A bad night at the races

From the euphoria of an away win at Glasgow last Friday to the depression of a home defeat in the first Championship match – and that against a Plymouth side who some rated as one of the weakest in the league. To be honest that was a misleading assessment as the Gladiators are a solid side, but we can't duck the fact that they were forced to track a National League junior at number one.

To add to the feeling of gloom, Stellar Monarchs lost their inspirational number one Josh Pickering in a crash in his second ride, and it remains to be seen how serious the shoulder injury suffered by Josh might be. Josh had come from the back to win heat 1 and was shaping to go outside Barker and Joe Thompson in heat 6 when he caught the fence.

A disappointed home team manager Alex Harkess said "Their reserves were too strong for ours and we were always chasing our tail. Everyone was saying Plymouth were one of the weaker teams but it just goes to show. We started the match two riders down and went to three riders down, and you just can't carry that."

Plymouth had made a strong start but it was that heat 6 incident which made a fightback by the home side so difficult. Both Thomson and Sedgmen did win IRR heats for Pickering but there would also have been a tac sub ride and heat 15 had Josh been available.

There's no denying though that Plymouth earned their win. Ben Barker was unbeaten in his first three heats, Joe Thomson won his first two and Dan Thompson lived up to all we have heard about him with a mature 13 points. Armadale specialist Kyle Newman didn't come good till his last ride but they always seemed to have something in hand.

A 15-3 leathering for the home reserves had a lot to do with the final score, and senior reserve Connor Coles was not able to play the role he would have wanted.

Plymouth cannily maintained their six point advantage from that fateful heat 6 through to heat 12, before the Monarchs' pair of Thomson and Sedgmen took a 5-1 over Barker, the latter's first defeat. However it would then have taken a win from Paco Castagna to keep home hopes alive but he was headed by Jacob Hook (back to haunt us) and Kyle Newman.

Dan Thompson finished with a heat 15 win and it is some season for him. Monarchs are left to hope that Josh Pickering is not too badly hurt because it will be very tough if he is out for any length of time.

Monarchs Ready!

On Friday evening, the Stellar Monarchs entertain Plymouth ProwPark Gladiators in what, as we approach the end of May, will be our opening Championship fixture.

Not that Gary May's side has enjoyed any more of a "normal" introduction to the proceedings than ourselves.

Incredibly all three of the Gladiators' opening BSN Series fixtures ( the first couple at home) fell victim to postponement while, as the action finally got underway for the South Coasters, they exited the KO Cup at the first time of asking, to Scunthorpe.

The did, however, manage to wrestle the aggregate BSN bonus point from their two-leg tussle with Oxford, and with the double-header with Poole to come, next week, the chance of grabbing a further bonus point could yet see them reach the semi- finals.

In the Championship, four days after their scheduled opener at Ashfield had to be shelved to accommodate the rerun BSN Scottish derby, they suffered defeat at home to Workington, albeit by just four points.

Unfortunately for Plymouth, Jason Edwards, the rider booked to deputise for Nico Covatti, is nursing a fractured cheekbone and at time of writing his replacement is unknown.

Losing Covatti has been a blow for he men from Devon although their 2024 septet is blessed with plenty of strength in other areas. Second heat leader, Ben Barker is always a handful round Armadale and he will receive huge support in the shape of Kyle Newman, Alfie Bowtell, brothers Dan and Joe Thomson and former Monarchs prospect Jacob Hook.

24 hours after hosting Plymouth, the Stellar Monarchs head to Cumbria and the long-awaited resumption of their rivalry with the Workington Comets.

Comets fans must be applauded for the way the stuck by their heroes and they must be elated to see the team compete once more at this level. I, for one, still struggle to get my head round what happened in 2018/2019. In what other sport would the title-winners one year be denied the chance of retaining it the next?

Workington will undoubtedly be formidable opponents, particularly on home shale. Led by Craig Cook and Claus Vissing, they also have two names relatively unfamiliar to British Speedway supporters in Finnish rider Antti Vuolas and Tate Zischke from Australia. Elsewhere, fellow Ozzie Troy Batchelor is a rider hitting top form presently, while at reserve, the G.T. Tyres Comets can call upon Edinburgh Academy hopeful Sam McGurk and the only woman currently riding in the British leagues, German Celina Liebmann.

The Comets are already BSN Series semi-finalists while their aggregate win against Glasgow over two legs alongside that win in Devon has lent them a dream start to their campaign in the Champioship.

Yes, returning north with something to show for their efforts would be a job well done for the Monarchs.

Lasse Fredriksen has picked up a bug and, on medical advice, will sit the weekend out Sam Hagon deputises while Max James will be absent on Friday as he's sitting college exams. Dayle Wood looking to show his progression steps in before Max returns at Workington

Nothing like making us old fogies feel even older…"