Competitive show from Tigers

REPORT Saturday 18th August 2018, 1:04am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Given Sheffield's recent home results, and the massive wins by the Staggs Bar Monarchs in their last two completed home matches, a big home victory might have been expected tonight. The result was 54-36 but it was a far more competitive fixture than we have had for a few weeks.

Richie Worrall dominated his heats again and hasn't dropped a point at Armadale yet (after four appearances). He said "I always came here and scored well but maybe dropped a point to Ricky or Erik. Now I don't have to race against them! The track was a little slick but someone must have been looking after me, because I had intended using a stronger engine but Bomber was bringing that up for me. With Glasgow being rained off that didn't happen and the engine I did use suited the conditions."

Top scoring visitor Kasper Andersen added "I had heard that Edinburgh is a hard track to ride so I just came here to enjoy it, but the track suited me pretty well so I am happy about tonight. It reminds me a lot of my home track in Denmark."

Had Charles Wright and Connor Mountain been available Sheffield might have done even better, and there was also a disappointing performance from their captain Kyle Howarth. The really impressive Tigers were Dane Kasper Andersen and reserve James Shanes, both first-timers at Armadale.

Todd Kurtz gave them support as well and on this showing it was hard to believe some of the recent reverses they have suffered. There will be no presumptions about what the result might be next Thursday at Owlerton.

On the home side the heat leaders dominated once again, although only the remarkable Worrall remained unbeaten. His first corner work could not be bettered no matter what gate he is coming from, and he simply didn't give the opposition a chance. He hasn't dropped a home point yet.

Erik Riss won his first four heats, starting with a win from the back over Howarth in an excellent heat 4 which also featured a good tussle for the minor places. Erik just missed his maximum and Andersen held on to second place in the last race, taking his score to 13.

Ricky Wells also spilled one point along the way, something which doesn't please him, but it was Andersen again who beat Monarchs' opening pair in heat 10.

Ricky and Victor Palovaara had started with two 5-1s and are certainly putting together a formidable number of these. However our two Swedes did dip out in heat 8, losing a 5-1 to Kurtz and Shanes.

Bike problems cost Josh Pickering a couple of third places and left him on 4+2, Joel Andersen found Shanes a hot handful and William Lawson was certainly not disgraced on his return after 8 years out of action. He beat NL man Joe Lawlor plus Mason Campton and can only get better.

While Kasper Andersen did a lot of his scoring from the gate, Shanes was attacking the track and picking up points from the back. He was the main talk of the terraces afterwards and really earned his 10+2.

Full Result Details