The only three Monarchs on show! Image Credit: Jack Cupido

Heavy Defeat To End The Season

NEWS Saturday 22nd October 2016, 1:08am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The final match of the year for the Border Roofing Monarchs was a fairly predictable heavy defeat by 55-38 at the hands of Glasgow. It was our first home loss of the season in the league, having also lost on the opening night against Berwick in the League Cup. In between, we were OK!

In truth it was the culmination of the season’s misfortunes – the nine rainoffs, and the floodlight failure, meant that our season was extended beyond where we wanted it to be, with the result that we fielded only three of the riders in our chosen 1 to 7 – all Germans!

Once again it was Thank the Fans Night and John Campbell said “If that third bend light had stayed on a fortnight ago, we would have finished that night with almost a full team. But it has been a very challenging year, mainly through worrying about the weather week after week. But thanks to the fans, the financial worries have been much lessened this season.”

Alex Harkess called the supporters “By far the best fans in the country.”

Kevin Wolbert, Erik and Mark Riss travelled over from Germany for their first meeting since Ipswich came to Armadale three weeks ago, and did what they could. We added Steve Worrall as guest for Sam Masters at no. 1, but were forced to field what was surely the most inexperienced reserve pairing we have ever tracked in Kev Whelan and Ben Basford.

Glasgow were of course intent on bouncing back from their disappointing defeat by Sheffield in the Playoffs, and each of Aaron Summers, Richie Worrall, Rene Bach and Richard Lawson looked in good form. Summers scored a paid maximum with Worrall on paid 14.

We lost 5-1s in heats 2 and 3 and from then on could only contemplate damage limitation. The meeting was run quickly enough, about 90 minutes, at the cost of a few dodgy starts which might well have been pulled back.

There were two really good races – Richie Worrall and Kevin Wolbert passing and repassing in heat 11, and Stevie Worrall’s excellent win in heat 13 after Lawson had swooped round him on the first corner.

Stevie was not especially impressed to be dumped in the fence by his brother as he made an outside move in heat 15, but Jim McGregor apparently saw nothing wrong and excluded our man.

Erik Riss won two races, and Kevin Wolbert one after a fine cutback on Lawson in heat 4. Steve Worrall took a 6-pointer as well as heat 13.

There was quite a good turnout to see the season concluded, and both Alex Harkess and John Campbell again thanked the fans for their immense contribution (in various ways) for assisting the club to see the season through.