 point paid maximum (no, not 21, but 20)? Glasgow were returning home from an excellent point gained at Stoke last night and were at full strength. Edinburgh were again without Robert Ksiezak and had Joachim Kugelmann at number 7 as a guest.

George Stancl took the opening heat for a share of the points but Glasgow had a disastrous heat 2 when James Cockle was passed by William Lawson before falling off right in Trent Leverington’s path allowing Joachim Kugelmann through for an Edinburgh 1-5. Rusty Harrison won heat 3 with Paul Bentley desperately holding off Cameron Woodward for second place. While this was going on James Birkinshaw at the back came a cropper when he lost control on the second bend and crashed heavily which caused him to withdraw from the meeting with broken toes and other injuries. The 2-4 put Edinburgh six points in front but Shane Parker passed Ross Brady in heat 4 with Leverington third for a Glasgow 4-2. The score after four heats was 10-14.

In heat 5 Edinburgh doubled their lead with a comfortable 1-5 from Theo Pijper and Daniel Nermark from Paul Bentley to go 11-19 ahead. In heat 6, Glasgow immediately withdrew Matthew Wethers and gave Shane Parker a Tactical Substitute ride from 15 metres back to join George Stancl in the heat. Although Stancl was quickly in front, Ross Brady kept Shane Parker at bay until the very last bend when the Glasgow man forced his way past on the inside. There wasn’t enough time though for Parker to get to the front so Glasgow had to make do with a 7-1. This brought the score back to 18-20.

The next three heats were shared before Glasgow drew level in heat 10. This was a fabulous race between George Stancl and Rusty Harrison with the two riders passing and repassing each other. It was Stancl who just took the verdict and with Matthew Wethers just holding off Cameron Woodward at the back Glasgow took a 4-2 and the score was 31-31. Shane Parker won heat 11 for a shared race but Edinburgh were back in front with another 1-5 in heat 12 from Rusty Harrison and William Lawson. This race was awarded when Trent Leverington and James Cockle fell at the back on the third lap and the score went to 35-39. Still Glasgow had the big Stancl/Parker finish to come in heats 13 and 15.

It didn’t happen in heat 13 when George Stancl had an engine failure on the last bend just when it looked as though Glasgow had a 5-1 in the bag. However, Trent Leverington kept their hopes alive by jetting from the gate for a win in heat 14 but Cameron Woodward and William Lawson kept Paul Bentley at the back and Glasgow needed a 5-1 for the draw.

And they got it! But what an awesome race this was. Stancl and Parker made the start and got together on the second bend with Rusty Harrison right on their tails. We then had some brilliant team riding as the Glasgow pair gave the faster Harrison simply nowhere to go to get past. For four laps you could have thrown a blanket over the three of them and Theo Pijper was just behind waiting for any mistake. That’s the way it finished and Glasgow drew level in a match which was a credit to the sport. There was even a nice touch at the end when the riders came round for a ‘victory lap’ with two riders to each bike – one from Glasgow and one from Edinburgh. Speedway was the real winner!

Match Report by Merlin