Klima stars as Gladiators see off Tigers to reach semi-final

PLYMOUTH Gladiators can look forward to a Knockout Cup semifinal after a superb aggregate win against Glasgow Tigers over the weekend.

- By STUART JAMES

Plymouth Gladiators Scott Nicholls (red) and Daniel Klima (blue) celebrate their 5-1 win in heat four

(PLYMOUTH GLADIATORS MEDIA)

In Friday's first leg, north of the border, the Gladiators battled hard to stay within touching distance of the Tigers with a 5-1 in heat 15 bringing them to within four points of Glasgow, and the meeting finishing 47-43 in their favour.

Back in Plymouth, it was Danny Klima that proved star of the show by scoring a sensational 17+3 to help the Gladiators to a convincing 51-39 victory a scoreline that could have been bigger had the Plymouth team not been beaten in the final three heats by two 5-1s and a 4-2.

The Gladiators operated the Rider Replacement facility for Slovenian newcomer Anze Grimek, who was riding in Poland over the weekend, scoring 9+1 for Ultrapur Omega Gniezno in a 45-45 draw with Wybrzeze Gdansk. That is understood to be his only European commitment that clashes with Gladiators meetings and he will be back in yellow and blue kevlars when they return to racing - and Glasgow again - for their Championship opener on Friday, May 8.