TheWellBehavedWorrall

It’s the bikes and the riders’ fault.

I should have put the Euromillions on last night. On a serious note, that was a disgrace, wasn’t it? The sport needs clubs and tracks badly, so exceptions can be made, but this Plymouth are damaging the sport with that track. I didn’t watch it live because I’m still scarred by the Oxford meeting at Plymouth, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted that. Hopefully the result compensated for it, but fans of Workington - or any club - shouldn’t travel that far, then encounter such a delay. It’s unacceptable. I watched Batchelor’s interview with BSN this morning and you could tell he was completely disillusioned by the set-up at Plymouth. That shouldn’t happen; he’s risking his safety for our entertainment.

Workington gated well on Saturday, so if they can repeat that tonight, an away victory could well be on the cards. Plymouth’s track is like my son’s exam results; no passes.

Great news. Thanks for the update. He appeared to leave the stadium unaided, but with medical personnel around him, which was great.

What a bizarre interaction. Me: Worral goes missing it heats 13 and 15. You: He finished ahead of Harris. What chance of meaningful engagement do you have when that’s someone’s input and observation? None whatsoever.

I know he did. What value or counter does that add to my comment you’ve quoted? That got two likes too. Jesus Christ.

Criticism of certain Tigers to one side, that Workington side looks like it could do some damage this season. Zischke at number two is a secret weapon. He was outstanding on Saturday; he had pace, skill and with a bit more elbow, could easily have taken second from Worrall in heat six. You could see he was disappointed not to after the race. Vuolas and Vissing in the middle look like a pairing with lots of potential too. Like Zischke, they’re all-action. I don’t watch them often enough, but if that’s typical of their reserves’ input, then it’s that section of the team that’ll cost them this season. Having said that, they weren’t a million miles off and gave every single heat a good go. Also, great to see Craig Cook back to his old self. Sadly, it was against us, but British Speedway and the Championship in particular is a greater spectacle with Cook in it and flying.

That first paragraph is the thought process of someone with an inferiority complex and self-worth issues. We’re from Glesga, we don’t have either. If things are going sh*te, we let it be known.

This post appears littered with sarcasm, so I’m not quite sure whether it’s in agreement with me or in disagreement. Very cloak and dagger. The historical phrase of ”lies, damned lies and statistics”, I feel, is very much applicable to Steve Worrall. Like I said, you’re guaranteed at least seven or eight points from his first three riders in weaker heats, but come heats 13 and 15 - when meetings are won and lost - he’s lacking. I noticed it against us in the Play-Off Final and noted it in the KO Cup Final against Scunthorpe last season. Let’s use yesterday as a prime example. Eight from his first three rides; great. The meeting defining heat 13? He’s on the tail end of a 5-1 until Cook’s engine runs out of Nutella. Heat 15, an opportunity for Glasgow to secure the bonus point and even a draw on the day? He’s on the tail end of a 5-1.

I forgot to add - was there a reason for Cami Brown and Alan Dick darting off into the sunset about six seconds after Cook and Batchelor crossed the line in heat 15? I left immediately after the chequered flag was raised and they were in their car and off before I had even left the stadium. Of course, I hope everything is okay, but if so, I found it odd that the team manager would bolt so soon after a disappointing loss, including the bonus point. Add that to Harris’ “tantrum” after heat eleven and Starke’s jolly for a can, I can’t help but feel that not all is well in paradise.

Worrall is an odd one. He’s very much all fart, no sh*te. His performances are quite predictable; more often than not, he’ll give you seven or eight points from his first three rides, but when it matters most in heats 13 and 15, there’s little to nothing on offer. I noticed it in the Play-Off Final last season and although I didn’t see either meeting, his scores against Scunthorpe in the KO Cup Final reiterate that. In an ideal world, those struggles are compensated for with your third heat leaders and second strings, but unfortunately for us, neither Flint or Starke appear to bear any sort of form this season. Also, I know Worrall won the “super heat” last night, but that doesn’t count. I refuse to entertain such 90s MLS-like nonsense additions to meetings.

Flint. No brainer.

Yeah, I thought that was poor. It obviously wasn’t meant to be, but it was quite disrespectful to his mechanic. A large reason top level sportsmen are at the top is because of their composure. What caused it? Harris was worse in heats 13 and 15. Did he feel Starke got in his way exiting the fourth bend? The Cami Brown and Alan Dick departure was bizarre too. They were speeding away before I had even left the stadium and I didn’t hang around after the last heat.

Am I being unreasonable to imagine that a seriously under-performing rider’s team spot is at risk? Are we no longer talking about a competitive sport?

What do you mean?

An unnecessary, childish addition to the sport.

He didn’t pay for it; he clenched his fist and held it up to the little girl serving. She did nothing. Coward. On a serious note, I don’t know. Is it normal behaviour for a rider who hasn’t finished ahead of an adult male in any of his four races to venture in amongst the punters? Might be. Might not. Who knows?

Result-aside, that was a great meeting. Massive credit to Steve Lawson and Workington for creating a great track. I’m always reluctant to share these opinions because they risk their safety for our entertainment, so I’ll say this; if Glasgow Tigers’ management hold any ambitions of defending their title, Starke and Flint won’t be employees of the club for much longer. I might be looking into it too much, but Starke leaving the pits to grab a can from the burger van during the meeting, Harris’ rather petulant display of handing his bike over to his mechanic after heat eleven and the fact that Cami Brown and Alan Dick jumped in their car and exited the stadium before most fans suggests, if I was a conspiracy theorist, that all is not well with the reigning champions. Credit to Pearson and Pijper, though. I thought they gave a decent account of themselves, all things considered.

What’s the deal if I decide to drive down to Workington tomorrow in terms of tickets? Can I buy them online, or only at the gate? Do they take card?

What a meeting. Thank God I live in Glasgow, not Plymouth. It’s a blessing to see racing of that calibre. Pickering was frightening. Given how poor he was in heat one of the original rained off meeting (on the wrong end of a 5-1), that was an incredible performance. I take no pleasure in saying this, but that’s up there with the best visiting performance I’ve ever seen, anywhere. He earned every single win. Another underwhelming home performance though. Changes must be on the cards. It was an improvement from Worrall, but when it mattered (heats 13 and 15), he took one from a possible six. I can’t help but feel he owes us more after last week. Starke, wow. What’s going on? Outrageously poor. Flint too; his win in heat 12 flattered his points tally for the evening.

Fair enough. I appreciate the response and clarification, but retain my stance that it doesn’t represent variety. The coverage itself is great, so hopefully the next schedule will afford viewers a more diverse list.

@Gavan bringing a gun to a knife fight tonight. @bigcatdiary and @glenantony you wasn’t there.

Disappointing, but the footage of the rain shown by BSN renders the decision spot on. That means tonight’s meeting equals the number of passes as Saturday night at Plymouth.

Like I said, I understand and appreciate that every club must be represented equally: I don’t dispute that. I’m just curious as to why BSN are covering six meetings in sixteen days and despite their being sixteen clubs across the top two flights, Oxford and Plymouth are being visited five out of the six times. That’s not variety. What a bizarre thing to say. I’m almost astonished at how defensive people are getting about this topic. It’s as if criticism of Plymouth’s quality of racing is a personal insult.

Are you wearing an earpiece and being told what to say by Ant & Dec who are in a remote studio somewhere in London?