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NEWS Friday 10th July 2015, 11:59pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Border Roofing Monarchs regained top position in the Premier League tonight with a very comfortable 60-31 win over Sheffield. Peterborough’s remarkable loss at Scunthorpe meant that the Panthers drop to second on points difference.

Although the scores were 12-12 after 4 races tonight, this was not a difficult match for Monarchs. Sheffield had a patched up side due to injuries and the absence of Garrity on Elite League duty, but even so their efforts were disappointing. Guest Aaron Summers was top scorer but he has had many better meetings at Armadale.

They had race winners in heat 2 (Bates) and 3 (Heeps) but after that they never looked remotely like getting a race winner until the rerun of heat 14, a great battle between Heeps and Max Clegg.

It was a great night for Clegg with a score of 10+2, his highest in the Premier League, and he is going to be a key man over the next few weeks as we consider how to replace Rob Branford during his period on the sidelines.

He came from last to second in heat 2, backed up Craig Cook for a 5-1 in heat 7 when we were a mere 4 points ahead, and later came from the back for that excellent heat 14 win. He also took a heavy tumble on the run to the first corner in heat 8 when Bates was adjudged to have cut across his path. This caused machine damage which Max will have to fork out for.

Cook was in devastating form and won all his races by miles, and Justin Sedgmen was also unbeaten in his five rides. Kevin Wolbert scored 11, and Erik Riss had two paid wins before falling in the rerun of heat 14 (which he had initially led).

All of which left Sam Masters scratching his head. He managed a third in heat 1, then spun dramatically round which second to his partner in heat 6, earning an exclusion. It’s not as if he’s riding badly but at the moment he isn’t the old invincible Armadale no. 1.

But it was all too easy and only Sam’s problems prevented an even bigger score. Who will give us a run for our money?

Full Result Details