Tapeworm

Who is "kicking and screaming" ? I only asked if it was not possible and sensible to appoint some independant arbiter (or arbitrator as you English call them !) to speedily sort out disputes (if, indeed, that is the cause of the delay in the announcement of dates) between the clubs. Some Workington fans seem to be getting over-sensitive to the fixtures problems which their team's success, and other causes, has brought. It's been obvious for months that the current difficulties would arise and nobody appears to have taken any action to ease the situation. Now this semi-final of the most important competition seems destined to be decided by R/R, guest riders, double headers, not-fully-fit riders, etc. And, yes, I meant Lakeside in my previous post. Senility to blame.

The failure of the Workington and Glasgow promotions to announce dates for either of their League semi-final play-offs presumably indicates a failure to agree one or both of these. This is, arguably, the most important competition of the year and it is now one week since Peterborough chose Ipswich as their opponents. Meanwhile fans are unable to plan away trips and Glasgow riders increasingly lack match fitness. Surely there should be an independant speedy dispute resolution process to deal with such situations?

per Glasgow Tigers Facebook page :- Craig has reported good strength in his wrist and that he is aiming to ride next week should further tests today prove positive.

Spelling's the least of your problems. It's not a KO cup semi. It's a League Play Off semi. No doubt you'll be looking forward to seeing the hugely improved Sarj once (or twice) more.

Either of the Worralls ? Why not ask Sarj ? He's the Tiger with the most improved average this year. He's riding excellently just now, his gating is great and he shouldn't be busy on the 16th as the Tigers will have made the play-offs by then.

As at Sunday 9th September, also showing remaining fixtures and dates where announced:- 1 Workington +12 - Pet(H) 14th, New(A) 16th, Lak(H) TBA 2= Peterborough +11 - Wor(A) 14th, Lak(A) 15th. 2= Lakeside +11 - Gla(H) 14th, New(H) 15th, Pet(H) 15th, Wor(A) TBA 4 Edinburgh +8 - Gla(A) 11th, Ber(H) 14th. 5 Ipswich +7 - Gla(H) 13th, Ber(H) 15th. 6 Glasgow +6 - Edi(H) 11th, Ips(A) 13th, Lak(A) 14th. 7 Berwick +1 - Edi(A) 14th, Ips(A) 15th. 8= Newcastle -3 - Lak(A) 15th, Wor(H) 16th. 8= Scunthorpe -3 - Completed 10 Redcar -6 - Completed 11 Sheffield -13 - Completed E&OE Still plenty of permutations for top 4 for play offs.............. especially if bad weather causes loss of 3 home points per call off......... or critical missing injured riders weaken teams.......... or difficulty in finding guests during a very crowded residual period. Nobody, of course, would want rain offs to determine the outcome, would they?

Quite right. It was too much to hope I'd make no typos. Now corrected.

As at Sunday 2nd September, also showing remaining fixtures and dates where known:- 1 Workington +12 - Red(H) 8th, New(H) 8th, Pet(H) 14th, New(A) 16th, Lak(H) TBA 2= Peterborough +11 - Lak(A) 8th, Ber(H) 9th, Wor(A) 14th. 2= Lakeside +11 - Edin(A) 7th, Pet(H) 8th, Gla(H) 14th, New(H) 15th, Wor(A) TBA 4 Edinburgh +8 - Lak(H) 7th, Gla(A) 11th, Ber(H) 14th. 5= Ipswich +6 - Gla(A) 4th, Ber(H) 6th, Gla(H) 13th. 5= Glasgow +6 - Ips(H) 4th, Edi(H) 11th, Ips(A) 13th, Lak(A) 14th. 7= Berwick 0 - Ips(A) 6th, Pet(A) 9th, Edi(A) 14th. 7= Newcastle 0 - Wor(A) 8th, Scu(H) 9th, Lak(A) 15th, Wor(H) 16th. 9 Scunthorpe -6 - New(A) 9th. 10 Redcar -7 - She(H) 7th, Wor(A) 8th. 11 Sheffield -14 - Red(A) 7th. E&OE Cut off for play-offs is at midnight on 16th. A few teams will be praying for no rain offs of home fixtures, especially Workington on 8th and Lakeside on 14th/15th, as unconcluded home fixtures will count as -3 each on this table, and there are few options for re-staging. Could be quite a rumpus coming from Cumbria after their enforced mid-season fixtures alterations! Squeaky derriere time!

No. I calculate that two 4 point away wins plus two 2 point away draws less two 3 point home losses = +6.

And I think Berwick are on 0, not +1 ! Pedant

To be picky, I think Lakeside should be H7 (STG Newc/Pet/Glas) and A7 (STG Work/Newc/Edi).

Well done "Give us a T" on your Eggheads victory. Let's hope that's not all we win this season!

I couldn't make Scunny on Sunday but when I was there last year a group of local fans told me that they accepted that the EWR didn't give any home team advantage but that they tolerated that because they watched great racing and close matches almost every time. I imagine they enjoyed this Glasgow match. Just one point for the Tigers is a bit disappointing but I suppose it is a start in our final thrust for a play off place. At least we didn't throw away a lead this time! We badly need a big away win next week at Berwick.

But the Workington website still only shows dates for 4 of their 8 outstanding home fixtures. It's going to be tough fitting in all the Cup and League matches. How did the Workington promoters allow this to happen ? Surely they had an opportunity to comment on the draft fiixture list before it was finalised ?

So 8 home matches still to race. This might, of course, prove critical as every home match not concluded by 9th September will effectively count as 3 home points lost in this table. Surely rival promoters wouldn't stoop so low as to be awkward in arranging outstanding fixtures at Derwent Park in order to deprive the current leaders of these points, would they ?

Quite correct. Next time I attempt an update, I'll try to remember to be sober.

As at Sunday 15th July, THE TABLE THAT MATTERS - 1. Workington +11 (9M - 3H/6A) 2. Peterborough +8 (13M - 8H/5A) 3. Lakeside +7 (12M - 7H/5A) 4. Edinburgh +5 (9M - 3H/6A) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5. Glasgow +1 (10M - 6H/4A) 6= Newcastle -1 (10M - 5H/5A) 6= Ipswich -1 (8M - 4H/4A) 8= Sheffield -2 (11M - 5H/6A) 8= Berwick -2 (12M - 7H/5A) 10. Scunthorpe -5 (11M - 6H/5A) 11. Redcar -9 (12M - 6H/6A) E&OE The full season, of course, is 20M - 10H/10A, unless anyone does a 'Rye House', so Workington, Edinburgh and Ipswich are not yet even halfway. Top 4 (as at mid September?) to Play Offs.

So who will represent us at the Pairs ?

This football thing is becoming really tough......... originally 31 teams to support, then 15, and now just 7 !!

2 ahead to 7 behind!! Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory again. We won't make the play-offs this year and my big fear is that our new manager won't have the contacts and experience to attract the kind of riders we need to join us next year, willing to travel north of the border, to replace the underperforming chokers in this team. Time to go cap in hand to SD and plead for his return?

Choked again. Just 4 points behind after 8 heats. 22 behind after 15! What is the problem?

Another way of looking at this table is:- If all teams win all their remaining home matches and pick up no points away from home, this is the order in which they will finish in the League. However, in general terms, losing at home will drop them down this order but gaining points away from home will lift them up the table. So, as Neil Watson said, it is a good way of comparing teams with varying numbers of home and away matches remaining.

Quite right. Sorry. Should be 1=.

Approaching half the league matches completed for some teams, about time to examine relative performances, as at Sunday 16th June:- 1. Workington +5 (5M - 0H/5A) 2. Lakeside +4 (6M - 4H/2A) 3. Peterborough +3 (9M - 5H/4A) 4. Ipswich +2 (4M - 2H/2A) 5= Edinburgh +1 (5M - 2H/3A) 5= Glasgow +1 (7M - 5H/2A) 5= Berwick +1 (9M - 5H/4A) 8. Newcastle -1 (9M - 4H/5A) 9. Sheffield -2 (6M - 3H/3A) 10= Scunthorpe -3 (5M - 4H/1A) 10= Redcar -3 (9M - 3H/6A) E&OE Underlines how crucial away wins are.

What a bunch of chokers! I'm losing count of the number of matches we've thrown away after establishing a good lead.