DDS Monarch of the Match - Claus Image Credit: Ron MacNeill

HARD FOUGHT THREE POINTS

REPORT Friday 26th July 2013, 11:18pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs were not at their best on a track made difficult by heavy afternoon rain, but they battled their way to a 51-39 win and three league points against Berwick.

Claus Vissing was the rock-solid man this time (with several family members there for the match) and joined Craig Cook for two vital 5-1s in heats 13 and 15 to make sure of the points. Craig suffered one unexpected 1-5 reverse but came good at the important time.

Monarchs' captain Derek Sneddon said "The track was difficult but the trackstaff did a great job, because at 3pm it was still raining and the track was really wet. They did well to get the meeting on."

Matthew Wethers for the Bandits was outstanding, using his experience to cope with the difficult conditions, and whilst not returning quick times he proved hard to beat till the final race.

Bandits were unlucky in that both David Bellego and Adam Ellis crashed out of the meeting. Bellego fell in both of his rides after attempting to ride the track flat out, and Ellis (previously excellent on the Armadale circuit) spun off three times in four races.

Bellego is simply battered and might be fit to ride tomorrow against Glasgow at Shielfield, Ellis seems to have a shoulder injury.

There were enough points throughout the Monarchs' side to get them over the line. Theo Pijper came good after a stoppage (faulty coil) in his first ride for paid 9 from his last three, and Derek Sneddon, Max Fricke and Jozsef Tabaka all won races, though none could claim the virtue of consistency.

For the Bandits, Ashworth won heat 1, and Kozza Smith looked quick in his early heats. Robin Aspegren invariably looks useful at Armadale and he managed to back Wethers to a 5-1 against Craig Cook no less in heat 10.

Monarchs trailed by 2 points after heat 4, built up an 8-point lead by heat 9, saw the lead halfed in heat 10, went 12 ahead by heat 13, lost an embarrassingly easy 5-1 in heat 14 before clinching all 3 points in the final race.

Craig Cook spoke to the crowd regarding the events at Ipswich, and whilst he might well have had private thoughts about the behaviour of Ben Barker, he kept a lid on these and apologised to everyone that he had behaved as he did. It's unlikely that he has lost any fans at Armadale.