Tigers down Gladiators who are left to rue refereeing calls

PLYMOUTH Gladiators started with a defeat in their opening Cab Direct Championship meeting of the season, going down 50-40 to the Glasgow Tigers at the Coliseum.

- LEWIS BESWETHERICK Speedway correspondent

Cornishman Chris Harris, the star attraction of the evening, and the rest of the Tigers teamed up to deny Plymouth the perfect start to the league campaign that they were looking for.

Gladiators fought hard all evening but possibly didn’t get the rub of the green from the referee on the night, with a few questionable decisions in some fans’ eyes.

The meeting started expertly for Plymouth, after three heats they were 12-6 up on their opponents, with Alfie Bowtell beating Harris and his Gladiators team-mate Nicolai Klindt in heat one and guest Zaine Kennedy and Ben Trigger teaming up for a 5-1 win in heat two.

Up until heat six, it was going steady, after a couple of drawn heats, but then one of the first contentious decisions was made by the referee.

The Gladiators were on a 5-1 with Klindt and Bowtell hitting the front, but then Tigers' Freddy Hodder fell and was excluded from the re-run.

Frustratingly, the Tigers' remaining rider, Drew Kemp who was guest-ing in the absence of the injured Kyle Howarth won the re-run meaning the scores after six heats were 21-15 in Gladiators' favour instead of 23-13.

There was much feeling around the stadium that result should have stood first time round with Holder coming down.

Heat eight saw a huge call made with Bowtell being excluded from the race after going down in bend one.