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Glasgow Tigers v Newcastle Diamonds
KO Cup (QF), 25 June 2006
Ashfield Stadium, Glasgow

Glasgow 55
1Danny Bird2322*2* ..112
2David McAllan1*2*1Fx. ..42
3Lee Dicken1*02*1. ..42
4Kauko Nieminen2132. ..80
5Shane Parker33333 ..150
6Robert Ksiezak2*2*2*3Fx ..93
7James Cockle31R.. ..40
Newcastle 41
1Josef Franc3300. ..60
2Christian Henry02*6^10 ..91
3Manuel HauzingerFx.... ..00
4James Grieves3136^1 ..140
5George Stancl2111. ..50
6Adam McKinna1000. ..10
7(g)Derek Sneddon0002*1 2161

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

Glasgow were again at full strength but Newcastle were missing reserve Jaimie Robertson and had Derek Sneddon as a guest at number 7 in his place.

Glasgow emerged favourites to qualify for the semi-finals after building a 14 point lead over Newcastle. They had strength all down the line although Newcastle were very unlucky to lose Manuel Hauzinger after his crash in heat 3. Former Glasgow riders, James Grieves and Christian Henry, led the Diamonds scoring but it was a very poor performance from George Stancl returning to the scene of his former glory. He was on the receiving end of three 5-1s. Indeed the only Glasgow rider he beat was James Cockle in heat 4!

Josef Franc nipped out the gate to win the opening race for a shared heat but Glasgow took a 5-1 from the reserves race for an early four point lead. Newcastle then lost Manuel Hauzinger in heat 3 when he lifted on the home straight and demolished the first bend fence. It looked a horrific accident but amazingly he escaped without any serious damage although he was ruled out of the rest of the meeting. In the rerun, James Grieves won from Kauko Nieminen for a share of the points but Glasgow moved six points in front in heat 4 when Shane Parker beat George Stancl for a 4-2 which made the score after four races 15-9.

Newcastle hit back immediately with a 1-5 in heat 5 as Josef Franc and Christian Henry gated to relegate Kauko Nieminen to third place. Glasgow returned the complement in an amazing race when Danny Bird and David McAllan scored a 5-1 at the expense of George Stancl. Stancl had already passed McAllan who then had his hands full holding off Derek Sneddon. However he got the better of Sneddon and chased after George Stancl passing him on the last bend to take second place. There was more woe for Newcastle in heat 7. James Grieves gated but was soon passed by Shane Parker. The attention then switched to Robert Ksiezak who chased and passed Grieves on the second lap to join his partner for another 5-1 which had Newcastle reeling at 26-16. As luck would have it the ten point gap appeared just as heat 8 came up and Newcastle gave Christian Henry a TR. Not for the first time this season Glasgow lost a 1-8 in the heat and, yet again, Derek Sneddon was the villain as far as Glasgow were concerned. Sneddon and Cockle appeared to collide at the start with Cockle stopping. However the referee saw nothing wrong so the race continued with Henry and Sneddon winning from David McAllan for the big 1-8 which took the score to 27-24 after eight races.

Back came Glasgow with another 5-1 in heat 9. Kauko Nieminen led from George Stancl but Lee Dicken passed Stancl coming off the second bend for another maximum heat win which extended Glasgow’s lead to seven points. Back came Newcastle with a 2-4 in heat 10. James Grieves sped off as Derek Sneddon took Danny Bird wide on the opening bend. David McAllan fell on the last lap at the back and the race was awarded. Back came Glasgow in heat 11 with another 5-1. Shane Parker and Robert Ksiezak scored the maximum at the expense of Christian Henry and the previously unbeaten Josef Franc to stretch the lead to nine points. Derek Sneddon replaced Manuel Hauzinger in heat 12 but Newcastle declined the opportunity to replace Adam McKinna with a Tactical Substitute in one of the ‘soft’ heats. Robert Ksiezak, who had replaced James Cockle, gated again to win the race but Derek Sneddon passed Lee Dicken for second place to limit the damage to a 4-2. The score after 12 heats was now 43-32. The usual Parker/Bird 5-1 duly arrived in heat 13 then James Grieves took a TR in heat 14. Robert Ksiezak made another fast start but fell on the second bend causing a rerun. In the rerun the Newcastle pair gated. James Grieves sped off for the full six points but Kauko Nieminen passed Derek Sneddon for a 2-7 to Newcastle cutting the gap to ten points. However the inevitable Parker/Bird combination produced a last heat 5-1 to open the lead to 14 points which is likely to be too much for the Diamonds to pull back in the second leg tomorrow night.

Match Report by Merlin