Steve Shovlar

And that shows why Glasgow are clear favourites for the title. Tarasenko playing with Masters before waiving at him as he blasts through. World class v Aussie journeyman who is top Championship averages. Unfortunately signings like this make a mockery of the whole league, like Lambert coming in last year for BV for the PL playoffs. Not Glasgows fault, just exploiting the crap rulebook.

Good meeting this. Last heat was excellent.

Happy to be corrected. He has impressed me tonight.

Because the rule was badly written. Common sense would have said 7.5 for Championship but it didn’t. Next Season Poole could sign Zmarzlik and Dudek on 5 averages. But guarantee the rule will be changed this winter. Howling error in the rule book.

Nasty crash there. Hope Pjiper is ok, as well as Heeps. Boughen looks a very tidy rider. Got a good style. Beaten up in his first but looks a talent and one for the future.

Seems to be a more re-occurring incident. Hope the fan is ok. As for the meeting so far, Tarasenko showing what a world class rider looks like in the U.K. second division. 50 metres clear of Nicholls after having one ride to get his setup worked out.

Not really as he will be dialled in very quickly at Glasgow to outscore anything Nowak would have scored, and a rider of his calibre would take no more than one ride to work out Wimborne Road, Redcar or Cowley. He can gate. 80% job done, and he can pass. Very good rider. It’s like Lambert when he came in for BV last season.

Can’t see anything but a decent sized Glasgow win tonight. The inclusion of Tarasenko is a complete game changer and the change has made Tigers clear favourites for the title, regardless of whatever of the playoffs groups they are in. 52-38ish. I don’t blame Glasgow for the team change but it’s a bit ludicrous that a Polish Extraleague heat leader can come into the PL on a 5, and also the Championship on the same 5 average. I would put money on this loophole being sealed during the winter. He is a cut above just about every rider in the league and showed last night what he is capable of in the Premier league. No other rider in the Championship is at his level. The change is fair under the rules so no gripes from me, and it makes Glasgow a powerhouse of a team which should demolish every other team in the playoffs, including Poole and Oxford. Would take a monumental effort from any team to turn them over over 2 legs.

Decent meeting but always only going to be one winner. Stand out rider was Kyle Newman with a paid max and he did it the hard way with some impressive passing. In fact about the only rider to make good passes on a slick track. Pickering a one man team really. Interesting what he had to say about Craig Cook letting the team down. Don’t think he is very impressed. Zach Cook lucky to walk away from being a rag doll after his front wheel caught the back of Hooks bike. Zach and to a lesser extent Ben were not really on it tonight. Lawson was imperious after his first ride, Steve Worrall solid, and Rowe did his job. Young Joe Thompson was excellent value again. Riding himself into next years Pirates lineup. So now it’s a case of wait and see. Can Oxford go to Glasgow and pick up a win to take them to the top and have the choices? Or was tonight enough for Pirates? If Poole finish top I would go for Edinburgh/Brum, and Redcar, leaving Oxford, Glasgow and Scunthorpe to battle it out. Should be an exciting end to the season as the playoffs could cause a surprise.

By accounts he looks good on a bike. Looking forward to seeing him ride.

If, and it’s a big if, Poole and Oxford make the final, then Poole fans will need to buy tickets at Oxford early or could miss out. Going to be a sell out with many hundreds of Poole fans making the trip. But Glasgow now look very strong with Tarasenko.

Perhaps a season too much for Craig Cook. The crash and injury to the photographer perhaps the straw that broke the camels back. He looked disinterested and one race in the CLRC before packing his gear away showed a rider who just had had enough.

It will be huge disappointing if we don’t get the win tonight. But rumour has it that if Poole do finish top they will pick Oxford in their mini league rather than two teams right at the other end of the country.

Nobody has had a pop at him.

Well done to Joe Thompson who rode his socks off for Plymouth tonight. Same again tomorrow please Joe!

Looks like Richie Worrall and Steve Boxall’s seasons are over. Not good to hear. Plymouth promoter looks like he is chewing a wasp and I don’t blame him.

I comment as it’s a thread where people comment! Green eyed monster? For what reason would that be? Answer me that. Seriously let the lad develop and if he turns out to be good like Bewley and Lambert, then fantastic. But he could turn out like Justin Elkins. Fast and impressive as a youngster, then nothing. Elkins beat Crump in match races. Look how that eventually turned out.

Yet to see this young lad ride but there’s been lots of trumpeting of his name. So I looked up his scoring and there’s nothing there to see. Seems many are getting carried away and for a young lad to have his own thread for scoring zero is ridiculous. Let him learn at his own pace and if he’s any good in a few seasons then that’s great. But at the moment he seems out of his depth in the Championship, never mind the PL.

Pirates need all three points and if they don’t get them it will be a poor show. They are all riding well, have a reason to win and there are to be no excuses.

Not sure why Wolverhampton don’t move to Birmingham for their home meetings. Not very far and Mondays might be available. Could keep Wolves going next season.

He doesn’t want to know. Pity the Pirate fans who wasted half a day and £20 odd quid for this garbage.

Gifted the CLRC by knocking off a rider in the final and no exclusion. Takes off Lambert tonight on second bend and all four back. Wright fell on his own back straight. All four back? Edit: I said that as a joke and the ref has put all four back! What the actual F*€K?

Just got in and catching up. What the hell have they done to the track? Riders struggling to turn their bikes. Lawson doesn’t seem to want to know lucky I didn’t go this time. But if he isn’t fit, surely Pirates could have used a different rider tonight.

Ben Cook take a bow. 15 point maximum and untouchable tonight. Didn’t matter if he gated or not. Brother Zach excellent as well nntil a blip in heat 15 when in third sent him to the back. All pirates rode well and Richard Lawson said during the meeting he is suffering from the effects of the crash at Redcar still. Steve Worrall taking it easy so he rides in the British GP on Saturday. Both reserves did well. Rowe goes back to number 2 for the playoffs. Joe Thomson an upgrade of the injured Adam. Next up Edinburgh away next Wednesday which we must win if we are to finish top.

The only wave will be the Pirate boys waving goodbye to the Brummies as they vanish in our wake.