COOK STARS AS WE GO DOWN

REPORT Saturday 7th April 2012, 0:43am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Craig Cook scored a brilliant 16 points with four race wins on his old track, as we tumbled 31-62 to the very impressive Workington Comets' team.

It was a pleasure to watch Craig as he attacked the track and matched everything the Comets could throw at him. His only defeat was heat 9, in which he was caught napping at the start, and though he was right on the tail of Roynon and Lawson he could not improve on third place.

He won heats 4, 6 (as a TR), 13 and 15, and one thing we did do was take an advantage in these latter two heats! He was whooping and hollering, Ryan Fisher style, after that last heat win and was given an excellent reception by the Workington fans.

There wasn't much joy for the rest of the side. Even allowing for the high standard Workington are setting these days, we were pretty disappointing. Theo Pijper started well with two second places, Derek Sneddon was steady if unspectacular and Micky Dyer battled hard and well – though he was having to compensate for poor starts.

That went for most of the team other than Cook. Andrew Tully seemed to completely lack speed in his first two races, and when he did find his form he was right in the thick of heats 13 and 15. We should really have scored a last heat 5-1 but Andrew's decision to switch to the inside on the final turn lost him second place to Bach.

Matthew's problems continued, as he stopped on his way to the tapes in each of his first two rides, borrowing bikes from Derek and Craig. He managed to get on to his own machine for his last two rides with limited success.

So we have had a mixed weekend with a good home showing and a poor away one. Next up it's Redcar at Armadale and Newcastle on Tyneside.

Full Result Details