Speedway: Nick Morris on fire as depleted Glasgow Tigers win again

Aug 1 2011

GLASGOW TIGERS made it a clean-sweep of home victories over arch rivals Edinburgh Monarchs as they kept their Premier League title challenge on course.

Stewart Dickson's depleted side overcame a raft of injuries to secure their third win over the reigning champions this season.

Captain Joe Screen, James Grieves and Christian Henry were all ruled out of the Ashfield clash after being struck by a combination of illness and injury.

But, with guests Josef Franc and Claus Vissing proving more than able replacements, the Tigers stormed to a comfortable win to put the pain of a double defeat on the road behind them.

Friday night's 54-36 loss at Scunthopre was followed up by a 53-42 reverse at Workington 24 hours later. All of which made Sunday's home meeting with Edinburgh crucial.

The victory leaves Glasgow second in the Premier League, one point behind leaders Sheffield with four games in hand.

Looking over their shoulder, Workington sit six points back in third having one meeting more under their belt.

In Sunday's opening heat, the Tigers pair of Franc and Pijper gated well and, although Wolbert chased for the visitors he was never realistically a threat to the home 5-1.

The lethal reserve pairing of Nick Morris and Michal Rajkowski repeated the 5-1 score in heat two as Glasgow stormed eight points ahead.

The visitors pegged back half the deficit in heat three courtesy of Tully and Wethers before Morris and guest Vissing score a third home 5-1 in heat four. Finally there was a split heat in heat five with a 4-2 to the visitors.

Craig Cook was excluded for breaking the tapes in heat six allowing an easy 5-1 for the Tigers. With the visitors now 10 down captain Wethers on the outside gate donned the black and white helmet in heat seven but a great blocking move from Morris on the opening bends forced Wethers into last ensuring the tactical ride was pointless.

Cook gated in heat nine but both Rajkowski and Sweetman passed him for yet another Tigers 5-1. The strong visiting pair of Tully and Wethers got their second 5-1 in Heat 10.

Edinburgh brought Kevin Wolbert out as their second tactical ride in heat 11 but both Vissing and Morris gated and Wolbert tried hard to pass but this was another 5-1 for Tigers and, for a second time, the tactical ride was ineffective.

Monarchs were force to go with only one rider in heat 13 as Cook failed to beat the two minute allowance. Nevertheless, Wolbert was able to pass Franc and, although he tried, he failed to pass the impressive guest Vissing.

Heat 15 was the race of the night with Morris and Wethers passing and repassing before the Tiger held onto second just on the final lap to finish behind his partner for a closing tigers 5-1.

This was a strong all round performance for the Tigers with guest Vissing scoring a paid maximum and all Tigers having a least one paid win but the star of the show was Nick Morris with a paid 18 from reserve.

Only Tully and Wethers shone for a poor Monarchs side in what turned out to be a one-sided meeting. This sets up an interesting return fixture at Armadale on Friday night with Tigers looking for another away victory.

Glasgow Tigers 58

Josef Franc 6+2 Theo Pijper 9 Richard Sweetman 7+2 Claus Vissing 13+2 Nick Morris 15+3 Michal Rajkowski 8+1

Edinburgh Monarchs 32

Kevin Wolbert 7 Kalle Katajisto 2 Andrew Tully 10+1 Matthew Wethers 9+1 Craig Cook 2 Adam McKinna 1 Kyle Howarth 1

Next week's action sees Tigers travel to Leicester on Sunday for the Premier League Four Team Championship therefore there will be no action at Ashfield next Sunday.