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Isle of Wight Islanders v Glasgow Tigers
PL Playoff (QF), 26 September 2006
Smallbrook Stadium, Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight 55
1Chris Holder11330 ..80
2Jason Bunyan3331. ..100
3Ray Morton1*1*33. ..82
4Krzysztof Stojanowski2212. ..70
5Jason Doyle3232*1 ..111
6Chris Johnson31*2*0. ..62
7Nick Simmons2*111. ..51
Glasgow 39
1Danny Bird230^13 ..90
2David McAllan001.. ..10
3Lee Dicken000M. ..00
4Kauko Nieminen36^232* ..161
5Shane Parker20202! ..60
6Robert Ksiezak12200 ..50
7James Cockle0002. ..20

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

With Krzysztof Stojanowski having recovered sufficiently from a virus to ride and David McAllan having recovered from a wrist injury both the Isle of Wight and Glasgow were at full strength for this match. This was the Isle of Wight’s first official fixture at home for over a month when they beat Redcar 50-40 in a league match on 22 August.

The Islanders took the lead in the opening heat when Jason Bunyan headed home Danny Bird with Chris Holder third for a 4-2 then they added a 5-1 in the reserves race with Nick Simmons coming from the back to join Chris Johnson to give the home side an early six point lead. Lee Dicken was warned for moving at the start of heat 3 causing a rerun but it was Kauko Nieminen who provided Glasgow’s first race winner when he won from Stojanowski and Morton for a shared race. Jason Doyle won heat 4 from Shane Parker with Nick Simmons third for a 4-2 which took the score to 16-8 after four heats.

Danny Bird won heat 5 but Stojanowski and Morton again shared the points behind him. The Islanders increased their lead to 10 points in heat 6. Jason Bunyan scored his second race win while Robert Ksiezak finished second ahead of Chris Holder with Shane Parker bringing up the rear for a 4-2. Immediately Glasgow gave Kauko Nieminen a TR in heat 7 and he won the race for a 3-6 from Doyle and Johnson cutting the home side’s lead to seven points. Robert Ksiezak came into heat 8 replacing James Cockle and split the home pairing of Jason Bunyan and Nick Simmons for a 4-2 which put the Islanders 9 points ahead taking the score after eight races to 30-21.

The Isle of Wight scored another 4-2 in heat 9. Ray Morton and Krzysztof Stojanowski made the gate and, although Shane Parker passed Stojanowski for second place, he couldn’t catch Ray Morton so the home side stretched their lead to 11 points. The Islanders made it a hat trick of 4-2s in heat 10. Kauko Nieminen again made the gate but he was passed by Chris Holder on the third lap. Jason Bunyan finished third with Lee Dicken falling at the back. This stretched the home side’s lead to 13 points so Danny Bird was given a TR in heat 11 with Jason Doyle again having to face the tactical ride for the Islanders. This time there was no joy for Glasgow as they conceded a 5-1 when Danny Bird, lying second, unluckily had to pull out of the race with bike problems leaving David McAllan to pick up his first point behind Jason Doyle and Chris Johnson. The home side’s lead had now stretched to 17 points and it increased to 19 after heat 12. Perhaps surprisingly Shane Parker did not appear as a Tactical Substitute for Lee Dicken who was in any case excluded under the two minute rule. However James Cockle came in to replace Dicken and scored his first points of the night by finishing second behind Ray Morton with Nick Simmons beating Robert Ksiezak for another 4-2. This took the score after twelve races to 47-28 and, with the interval now being taken, Glasgow were left to reflect that they needed a big finish.

It didn’t happen for them in heat 13 as Chris Holder and Jason Doyle scored a vital 5-1 ahead of Danny Bird and Shane Parker. Shane Parker then appeared in heat 14 replacing James Cockle by taking a Tactical Substitute ride from 15 metres back to join Kauko Nieminen against Krzysztof Stojanowski and Chris Johnson. This move brought Glasgow their second heat advantage of the evening. Kauko Nieminen continued his fine run by winning the race but, although Parker passed Johnson, he could only finish third behind Stojanowski. This resulted in a 2-5 for the visitors and cut the difference between the sides to 20 points. Finally Bird and Nieminen gave Glasgow some hope by scoring a 1-5 in the last heat ahead of Jason Doyle to cut the lead to 16 points but it will be an uphill struggle for the Tigers in the second leg next Sunday.

Match Report by Merlin