Col

The meeting this morning was good. Pearson didn't need any spin, they should have shown more of it. Monmore can produce good racing but you need riders who can ride it, such riders are dwindling fast as the bikes get quicker and emphasis is on Poland is the place to be. Except for the current Wolves septet all the others I'd put in that category currently ride for Peterborough. Kurtz was much better than I expected tonight, thought he'd ride it like Batchelor does(n't).

The helmet camera is rubbish. Ladbrokes not paid the water board?

Yes, gate 3 is poor.

Harsh. Just become a father (dunno if first) and took what sounded a big fall at Poole yesterday. Grobauer & Castagna scores were worse.

Middle order collapse. Other than Riss, Thomas & I suppose Morris another poor away day for the Brummies.

Eh? As the Wimborne Rd clash has already taken place why would I speculate about the score?

Phew! Much better than the chocolate, pink & yellow combination Schlein has on his bike.

That was the best meeting I've witnessed for many a year, just a shame three of the Ace's didn't bother to turn up and the four that did were asleep for the first few heats. The bowser was doing allot of watering before thought it maybe over watered but not the case, you could see there was a build up of material on the outside also. Which no rider went within 10 metres of until Becker in heat 3 when he gated last but sailed around the other three by the end of the first lap. Heat four then had all four riders level coming down the back straight on the first lap. There was then a battle for first which saw Schlein get the better of Kurtz on the final lap due to Kurtz riding to conservatively and for third where Flint outmanoeuvred NBJ. Heat 13 was also a great race, Wolves gated on a 5-1 but Schlein was at the back quite quickly, as Mastters was more concerned with Kurtz, Bewley flew round both of them and disappeared. Masters eventually saw off Kurtz challenge clamping him to the kurb around turns 3 & 4 on the final lap. Tremendous battle for first between Wright & Douglas in heat 14, when they must have swapped places several times. For Aces, NBJ & Etheridge never looked like scoring and Worrall was poor struggled to get the better of Flint & Nicol fotr his only points. Bewley tried to jump the start in heat 1 and found himself at the back, was clearly fast enough but Wolves team rode him out of it well. Then clearly the fastest rider there until he was asleep at the start of heat 15. Kurtz, Wright & Brennan all had decent meetings, Kurtz chain braking as the tapes flew up in heat 15 ruined what could have been a great finale. Masters was very impressive for Wolves and Douglas did damage from reserve, after an impressive opening ride Becker was a little anonymous & Flint will be happy with his performance. I've never liked Schlein but I've never thought him dangerous until today almost fenced Etheridge once and Bewley twice down the back straight. Faded after a good opening ride. I hope Poole have team suits, if he wears a suit the same colour as his bike at Perry Barr on Wednesday I might puke. Nicol was more interested in what was going on behind him rather than what was going on in front of him, a few swerves to block chasing opponents. Guesting "Track Specialist" Lawson was awful. Shame: Weather was crap, M6 on way home was crap & Wolves won but a thoroughly entertaining meeting.

Sure sign Pugwashers have nothing else to do, meeting post very premature for a Perry Barr match! If Brum stop Poole getting 50 I'd be surprised.

50+ for Kent.

Kowalski from Czestochowa alongside Lewandowski would be decent pairing at reserve. Agree Bjerre was better than Kasprzak but Bjerre isn't Polish, so is easier to replace.

Sure you can get tickets for back straight at NSS on the website.

Doyle was the best rider in the series for two years, injury robbed him of the title in 2016. Fully deserved his World Title in 2017.

At NSS? You think? Having seen a few British Finals now, I've never been impressed. Maybe better than Nick Morris but....

Back straight at Monmore has not had been accessible for more than 15 years.

Never had problem parking at Monmore, big car park at stadium and they'll let you park inside the gates if that gets full, but never had a problem parking next to East Park either and it is quicker to get away. Got tickets for the midday encounter, haven't been to Monmore since Super Trooper farewell and will watch evening antics on TV. Panthers are the only team I can see winning at Monmore this year, if their second visit isn't on TV I'll go.

I used to enjoy my occasional visit to Owlerton the speed they go when you are have gotten used to watching riders struggle to turn the bike inside out at Monmore. Thought Tigers v Aces was good, earlier this year but when Panthers visited with Harris at reserve it was poor. They all claim that until I go

Which they haven't done since Berwick, the first away match of the year! Plus cancelling all the fixtures early doors means they can't fit enough meetings in before the cut off.

I don't think they should make a change, they're holding their own at home which when the home meetings don't clash with football fixtures will mean a decent crowd, getting thumped away will reduce the averages for next year. It only needs one rider change for that team to be challenging, a heat leader instead of Grobauer. Move Morris to two where I think he'll prosper.

Birmingham have no chance of making the play-off's, regardless of any changes. Haven't checked averages in regards which Eagle could replace which Brummie. With a decent third heat leader instead of Grobauer this septet wouldn't be far off.

Brummies team manager always seems reluctant to make changes, at Perry Barr even when Castagna is having a good night he rarely gets more than one extra ride. Grobaur & Thomas (and less often but Morris) often have poor nights when they could be replaced. That said Brummies don't exactly have allot to ride for, no chance of making the playoffs.

Thought Brummies had granted James Shanes paternity leave on Wednesday when his child was born, assumed it was 2 weeks or R/R so why is he riding today?

The track was almost as bad as the cameramen. Hope they have no plans to return!

Tough opening ride for Lambert.

No domestic football next Wednesday, all internationals.