Newcastle Diamonds v Edinburgh Monarchs

The absence of in-form Andrew Tully was always going to be a handicap at Newcastle, and it proved to be one we couldn?t overcome.

We should have been capable of doing better on a track at which we have an excellent record, but too many of the side didn?t perform as well as they are capable of. It was an opportunity lost, and to be honest a pretty disappointing display.

This doesn?t apply to Ronnie Correy who looked very classy throughout the meeting. His time in heat 1 was the fastest of the season, just 0.7 outside the 4-year old track record.

In this opening race Henrik slipped past Ross Brady at one point, only to lose the position again.

Heat 2 went to Ben Powell who moved round Derek Sneddon coming out of the second bend. Full marks to Tom Brown for a steady ride to beat Johnson for third, keeping the scores level.

Over the next two heats we slipped behind in all-too-familiar fashion. William managed second behind Wilkinson (who has shown little form so far this season) with Daniele trailing, and Matthew couldn?t catch Ben Powell behind Christian Henry in heat 4.

Wilkinson touched the tapes in heat 5 and went off 15 metres, but still passed Henrik before the completion of the race ? a hugely disappointing effort by the Nordic Under-21 champion. Ronnie won the heat but we failed to take the advantage we should have.

Matthew rode an excellent heat 6 to pass Ross Brady for the win, and that was in spite of the fact that he had to hold off the pressing Josef Franc as well. With Derek at the back though, it was another shared heat.

Henry had no difficulty winning heat 7, and it was apparent that William was persisting with his usual Newcastle inside line even though it was clear that there was drive on the outside. He finished well back in second place.

Henrik had had two dreadful lasts, but it was not unpredictable that he would win heat 8 in spite of the presence of Brady. Another shared heat and we still trailed by the 6 points we lost in heats 3 and 4.

Derek at last got his nose in front in heat 9, and held off Wilkinson?s challenge. Raun fell at the back with Matthew in third, and we had cut the gap to 4.

This was reversed again in heat 10, another second for William, with a reserve change bringing in Derek not paying off against Franc and Brady.

Heat 11 was the first Henry v Correy clash. Christian made a much quicker start and seized the outside line, and Ronnie moved up and almost alongside in an exciting battle. There was no way through though.

William got in front in heat 12, but the impression that he wasn?t at his best was confirmed as Jonas Raun pulled off a good pass simply by picking the better line, ie the outside.

Henry did it again in heat 13, beating Ronnie ? each time they met Christian had the advantage of being outside his main opponent at the start.

We were now 10 down, so we played the only card available ? using Daniele as a TR. Unfortunately a reserve introduced to the heat, as Derek was, can?t be used as a TR.

Derek led and may well have been trying to slow Wilkinson up to bring Daniele back into the reckoning, but in the end Wilkinson came through to win.

We needed a 5-1 to tie for the bonus, and this time Ronnie got a fine start and moved out to deny Christian the outside run. He went on to win easily, a fine ride, again in a fast time.

Almost certainly Andrew Tully?s presence would have secured the bonus point, and might have given us a victory chance. However it was not a good showing from anyone other than the captain.