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Newcastle Diamonds v Glasgow Tigers
KO Cup (QF), 26 June 2006
Brough Park Stadium, Newcastle

Newcastle 48
1Josef Franc1*332*2 ..112
2Christian Henry2132*3 ..111
4James Grieves3323. ..110
5George Stancl32230 ..100
6Adam McKinna00000 ..00
7(g)Chris Mills11002* 1.51
Glasgow 42
1Danny Bird32303 ..110
2David McAllan01*21. ..41
3Lee Dicken210R. ..30
4Kauko Nieminen1*312. ..71
5Shane Parker22311 ..90
6Robert Ksiezak3011. ..50
7James Cockle2*01*0. ..32

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

Newcastle were without Manuel Hauzinger who was injured at Glasgow yesterday and had to use Rider Replacement at number 3. They were also without Jaimie Robertson and had Chris Mills of King’s Lynn deputising in his place at number 7. By contrast Glasgow were at full strength again.

With three of the R/R rides for Manuel Hauzinger having to be covered by the two reserves who scored only 5 points between them from eleven rides, Newcastle were effectively a four man team. While it was enough for them to win on the night it wasn’t enough to pull back the 14 point lead Glasgow had built up from the first leg.

Newcastle needed to make a good start to have any chance but they found themselves playing catch up almost immediately. Danny Bird passed both Josef Franc and Christian Henry to win the opening heat for a shared race but Robert Ksiezak and James Cockle took a 1-5 in heat 2 to put the Tigers four points ahead and increase their aggregate lead to 18 points. Newcastle had to field one of their two reserves in seven of the next eight heats and were clearly going to struggle. And so it proved. James Grieves won heat 3 from Dicken and Nieminen for a 3-3 then George Stancl beat Shane Parker in heat 4. This time Chris Mills took the third place from Cockle who gifted him the point by falling so Newcastle took a 4-2 which took the score to 11-13.

James Grieves won heat 5 from Danny Bird for a share of the points then Newcastle drew level with a 4-2 in heat 6. Josef Franc beat Shane Parker with Christian Henry taking third so the scores were level again at 18-18. It didn’t last long as Glasgow pulled ahead again in heat 7 when Kauko Nieminen beat George Stancl with Lee Dicken third for a 4-2 which put the Tigers two points ahead again. Christian Henry then won heat 8 from David McAllan for a shared heat which took the score to 23-25.

Glasgow increased their lead to four points when Shane Parker beat James Grieves with Robert Ksiezak third for a 4-2 but it was all square again when Josef Franc and Christian Henry took a 5-1 ahead of Kauko Nieminen to level things up at 30-30. Again it didn’t last long as Danny Bird beat George Stancl in heat 11 with David McAllan third ahead of Adam McKinna for another Glasgow 2-4 which put them two points ahead again. Newcastle now needed four consecutive 5-1s to tie the match on aggregate which would have had a bookmaker allowing you to name your own odds. However they got the first one OK when Christian Henry and Chris Mills both passed Robert Ksiezak in heat 12 for maximum points which saw the Diamonds take the lead for the first time in the match with the score now reading 37-35.

In heat 13 George Stancl and Josef Franc then completed the second leg of mission impossible by taking a second 5-1 by leaving Shane Parker and Danny Bird in their wake. However Kauko Nieminen produced the second place Glasgow needed in an eventful heat 14 when he followed James Grieves home. James Cockle had led the race until he hit the fence and slipped to the back. Chris Mills took third and the 4-2 gave Newcastle the consolation of winning the match on the night. Danny Bird won the nominated race from Josef Franc with Shane Parker taking third from George Stancl for a 2-4 which cut Newcastle’s lead to four points on the night.

Match Report by Merlin