LEAGUE PROGRAMME ENDS WITH A LOSS

NEWS Saturday 22nd September 2012, 10:06pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Rye House rode well tonight and comfortably beat the Scotwaste Monarchs 58-35 in what was the final league match for both teams.

Monarchs have finished fifth, and Rockets much lower, but you could have been excused for thinking that it was the other way round on tonight's showing.

There was some good racing in the early heats while there was some dirt on the track, but later on it became quite slick.

We had a good guest in Kevin Doolan, who won his first three heats including a TR in heat 11. He finished with 14 points.

Andrew Tully won heat 4 in great style, and might have added six points to his total when he led off the second bend in heat 9 on his TR. Unfortunately he slid off on the straight.

He was still competitive on a track he rides well, and took useful points from heats 13 and 15 to finish with 7.

Theo won two races, heats 3 and 10, the latter a really crafty

ride to beat Rockets' guest Jason Doyle. He scored 8 from his four rides and looks in reasonable fettle for his PLRC outing tomorrow.

Reserve guest Max Dilger tried hard and scored 4, going through the fence without doing any damage twice. He had wanted to do better but was up against a much stronger Rockets team than at almost any time this season.

This has never been a favourite track of Derek Sneddon's and it showed, just a single point, the same as Matthew Wethers who usually does go well here but was struggling badly.

On the home side Jason Grrity was flying and they had no weak links at all. They must be strongly fancied for the 'wee playoffs'.

In the National League match which followed we were able to see Connor Coles, son of Monarchs' great Michael who was with him in the pits.