SUPERB RESULT BOOSTS MONARCHS

REPORT Sunday 8th August 2010, 0:53am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Well would you believe it. After a disappointing Saturday result, the Scotwaste Monarchs pulled off their most remarkable feat yet with a ten point win at the home of their biggest rivals the Newcastle Diamonds.

For once Ryan Fisher played a support role in a great team display as Kevin Wolbert and Andrew Tully really took this match to the Diamonds.

And let's get one thing clear right away ? it was not a lucky victory in any way. Diamonds finished two riders down, but that was their own doing ? Larsen knocked Derek Sneddon in to the fence with a wild move, and by the time the Dane had fallen again and was pulled out of heat 13, we were already 10 up with one Newcastle TR used.

It was a heavily watered track for the early races and it seemed to be slipping away from us as we lost 4-2s in the first two heats, and went six down at heat 5.

Then came Larsen's first blunder. Tully had gated and the home no. 1 seemed to be trying to pull off some Gollob-style first bend move, only to thump poor Derek back first through the pits gate. It felt like a turning point at the time, and we took advantage in style.

We went four up at heat 8, and never lost another heat. They had Bach in heat 9, and Larsen in heat 10, but they were swept away by (respectively) Tully and Wolbert, both returning astounding times below 62 seconds.

Mark Lemon had struggled in his first two and we took a 5-1 as he stopped in heat 11, then Wolbert nullified Jason King's TR with an easy win in heat 12 in another fast time.

We led 45-35 and when Larsen was pulled out of heat 13, it was clearly all over. We shared the next two heats and had to avoid a 1-5 in the last heat to take all four points.

This race was also for the Julian Barnett Memorial Trophy and Kevin was so unlucky not to retain this. He led by a distance at the end of lap two when Bach became the latest Diamond to spin and fall.

Kevin missed the gate in the rerun and in spite of a thrilling chase could not catch Lemon. He was still happy enough at his dramatic improvement in form to pull celebration wheelies though.

The other improver was William Lawson who was still not at his best, but picked up important points.

Kalle had problems with his foot and missed his last ride, the only downside of an amazing evening.

Full Result Details