MD

A far too regular occurence at Ashfield. Apart from Oxford away little has been gained from Freddy this season. He has the ability but does he have the drive to improve?

We would have hit 60 even without Freddy getting a point had the rain not intervened. Killeen at 5 is interesting.

Pick an off night or use guests. Despite so few meetings so far this year, fixtures have been littered with guests, as they often are. When it comes to the playoffs we regularly ride any day of the week anyway, its not as if it can't be done.

Thats why we should run the Championship league season every week from late March/early April until a cut off at the end of June, with playoffs from the first week in July. Eight home meetings in 12/13 weeks is doable with ample time to reschedule rainoffs. Later rounds of cup comps can be run after this if required. The point where enough is enough is ever closer. Even Harris had a dig about this at the Oxford meeting on BSN.

Two hours after the announcement on Facebook the fixture is still showing on the Tigers website and you can buy tickets for it.☹️

And succeded in unsettling the Oxford reserves.

That was a meeting we probably should have won. Difficult to foresee away wins this season with Bomber having a poor Championship so far.

We've debated that to death on here and elsewhere, its bollocks but the lack of fixtures isn't going to change!

True but Nowak and Tarasenko were. There is just no knowing how it will go. After Worky next Friday we have four away matches before our next home meeting. If we are to keep the current 1-7 we need to work with them and not assume they can turn up on the day of the meeting after a 4 week break and outperform what they have shown so far. We could also help ourselves by prepping the track to suit our riders. Im not sure that has really been happening.

Repeat post

We need to decide shortly if Mario stays or goes. He was awful in ht1, gifted a point in ht6 then matched Harris for speed in ht10 running the inside line. He doesnt seem to like running high up the boards and hasnt been much of a gater so far. He might come good but also might not. Making changes doesnt always guarantee making improvements.

He is often tentative at the start line, and takes time to settle, even in ht2. Never a good sign. Now that the team is openly struggling it places more pressure on the under performers. There is no hiding place in a struggling team, we don't have half a season to carry FH this year until he wakes up.

We had 6 heat winners all afternoon and none in the last 4 heats. With the reserves cancelling each other out, our very soft middle left us toiling. We've been here before with Sunday afternoon racing, its not like we are struggling for blank Fridays, there are plenty of them coming up with a 4 week break from mid May. We were beaten by the better team today that just happened to be them. I thought it would be Plymouth this Friday, being back for their second visit. Maybe it will!

Hagon was decent value. King was the difference tonight, he hasnt ridden Ashfield that well in years. I'd suggest our KOC ends tomorrow.

Ht11 looked a very good gate from Morris off the smooth gate 1, exceptionally good. Other than that we were worked hard and beaten by the better team. An interesting season ahead.