DISAPPOINTING DEFEAT AT BERWICK

NEWS Saturday 7th August 2010, 11:48pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs lost away from home for the first time when they gave a disjointed display at Berwick, and were rather flattered by a 54-42 scoreline.

Both Ryan Fisher and Matthew Wethers won their tactical rides to boost our score, and these were the two big successes of the evening. Andrew Tully also rode with spirit and had one spectacular win, employing the obvious method of riding out wide as all of the home riders were doing, with great success.

As for the rest of the side, if we were being charitable we could say that Kalle Katajisto was coming back from injury and William Lawson had been missing for a while. Neither impressed at all, and William especially was guilty of sticking slavishly to the inside line which made him easy meat for anyone who might have been momentarily behind him.

Kevin Wolbert was also worryingly poor with far too much inside line riding. Where is the daredevil of late last season? Does he have any quick machinery? He is an ambitious rider and simply has to ride better than this.

We certainly did not look like a team leading the league and romping along in the cup.

Returning to those who did do well, there was bags of commitment. Fisher showed great determination off the crucial second bend where almost all of the important work is done at Berwick. He won heats 5, 11 and 13 and lost only to Rymel, who had one of his best meetings of the year.

Wethers also worked very hard. He took some rough treatment from Clews in heat 3, but he won his TR ride in heat 7 and also took the chequered flag in heat 14 ahead of the subdued Makovsky. Perhaps his hardest point of the night was his third in the final race.

He was between partner Fisher and the hard-riding Clews but cleverly held position.

Berwick were very solid indeed with seven good contributors, fine displays by Rymel, Complin and Clews and an exciting debut by Marcin Rempala.

We will have to ride much better at Newcastle tomorrow to have any chance of even a point. The track may well be more to the liking of our underperforming riders from tonight.

Full Result Details