A BAD NIGHT AND A BAD DEFEAT

NEWS Friday 26th August 2011, 0:54am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Tonight's meeting was in most respects one of the worst that Edinburgh Speedway fans have ever had to put up with ? poor entertainment, a heavy defeat and a meeting which ran far too long.

The conditions were the same for both teams and Glasgow coped far better, running out 54-39 victors. Nick Morris was again superb but most of the visiting riders made a reasonable fist of things.

On the Scotwaste Monarchs' side Andrew Tully was outstanding and might have had a paid maximum but for a fall on the first bend of heat 12. The others tried hard enough but did not show enough aggression into the first corner, by far the most important element in being successful on a night like this.

Once again the weather dealt us an unfavourable hand, with heavy rain overnight and more this afternoon. A substantial amount of dirt was piled onto the track close to start time, and while this may or may not have been a way of ensuring that the meeting went ahead, it was suicidal for Monarchs' chances. We know from 5th August, our last home defeat, that some of our riders find these heavy conditions too much to cope with, especially the two reserves.

The early heats were bordering on farcical, and we trailed 10-1 after two races. Both Kalle Katajisto and Kevin Wolbert fell in heat one, and the visiting reserves were predictably miles ahead in heat 2.

Our Tully / Wethers pairing was on song as usual but we never looked like recovering the ground lost in these two opening heats.

There was a huge delay in mid-match and the unlucky rider who suffered was Christian Henry. Byron Bekker passed him in heat 7 but fell right in front of him, and Christian had no way of avoiding him. It was Christian who suffered with what might be a badly injured shoulder, and we send him our best wishes in the hope that it isn't as serious as it seemed.

Much of the dirt on the track was then scraped off again, and after something like 40 minutes waiting for Christian to be taken off in a second ambulance the match resumed.

Monarchs managed heat winners in successive races from heat 9 to heat 11, but when Andrew fell in heat 12 that was that. He had taken a TR in heat 9 (successful) and most would then have said that Kevin should ride for double points in the next race ? but Kevin didn't feel he was riding well enough to take the black and white helmet at that stage.

We might have finished with a 5-1 as Andrew and Kevin made the start in the final heat, but Kevin lost control badly and dropped to the back. He kept trying but without success as Andrew finished the night with a victory.

It was small consolation on a night when everything Monarchs fans would not have wanted to happen, did happen. Glasgow won easily and are virtually over the line in the league title race.

We race at Glasgow on Sunday, Scunthorpe on Monday and next Friday will entertain Scunthorpe on a night when we want better weather, better racing and a better result.

Full Result Details