Edinburgh Monarchs v Redcar Bears

After two good home performances it was disappointing to watch the Scotwaste Monarchs struggle in what on paper was expected to be an easier fixture. Redcar deserved their 48-42 victory and several of the home side need to do better.

Things went perfectly well for Monarchs – for one heat. Andrew Tully raced off again to a big win and Derek Sneddon slotted into third ahead of Wilkinson.

The problems started in heat 2 against what didn’t seem a strong visiting reserve pair, on previous Armadale form. Jones and Dilger flew from the gate and although Micky Dyer closed in to challenge, he misjudged his passing move, getting in too tight and bringing down Jones. The 5-1 was awarded to Redcar.

Matthew Wethers gated well from the inside in heat 3 and for a moment it seemed this might be a welcome return to form, but Kus was soon past him as Theo Pijper took the lead. Pijper wasn’t challenged but Wethers had to fight hard to hang onto third by a narrow margin from Carl Wilkinson, rider replacement for Sedgmen who is apparently ill.

Heat 4 brought the major controversy of the night. Craig Cook gated and rode a perfect line round the first turn, down the back straight and into the third bend. He never changed line as Aaron Summers tried to find space outside him with what appeared a foolhardy challenge. Summers came off and spun into the fence, then jumped up and was clearly ready for a confrontation as Cook came round. A scuffle ensued.

It is difficult to see any logic in the decision to exclude Cook, a decision Mr Hartley stuck to after viewing the video.

In the rerun Wright gated but Summers was soon through to put Bears ahead again.

A lovely tight first turn by Theo Pijper saw him slip past Ostergaard to lead heat 5, and with Wethers in third there seemed a chance of another advantage. However this time Carl Wilkinson came under the pedestrian Wethers on the pits corner and the chance was lost.

Summers beat Tully in the battle of the fast men in heat 6, and disappointingly Derek Sneddon could not rein in Dilger and finished at the back, putting Redcar 4 ahead.

Cook was no doubt seething after his exclusion and won heat 7 by a mile, but again Micky Dyer could not improve on fourth spot. Too many last places proved to be Monarchs’ undoing on the night.

The two home men made the gate in heat 8 but Wright was speared by Max Dilger, who was excluded. No controversy that time.

In the rerun Wilkinson was better away but both Sneddon and Wright burst past him down the back straight. However they carried too much speed into the pits corner and Wilko was able to squeeze back through on the inside, winning the race in spite of continuing pressure by Wright.

Summers won heat 9 in spite of a determined challenge by Pijper, so Aaron was the only remaining unbeaten rider. This time Wethers managed a point ahead of Jones but still looked nothing like the rider we hope to see.

Too many chances were slipping away but in heat 10, the determination of Tully and Sneddon saw them get ahead of Kus who had gated. This time there was no mistake so the scores were levelled, with 5 heats remaining.

Cook won easily in heat 11 but not all that surprisingly, Dyer came in behind Ostergaard and Wilkinson. That was Micky’s third ride in his most disappointing performance.

Heat 12 was another crucial one with Pijper miles clear and Wright dicing with the Redcar reserves. It was a good tussle, Jones and Wright passing and repassing. Wright seemed to be lining up another attempted pass coming off the fourth turn when Dilger swung off the line and clattered into him.

The red lights went on immediately and incredibly, it was Wright who was excluded. He couldn’t believe it and approached the referee, without any joy of course.

So the scores were still level and Monarchs’ best chances had passed. Heat 13 was stopped for a Summers flier, but he was away again with Ostergaard in the restart. Cook tried to move up on the outside but with a reversal of positions from their heat 4 encounter, Cook chose to back off – which was undoubtedly what Summers should have done the first time.

From that point there was never much doubt of the visitors’ 5-1 and Monarchs were really up against it. They needed the best of Wethers in heat 14, but again he looked slow as Kus took the win. Kus had totalled 8 without looking very impressive.

To make things worse, this time Wright was passed by the very usefil Mark Jones and the contest was over, Redcar leading by 6.

The only remaining question was whether they would get the fourth point. Theo Pijper had other ideas and in a stunning heat he rode brilliantly to thwart the efforts of Summers. Pijper had tyre marks on his Kevlar sleeve from Aaron’s last corner bid, but he held on to win.

Pijper’s display was outstanding for Monarchs but the remaining riders all had problems and will need to do better.

Edinburgh Monarchs v Redcar Bears

It looks like there's another fierce battle in store between two evenly matched teams for League Cup points when the Redcar Bears travel up from Teesside to visit the Scotwaste Arena on Friday (7.30).

Like the Monarchs, the Bears are still finding their feet with no home defeats and no away wins in their first seven matches, although they came mighty close to losing their home record with an incredible TWO 45-45 draws, first to Scunthorpe and then to Sheffield.

Andrew Tully will be happy to be back on familiar territory after some troubled away performances. He faces the very experienced Danish rider, Ulrich Oostergaard who rode with Birmingham in the Elite League last year and who got an advance spin round the Armadale track in the Scottish Open.

At No2, Derek Sneddon is yet to perfect his old Armadale starting technique which has brought him so many points. He lines up opposite a very dangerous opponent in Carl Wilkinson who most recently rode for Scunthorpe but sat out most of 2011 with a double leg fracture which didn't heal well.

Theo Pijper is beginning to look as if he's never been away with some big scores and fast times, so he will be hoping to get the better of his opposite number, 20-year-old Australian racer Justin Sedgmen who is already representing his sixth club in only his fourth UK season.

Matty Wethers will be hoping to show that he has overcome his reported bike problems against the very talented young Czech Republic rider, Matej Kus, who has yet to really show UK fans his full potential. A full season on Tyneside could be all he needs to propel him further in the sport.

The revitalised, jet-propelled 2012 version of Craig Cook faces another stiff test at No.5 against the popular former Monarch Aaron Summers from Adelaide, now 24, who has blossomed into a formidable Premier League heat leader since his three seasons as a Monarch.

The impressively steady Micky Dyer will be looking to continue his excellent first season progress against a fellow Aussie, Mark Jones, who is only in his second full PL season having done all his racing so far for the recently defunct Newport Wasps.

Monarchs other very impressive new reserve, Charles Wright seems to have sized up the Armadale circuit in double quick time which is more than can be said for the Bears No.7, Max Dilger who is already racking up bigger scores at Redcar than he did in his troubled time as a Monarch.

So once again there are some excellent match-ups with the balance tipping slightly one way then the other. Provided Monarchs get off to a good start, they should be capable of coming out on top, especially since they only came up eight points short on their recent Redcar trip.

Can Monarchs top three dominate around their own track? Will Redcar's captain, Aaron Summers come back to haunt his old club? Will we see a different Max Dilger with the new found confidence of some good scores behind him? All will be revealed at the Scotwats Arena – tapes up 7.30 sharp!

Likely line-ups:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Andrew Tully, Derek Sneddon, Theo Pijper, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Craig Cook, Micky Dyer, Charles Wright.

REDCAR BEARS: Ulrich Ostergaard, Carl Wilkinson, Justin Sedgmen, Matej Kus, Aaron Summers (capt.), Mark Jones, Max Dilger.