A GOOD WIN AT LEICESTER

A big travelling support saw Craig Cook score a 5-ride paid maximum to inspire the Scotwaste Monarchs to a 44-49 win on our first visit to Leicester.

Craig dominated the first corners in all of his races and was never challenged thereafter. Amazingly we had three fallers while leading races - Tim Webster in heat 2, Andrew Tully in heat 3 and Kyle Howarth in heat 14.

This was an indication of the problems all the riders had with the third and fourth bend. Lions new Danish signing Henning Bager came down in heat one and never got going after that.

We opened with a 5-1 and never lost the lead, though we could never relax until the win was clinched in heat 13. Cook and Howarth took another maximum in heat 4, and there was a fine ride from Matthew in heat 8 which ensured that we maintained a narrow 2-point advantage. He came from third to first in that heat.

Our third 5-1 in heat 10 from Tully and Katajisto put us six ahead, and the win was clinched in heat 13 when Claus Vissing (a solid guest) and the brilliant Cook led the Lions home.

It looked as though we would take the maximum four points, but after Howarth fell we lost a 1-8 in heat 14, and could only share the last race with Cook completing his maximum.

However we can be well pleased with the team's efforts on a new and tricky circuit.