jbell1995

What's frustrating on here is there's not one post giving Plymouth any credit for giving that KO Cup tie a proper go. Everyone wrote us off heading into Saturday, we got a deserved 8pt lead, could've been a couple more. Heading into last night, everyone (Including some of us) expected Poole to just power away and win it by 8+ on aggregate. A comfortable night everyone was saying... Plymouth had 7 heat winners - I can't remember the last time we went to Wimborne Road and achieved that? Whilst yes, on the night a 14pt win is a comfortable evening, the Gladiators have made that a proper test for the Pirates. We're starting to see signs in my opinion that the Gladiators are going to ruffle a few a feathers in the league campaign this year and aren't quite the pushovers everyone assumed they would be. When you think Alfie Bowtell and Lasse Fredrikesen, both have started this season well had just 5 points between them, it could've been a lot closer than it was. Congratulations to Poole, good meeting last night, best of luck for the rest of the KO Cup, bring on the league fixtures now!

I think this is incredibly harsh. I was on co-commentary last night and whilst I thought the first 4/5 races offered little in the way of riders being able to fight through the pack, from Heat 6 onwards the meeting came alive and the banking and dirt on Bends 3/4 offered some great racing. Ben Barker fighting with Anders Rowe, Harris going from last to second, Cluff going around both Pirates in Heat 12, Lasse Fredriksen v Zach Cook just to name a few. There was excellent racing as the night went on and it was fair racing from all riders. Plenty of space given but all desperate for points in what turned out to be another really competitive fixture between the two sides, a thought that must give the Gladiators management hope about what is possible this season. Can't argue that Gate 4 is proving tricky, I believe that's now 2 meetings without a win from it but Riders did make it work at times picking up points. All credit must go to Mark Phillips, the track staff, the referee and both teams for getting on with things last night. As I interviewed Garry May at the end of the fixture it just started to rain then and it came down quickly! There was an excellent, interactive crowd there last night, great noise. Brilliant support as always from the Pirates too who made their voices heard when they could. It's a shame that Gladiators couldn't take a 10+pt lead into Wednesday but bigger picture, they're looking decent this season and it would appear that Oxford was first night blues and Glasgow was just being outclassed by their Top 5 - something I believe a lot of teams will find this season.

Plymouth have posted to say the fixture this evening is ON. It's been a torrid 24 hours weather wise. Still damp this morning but they seem upbeat and confident. Obviously plenty of people on here keen for this fixture...

Here we go then, the new season kicks off at the Colisseum with the visit of Oxford. Always a good fixture between these two clubs. Interesting to see how the track rides after the winter renovations. Back straight widened by 2m so should provide more space for better racing. Interesting to see how this Plymouth side goes, I've got a little feeling we might be changing a view early season opinions as the year goes on

Deleted as duplicated

Ben is an entertainer. I love having a chat with him on Gladiators TV because you're always learning something. He's passionate about the club and will be desperate to right some wrongs of recent seasons. As you point out, his average has dropped but surely, of all the riders in the league, he's got most scope to improve his average? If he stays injury free, I can see him putting two points on his average at least by the end of the season

What would his Championship average be? I'm not sure what the conversion is PL > CL? Maths was never my strong point...

? Ben Barker 5.87 (Presumably) Joe Thompson 5.63 ? Alfie Bowtell 5.07 Mitchell Cluff 5.00 Lasse Fredriksen 4.67 Total 26.24 Remaining: 13.76 Not too bad a position for the Gladiators promotion to be in IF they can find the right number one but those are in short supply. Likely they'll need to be looking overseas you'd imagine? There's scope for improvement on Barker and Fredriksen's averages for sure. Bowtell should be able to improve somewhat but even if there's a slow start for him, he drops to reserve and he'll be strong there. Thompson is the enigma, can he improve his 5.63? He's young so he's only going to get better and goes well at Home. Cluff, only time will tell but having watched some of the clips from the SA solo finals, he can gate!

With Bowtell at 5.07, could be a good battle for that reserve spot IF Cluff is a 5.0 or higher rider

Would Mitchell be on a 5.00 average? Don't know anything about the lad but fingers crossed it works out. Welcome to the Gladiators

Crikey, there won't be a better 1-5 in the league that's for sure. Some job by the Glasgow promotion, if that team won't excite fans up and down the country in the Championship this season then none of them will. Fair play to the team up there, exciting times for Tigers fans

At the moment, I don't think it's a stretch to say the team is: 1. 2. Bowtell 3. 4. J. Thompson 5. 6. Fredriksen 7. Total: 15.3 We can probably add Barker to that who's around 5.8 I think? So that will leave 18.7 for Garry and Mark to get in a No's 1, 5 and 7. I think that's potentially a strong position to be in assuming the No.7 will be someone on an average up to 4.0 but no more perhaps?

Lasse Fredriksen is signing number 3 of the winter for the Gladiators. Happy with that, there's scope in his 4.6 average and he scored well (9+1) on his visit to Devon last season. Could be a strong first reserve providing we don't sign two riders below his average

Points limit will have a lot to do with team building for Garry and Mark you'd imagine? It simply can't get any lower surely? We've seen this season how tricky its been for a number of clubs to replace injured riders because of the points limit and commitments in other leagues etc

Is someone able to merge this topic with the one @lbw has created please? Saves having two threads