Speedway: Glasgow Tigers top six hopes on the line as they head to Sheffield

Aug 1 2012 By Fraser Wilson

Henning Bager has exceeded expectations since arriving last month, says Dick

GLASGOW TIGERS chief Alan Dick admits it’s now or never if the Premier League champions are to rescue any hope of retaining their title.

The Tigers made it two wins on the bounce for the first time this season when they blitzed Rye House 51-36 at Ashfield on Sunday - but they still languish ninth in the table.

To have any chance of a pop at the championship Glasgow must finish in the top six come the league split in under two months' time.

And Dick and his co-promoter Stewart Dickson have targeted Thursday’s trip to fellow mid-table side Sheffield Tigers for a first victory on the road and a turning point in their stuttering season.

The no-nonsense management team have done their bit for the effort by signing experienced Dane Henning Bager and promising reserve Charles Wright in the past fortnight.

Now they want their riders to prove they're committed to the cause by picking up the points to drive them into the top six.

Dick said: "We've been saying for weeks that we need to start picking up points away from home and now is really the time to do it otherwise we'll run out of fixtures.

"We want to take four points from Sheffield on Thursday, simple as that. We are level on points with them and have had the same number of meetings so it's in the balance.

"But with the changes we have made to the team in recent weeks we feel we are capable of picking up results on the road.

"Bringing in Bager has been important as he has strengthened up our middle order, where we were weak, and is averaging eight points which is fantastic.

"Charles Wright has come in at reserve in place of Jayden O'Malley who is heading back to Australia and hopefully that will strengthen that particular area too.

"There are six away fixtures left before the split and we must win two of them at least. On top of that we must remain unbeaten at home.

"It's a huge ask but nobody here is giving up. We all believe we can make the top six."

In a further boost to the side Filip Sitera is expected to return for Sunday’s home clash with Berwick Bandits after a three-week lay-off due to a broken collar bone.

"Filip will take us back to full strength and it's as strong a 1-5 as we have had all season,” Dick said.

"We have made the changes we thought were necessary and I would hope there will be no more between now and the end of the season.

“Hopefully now the season will begin to take off.”

Glasgow's home Premier League meeting with Berwick Bandits begins at 4pm at Ashfield Stadium on Sunday.