TWO SIXTY POINTERS

NEWS Friday 11th September 2009, 1:20am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs powered to two sixty-point scores after a traumatic day in which both their German riders pulled out of the meeting.

First out was Max Dilger who told us that he had a back problem after a crash last Friday and needed to return home for treatment.

Max's recent form would not have made it difficult to cover, but the next shock arrived when Kevin Wolbert phoned in sick - he had been too unwell to board his plane!

Two down and Monarchs now needed a guest - and are grateful to William Lawson for stepping in at short notice when contacted in the early afternoon. William was in great form, much better than he has been as a visiting rider.

It was a bit of a 2008 reunion because Derek Sneddon was also on hand with equipment in case Monarchs needed a stand-in for the second match.

In the cup semi, Edinburgh were off to a flier with three successive 5-1s. Although Rockets gained a point in heat 4, they also lost Linus Sundstrom who ran into his partner.

Things got worse for Rockets in the next one when Tommy Allen crashed at the back and sustained a foot injury. Neither Sundstrom nor Allen re-appeared.

The one-way traffic continued with only some good riding by Chris Neath giving the Rockets anything to get excited about. He won heat 11 riding through from third place in good style.

The following heat was stopped when Bekker got a flier, only for Silver to be allowed to get away with one in the rerun! A passing attempt by Matthew Wethers failed when he lost control, and the otherwise disappointing Haines came through for a 5-1.

Monarchs regained control and scored 13 points in the last three heats, with Ryan Fisher completing a paid 18 maximum.

After a short break the Stoke match started, and again Monarchs opened with 2 5-1s. An engine failure for William Lawson while leading heat 3 slowed things up a bit but Monarchs maintained control with Fisher and Lawson leading the way.

Complin took a TR in heat 7 but stopped while leading.

Byron Bekker was unlucky in heat 8 when Madsen lost control and forced him off, but otherwise Monarchs' run of race advantages continued until heat 11 when Jason Bunyan took the second tactical ride.

Oddly enough he was blocked by partner Madsen who eventually passed Rajkowski to win the heat which was a 5-2 to Stoke.

Aaron Summers was now having severe bike problems but otherwise Monarchs were in control and eventually, at just on 10pm, topped 60 for the second time in the evening.