Title Partner
REPORT Friday 7th May 2010, 10:00pm
Edinburgh Monarchs
Level after heat 8, Monarchs rode well in the second half of this fixture to build up a 12-point lead to take to Rye House.
There were a number of points thrown away, with Jozsef Tabaka falling awkwardly twice when in scoring positions, British Finalist Andrew Tully spinning off in his first ride and Matthew Wethers taking a surprising fall when third in the final heat.
However most would have taken the dozen of a lead at the half way stage.
We had started with a 5-1 from Fisher and Tabaka, who comfortably headed Neath with Ekberg off the pace.
Kurt Shields though rode an excellent first Armadale race to share heat 2, Monarchs being pretty happy to see 16 year old Kyle Howarth defeat the more experienced Gary Beaton.
Jordan Frampton maintained recent fine form by winning heat 3, though this was a very impressive effort by rider replacement Tabaka. He really pressed and looked as though he might have snatched a win.
Sundstrom easily won heat 4 though with Andrew Tully falling on the first bend. He tried to make up the lost ground against Beaton but could not manage it.
Katajisto was entertaining in heat 5, bursting past the Rockets? riders, but Neath recovered and re-passed for the win.
Sundstrom accomplished the not inconsiderable feat of pulling clear of Fisher in heat 6, and Tabaka lost a point when he lost control leaving the fourth corner of lap two. He reared and wobbled wildly, regained control but then fell on the next bend.
Tully flew to a win in heat 7, our first since heat 1, but it seemed Bowen and Frampton were quite happy to share the race and keep Howarth at the back.
Tabaka again ran into to trouble in an eventful heat 8. It looked like a heat we could profit from but it was Ekberg who took the lead.
Katajisto swept round him in great style, but rather than settle for a point, Tabaka tried the same thing and came tom grief as his bike threw him again.
The race was awarded and we had no lead at all at that point.
With Tully in as r/r, at last we got the better of Sundstrom. He gated, but Andrew went round him and Matthew up the inside in one of these scissor moves they are so good at.
On the next bend Sundstrom two-wheeled in and rammed Matthew, who fell heavily.
It was a nasty moment but the captain emerged on Katajisto?s bike to clinch a maximum advantage.
Frampton fell on the first bend of heat 10, apparently on his own, but for some reason all four were allowed back. Fisher won the rerun with Katajisto third.
Heat 11 was certainly the surprise of the night. Howarth gated and pushed Ekberg wide as tully came alongside. For a couple of laps Andrew sat with the youngster till he decided to kick on ? but Kyle kept it going and led Neath to the flag!
He got a great reception for that, and Monarchs were now 10 up. Katajisto beat Frampton in the next one with Matthew third, back on his own bike.
Could we push on from the 12-point lead? Well not in the next one. Neath and Fisher hit the tapes but rather than select a culprit all four were invited back. Sundstom again was exceptional in winning comfortably, and this time Tully was stuck at the back as Rockets pulled two points back.
Kalle came in to heat 14. Bowen clearly hit the tapes, but the start was allowed as our pair raced ahead for a 5-1. As last week, Kalle was finishing in real style and that made his total 16!
Frampton jumped the start of heat 15 and caught the tapes in his helmet. This time the referee did take action and he started 15 metres back. Again Sundstrom proved the star of the night by leading all the way, and Wethers surprisingly came down when he misjudged a turn, throwing a point away.
Kyle Howarth was given the Hermiston Monarch of the Match bubbly.
© Edinburgh Monarchs Speedway 2024
Bathgate Road
Armadale
EH48 2PD
