40 POINTS AT LEICESTER

NEWS Saturday 1st October 2011, 10:38pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

We had five race winners (including two each for Katajisto and Tully) and got to within 7 points after taking a maximum in heat 12, but eventually went down to a 53-40 defeat at Leicester.

To be frank it was in keeping with recent away performances. The reserves totalled only three (though there was one excellent ride by Perry) and after an encouraging first ride Craig Cook was well down on his memorable maximum display here earlier in the season.

Certainly there were some plus points but not enough of them. Best stick to the good things. Our first race winner was Andrew Tully in heat 3, passing Bondarenko to take the lead. The Russian in fact went all the way to the back as we gained a 4-2.

Craig Cook passed Garrity on the line in heat 4, and Kevin Wolbert also took a win from the back in heat 5, again against the fast-starting Bondarenko.

After two lasts, we were not expecting too much from Kalle, but off the more favourable wide gates he won heats 8 and 11, beating Nieminen in the latter heat. Kevin took our second TR in this heat but had to settle for third place.

Andrew Tully won heat 12, and he was supported by a brilliant ride from Tom Perry who came from last to second round the outside.

However all of the last three heats were home 4-2s as they clinched all the points. Wolbert, who in general rode well but gated poorly, took second places in heats 13 and 15 and beat each of the home top two in doing so.