Big 4 Points At Brum

The What the Fork Monarchs picked up their first win on the road this season with a dominant end to the match seeing them to a 10-point win at Birmingham to gain a potentially crucial 4 league points in the process.

In a match where gating was absolutely crucial it was the Monarchs who proved stronger down the stretch taking heat maximums in each of the last 3 heats to come out on top in what had been a ding dong battle to that point.

As so often is the case Monarchs captain and number 1 Sam Masters would lead the way with a 14 point haul Masters speaking after to the British Speedway Network who broadcast the match live saying "I made a blinder in heat 15 and was looking back every lap and Josh was in a different position every time so he had the hard job but it was a great way to finish and good for the boys and the team to get the 4 points, we needed to get those points while Birmingham are struggling a bit so we have done our jobs tonight.

"We had a bit of a slow start to the season but hopefully that is on a roll now and we can head for the playoffs that's the aim for sure."

While it was a blockbuster end that ensured the points headed north the Monarchs started well and built a 4-point lead after 4 heats with race wins for Masters, guest Jason Edwards and Josh Pickering among them.

With a warm sunny day in the Midlands the track was spitting up dust from the off and gating was at a premium this meant it was always going to be difficult to build a lead and the Brummies would fight back. Masters would taste defeat for the only time on the night in heat 5 and when the home men rocketed from the tapes in the next race for a 5-1 the Brummies had their first lead.

The Monarchs would return the favour in the very next heat with Kye Thomson showing no ill effect from his crash at Glasgow on Saturday being well backed by former Birmingham man Paco Castagna.

The lead would swing once again 3 races later as the same Monarchs pair were left stranded at the start as Brummies top scorer Stefan Nielsen and guest Ricky Wells took advantage and it looked like the match may be slipping from the Monarchs.

However, with Masters and Pickering both in fine form and due to partner in heats 13 and 15 there was still belief that the Monarchs could finish the job and that would be the case. Both races with a similar pattern. Masters rocketing from the start and Pickering battling round the outside to join his captain up front.

In-between this heat 14 was a major boost to the Monarchs as Edwards who yet again showed why he is one of the hottest prospects in British speedway with a double-digit score held off a strong challenge from James Shanes early in the encounter to back up Castagna for what at the time was a match clinching 5-1.

This meant the only drama in heat 15 was if the Monarchs would get maximum points for a 6+ point win, as noted Masters and Pickering making no mistake the latter producing the ride of the night to send the Monarch home happy with a massive result in their hunt for the playoffs.