northyorksbear

I think you are spot on, Glasgow will get across the line, but not convincingly. Ipswich will certainly be a lot happier not having to face the Bears who have hit form especially at home. However having said that, the contest is over the season and over that period Glasgow deserve their play-off place, it must be very disappointing fof Tigers fans that the wheels are coming off at just the wrong time

Worrall withdrawn from Silver Helmet tomorrow due to illness, so maybe not 100% tonight either?

If you are looking for a reason as to why Ben Barker's injury flared up to the extent he could practise, but not ride in a competitive meeting, I suggest you look a lot closer to home and any actions there, which may have influenced the situation!

Logic says that as Sheffield are running on an off night to get this fixture in that it will count towards the play off positions. However, if the cut off is the day before, then that is when it is, no point complaining and saying special dispensation should be issued, it would just lead to other teams wanting deadline extending by 2, 3, 4 days to get their last meeting in. the problem is the reluctance to get meetings on, I assume to non availability of key riders during the "regular season" Always amazes me how clubs can suddenly ride on all sorts of different nights when they need to get fixtures completed, yet can't (or won't) ride on a regular slot when no pressure on! this isn't a dig at any specific club, as all are generally guilty, (although some more than others!!) I do have some sympathy for Sheffield, Ipswich & Redcar as Thursday tracks and all vying for play off positions and when the scheduled meetings are postponed (on several occasions) due to adverse weather!

OK - thanks I can see where you are coming from, but, imo, there is a big difference in riding two meetings on the same evening and two meetings two weeks apart! Granted it is not ideal, but we are now into silly season when most tracks are trying to fit in fixtures which should have been held earlier in the summer - ironically clubs are now agreeing to ride with top riders missing which was most probably the reason the meetings were not organised back during the "proper season"!

It's all down to opinion!!

Apologies if I'm missing something obvious but what are they doing on different days which is the same as the double header scenario?

Well Done to Newcastle, sounds like an excellent meeting. Regarding the Lambert/RR/polish fiasco - personally I think that if he had been told he had to ride in Poland ahead of Newcastle, then Newcastle shouldn't have been penalised and a facility granted in the first place, and that really is the whole problem. However having not got a facility to then have it turned around due to rain off in a foreign country is just farcical, I was sat looking at updates and tried to explain to wife and son why Newcastle had a junior in place of number 1 and then why they had a system where others could take rides, when you do this to one who has a basic speedway knowledge and another who has very little it just shows what a total joke the sport is!! In the end my wife gave up and said - "I don't understand any of what you have just said", and my son asked loads of very sensible questions, which I had to try and answer within the complexities of speedway rules! In the end I gave up trying to justify what was happening! This does open potentially a huge can of worms - I don't know at what time Polish meeting was due to take place, but what if it had been called off at 6.15pm, if Newcastle received a call to let them know at 6.25, could r/r have been installed, or even 6.35 before first heat was run?? What if a rider is due to miss meeting due to doubling up and a guest is booked, however the initial rider gets injured earlier in the day at another meeting, does that then mean guest is invalid and rr has to be used and again how much notice is required? Personally I'm not overly fussed about Newcastle being able to strengthen at the last minute, it only put them to the correct level and made the meeting a fair contest. Yes as a Bears fan it would have been fantastic to win, but it would have been a hollow victory and forums would have been awash with claims of a false win. At least with RR in place we achieved a narrow defeat on a level playing field. If, at beginning of season, you had offered me two convincing wins over Newcastle at home, not giving up losing bonus points, and at least one narrow (bonus point) loss away I would have been very happy. Lets hope next meeting is just as good - I have heard a rumour Lambert is due to ride in some event in Africa, no facility at moment, unless a sandstorm blows in!!!

Only one without valid reasons, and permission. The one that was breaking the rules!

That your top 4 riders comprise your team for the four team finals

As you say nothing has been confirmed about what the incentive was, however it was provided on the proviso that Holder was released, therefore it can be deemed as compensation. In my opinion the statement put out was highlighting that it was a good deal for Peterborough speedway and it read to me that the management were congratulating themselves on the deal achieved which, again in my opinion, is bragging about it!

I would assume as Newcastle have named their team without Lambert then they wouldn't be able to then include him, but you never know! On the issue of a rider missing a league meeting to ride elsewhere I don't see there is any problem with a team doing this if they wish to it just means they are understrength and have to justify actions to their fans. To compare this situation to Peterborough is totally wrong Panthers went against a direct BSPA ruling and then decided to virtually brag about the compensation they received to do it.

Do you really believe that?

So my understanding is that Peterborough had Nicholls lined up to guest for Harris but because his average changed (which was known seven days ago) he was then not eligible, and their request to break the rules was rejected! This results in two NL guests being used in an away meeting - this is oh so similar to last season at Edinburgh when Rathbone threw all the toys out of the pram!! I now read that Nicholls will guest in a home meeting as a replacement for Holder. OK simple question why isn't he guesting at Workington instead of Holder and then use rr for Harris??? It seems this team selection has nothing to do with rider availability (especially if Palm Toft rumour is true ) but everything to do with Peterborough sticking two fingers up at the rest of the league and BSPA. The sooner Rathbone gets kicked out of speedway altogether the better!

No

So why don't Newcastle have a facility for Lambert missing Sunday's meeting with Redcar?

Isn't it amazing what happens to tracks between heats 10 and 11 !! Tracks are can be ok for one heat but not the next, fine if rain etc is causing a change in track conditions, but what was different in track tonight after heat 10?? (And this isn't a twisted dig at Peterborough, it happens everywhere) Either it is safe to ride or not if not then have the decency and guts to call it at heat 5 or 7 or 9 or whenever it is deemed "not rideable"

"....there are plenty of lines, it is a great race track..." nice quote about Redcar, who from? Ricky Wells following his excellent performance last night

Be interesting to see what the teams are like Panthers missing at least two, maybe 4 Newcastle missing at least 3 !!!!

Announced at redcar last night first Newcastle match is week on Sunday 3rd sept. Perks is away so rr for him

Just read the report on Monarchs website, full marks to Graham Muncie who produced this, I think it is the fairest and most accurate report I have read from a team losing away, as the texter at the meeting, he has picked up on all the points I noted, highlighted where Monarchs were weak, and where they were strong. No excuses made and praised the better team on the evening. Well Done!

Have to say the Lawson on Thursday for Glasgow was a totally different tiger to the one who rode the week before for Sheffield. The only excuse I could suggest is that maybe he was under less pressure the week before? But to be fair to him, both Worrall and Summers were well under some past performances we have seen - eg the Garciagate meeting. This does appear to have crept into performances over the last few weeks - is there some underlying reason, or is it just coincidence that all 3 heat leaders appear lack lustre at the same time? Bewley is a class act, and quick - however it was mentioned amongst some fans that the pressure of the heat 15 and off gate 4 outside of barker might just result in him "going missing", which it did, however in a years time I see him winning a lot of heat 15 - even when pressure is really on! Best Wishes to Lunna, hope he isn't too sore after his acrobatics down the home straight. From a Bears point of view Barker and Garrity seemed to have more desire than the Glasgow riders and that ultimately earned them their points tally. Big well done to Mitchell Davey, his job was to beat Smith in their two races together, which he did and then as a bonus Glasgow gave him another ride against Smith which he duly won (even Bears fans couldn't fathom that logic out!) Great Meeting, superb win for the Bears, but Glasgow are a class act and will be fighting for honours at end of the season.

Yes but unfortunately we are about sixth/seventh!

More likely a 'double F' !!

And of course Peterborough save money by not paying out as many points!