Battling Gladiators just miss out

The in-form Plymouth Westcolour Gladiators produced another good and combative Away performance at one of the Championship’s leading clubs, the Allied Glasgow Tigers on a damp Friday evening in Glasgow.

The final 49-41 scoreline just denied the Westcolour Gladiators a losing bonus point that away clubs get for losing by 6 points or less and a few unfortunate and perhaps contentious moments denied them on the superb Peugeot Ashfield Stadium Circuit that again delivered some exciting action, despite a damp few days in Scotland.

The home team were led by former GP Star and British Champion Craig Cook who scored 13 points from his 5 rides, and he was ably backed by Guest rider Paul Starke and Danish veteran Ulrich Ostergaard with 8 points each.

The injury depleted Westcolour Gladiators were again indebted to Cornish legend Chris Harris who stepped in as guest for Edward Kennett, to score a well deserved 11 points from 5 rides including a somewhat unfortunate exclusion in his fourth ride and he was superbly backed by young Guest reserve Jason Edwards, who as we have pointed out in the preview has good previous form at Ashfield and his battling 8 points from 5 rides meant that the injured Dan Gilkes scoring power was not missed as much as some thought it would be on this occasion.

Harris and Edwards were  supported by Michael Palm-Toft with 9 points and Ben Barker with 7 and Hans Andersen with 6 points, whilst Alfie Bowtell will again be scratching his head wondering why another fully committed display didn’t get the points return it deserved. Former Gladiator Dillon Ruml, a guest at reserve, tried hard in his 3 rides without troubling the score sheet.

There won’t be many sides going to The Peugeot Ashfield Stadium this season and coming away with any tangible points reward.  The Westcolour Gladiators can point to an unlucky fall by Andersen in Heat 4 whilst trying to improve his points scoring position, an unfortunate exclusion for Bowtell in Heat 11 when making an inside pass attempt on Starke and a particularly unfortunate exclusion for Harris in Heat 13, when after passing the usually impregnable Cook on his home track with an imperious move his momentum saw him accidentally clip Starke, with the referee Barbara Horley surprising some in the crowd by quickly putting on Harris’s exclusion light. 

With every point keenly contested a bold team effort possibly didn’t get the rewards it deserved on this 1000 mile round trip.

The performance bodes very well for future and possibly easier Away fixtures in the months ahead.

The Westcolour Gladiators are next in action at Home on Tuesday night 10th May against the Oxford Cheetahs and Tickets can now be purchased for that Match ONLINE on the Club website / Ticket portal.

The usual reminder that Tickets can be purchased on the night by CASH or CARD but prior ONLINE Booking is recommended to be sure of reserving a seat in the NHS Home Straight Stand.

A full Match Preview for the OXFORD Match will appear on Monday 9th May with all the up to date team news.

Watch this space too for some EXCITING NEWS on Tuesday about how we plan to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday week Fixture on Tuesday 31st May with our very topical Visitors being the Edinburgh Monarchs.

Glasgow Tigers = 49

1. Craig Cook 3, 3, 2, 3, 2 = 13

2. Danyon Hume 1, 1, 1*, 1* = 4+2

3. Ulrich Ostergaard 2*, 1, 3, 2, 0 = 8+1

4. Kye Thomsen (G) 3, 0, 1, 2 = 6

5. Paul Starke (G) 3, 3, 1*, 1 = 8+1

6. Broc Nicol 3, 0, 2, 0 = 5

7. Connor Bailey 1, 1, 2, 1* = 5+1

Plymouth Gladiators = 41

1. Chris Harris (G) 2, 3, 3, FX, 3 = 11

2. Alfie Bowtell 0, 0, FX = 0

3. Ben Barker 1, 2*^, 1*, 0, 3 = 7+2

4. Michael Palm Toft 0, 2, 3, 3, 1 = 9

5. Hans Andersen F, 2, 2, 2 = 6

6. Dillon Ruml (G) 0, 0, 0 = 0

7. Jason Edwards (G) 2, 2, 3, 0, 1 = 8

Heat Results

Heat 01: Cook, Harris, Hume, Bowtell. 4-2, 57.68

Heat 02: Nicol, Edwards, Bailey, Ruml. 4-2, 8-4, 58.84

Heat 03: Thomsen, Ostergaard, Barker, Palm Toft. 5-1, 13-5, 58.94

Heat 04: Starke, Edwards, Bailey. Andersen (fell). 4-2, 17-7, 59.35

Heat 05: Harris, Barker, Ostergaard, Thomsen. 1-5, 18-12, 58.32

Heat 06: Cook, Andersen, Hume, Ruml. 4-2, 22-14, 57.77

Heat 07: Starke, Palm Toft, Barker, Nicol. 3-3, 25-17

Heat 08: Edwards, Bailey, Hume, Bowtell. 3-3, 28-20, 60.46

Heat 09: Ostergaard, Andersen, Thomsen, Ruml. 4-2, 32-22, 60.12

Heat 10: Palm Toft, Cook, Hume, Barker. 3-3, 59.56, 35-25

Heat 11: Harris, Nicol, Starke. Bowtell (FX). 3-3, 38-28, 58.85

Heat 12: Barker, Ostergaard, Bailey, Edwards. 3-3, 41-31, 58.67

Heat 13: Cook, Andersen, Starke. Harris (FX). 4-2, 45-33, 58.86

Heat 14: Palm Toft, Thomsen, Edwards, Nicol. 2-4, 47-37, 59.64

Heat 15: Harris, Cook, Palm Toft, Ostergaard. 2-4, 49-41, 58.43

Courtesy of Speedway Updates

Image credit: Jon Sproad