Bears beaten by terrific Tigers
In a fantastic match which ebbed and flowed, the Redcar “Agilia” Bears were defeated 44-46 by the Glasgow Tigers. Jordan Jenkins top scored for the Bears with paid 17 whilst Tom Brennan starred for Glasgow with 13.
Glasgow started the meeting in the ascedency with an opening heat maximum as Craig Cook made a successful return from injury with a sublime gate to take the win whilst Aaron Summers comfortably held second to give the travelling support plenty to cheer in the early stages.
Jenkins started his evening with a now customary heat 2 win as he swooped past Connor Bailey for the win whilst Newman came close to pipping Bailey on the line but ran out of laps. The first shared heat of the match came in heat 3 as Cook (out in his rider replacement outing) stormed past Danny King exiting bend 2 of the opening lap to go on to record a fairly comfortable win with both Bears packing into the minor places.
Redcar hit the front for the first time in the match as Lewis Kerr gated for an easy win whilst Jordan Jenkins superbly blocked Tom Brennan’s every move for Redcar’s first 5-1 of the evening. However, Glasgow immediately turned the tables with their 2nd 5-1 of the match as Cook won again whilst King was unable to hold off a hard charging Summers who passed the Redcar guest on the third bend of the final lap to send Glasgow into a 2 point lead.
Glasgow hit another hammer blow with another 5-1. Brennan gated for an easy win whilst Broc Nicol expertly held off both Charles Wright and Jason Edwards for an impressive paid win for the American. Glasgow were purring and hit another heat advantage with Brennan winning yet again but Kerr limited the damage as he passed Danyon Hume on the final lap to stop Glasgow’s lead hitting double figures.
Glasgow’s lead did hit double figures with a 4-2 heat advantage in heat 8 as Aaron Summers took a comfortable win and with Bailey holding off Edwards, the Bears were in big trouble. Heat 9 saw a fantastic battle prematurely ended as 3 riders entered the first bend of lap 2 but Brennan ran out of room and crashed with the Glasgow man excluded from the re-run. The restaging saw both Bears gate for a comfortable 5-1 to strike back in the meeting.
The comeback was well and truly in full swing as the Bears secured another 5-1 with both Bears (Wright and Jenkins) using the inside line to pass Summers to bring Redcar within 2.
Heat 11 saw Glasgow hit back with a 4-2 but that only tells half the story! Newman hit the deck on the first bend with most onlookers thinking all 4 riders would be invited back for the re-run but Kerr was deemed to be the cause of the stoppage and was excluded from the re-run. After hitting the deck and speaking to the medics, Newman gated in the re-run but was passed by Cook. Summers then usurped Newman on the backstraight of lap 3 but Newman went under Summers again entering the final lap to limit the damage.
Suddenly, the scores were level as Jenkins passed Nicol on the opening lap to join King at the front to get the Bears back on level terms. Heat 13 saw drama as Wright lifted and gained unwanted drive exiting bend 2 of the opening lap and collected Cook with the Cumbrian falling heavily. Cook was ultimately withdrawn from the meeting with Nicol taking his place in the re-run with Wright excluded after Cook’s crash. The restaging saw Brennan win after a great gate but Kerr passed Nicol to keep Redcar within 2 of Glasgow.
Heat 14 saw Redcar retake the lead with Kasper Andersen making a superb start to hit the front whilst Jenkins passed Hume towards the end of the opening lap and then took the chequered flag to send the crowd wild and send Redcar into a 2 point lead.
The final race of a tremendous evening’s entertainment saw Glasgow take a crippling 5-1 to send shockwaves through the home crowd and secure the 3 points for the Tigers which sends them directly into the play-off semi-finals.
Redcar co-promoter Jamie Swales thought the clash had everything, “ The result is hard to take, the boys gave it their all but I’m gutted with the outcome.”
Swales also believes the Bears still have every chance of finishing in the 6th and final play-off berth, “ I still think we are in the ascendency in the race for 6th, if we have to go to Plymouth and get something, that’s what we will be going out to do but tonight makes things a little harder for us.”
Redcar Bears = 44
1. Charles Wright = 4+1
2. Jason Edwards = 0
3. Danny King (G) = 8+1
4. Kasper Andersen = 3+2
5. Lewis Kerr = 11
6. Kyle Newman = 3
7. Jordan Jenkins = 15+2
Glasgow Tigers = 46
1. Craig Cook = 12 WITHDRAWN
2. Aaron Summers (G) = 11+3
3. Benjamin Basso R/R
4. Danyon Hume = 2
5. Tom Brennan = 13
6. Broc Nicol = 5+1
7. Connor Bailey = 3