Good Effort Gains A Point

REPORT Wednesday 17th July 2019, 9:25pm

by Monarchs PR

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Staggs Bar Monarchs put up a much improved away performance taking a point from league topping Leicester Lions after a 47-42 defeat in the Midlands on Wednesday night.

The catalyst to this improved performance was undoubtedly reintroduced number 1 Sam Masters who raced to a faultless 15 point maximum giving the Monarchs the much needed boost in the big heats that has been lacking so far.

Monarchs team boss John Campbell saying after "What a difference it is to have someone you think can win every race he is in, it gives everyone a lift and Sam was majestic, I actually thought we were going to win the match at one point but the track dried off a little and the home riders got dialled in. Though to come to the league leaders make them use a tactical and get a point I'm happy with. People have written us off but there are plenty of meetings left to run and we can use this as a springboard. Everyone was battling hard and I can't complain the point is the least we deserved and well done to the boys in heat 15 for getting the 5-1 we needed."

The Monarchs recent re-jig of personnel and riding order has been designed to give the team a boost at the start of meetings and this looked to be well worked as the Monarchs raced into a 6 point lead after only 5 races. Heat wins for Masters in two of these being backed up by a surprise maximum result in heat 3 with William Lawson jetting from the start to put paid to concerns he would be a weak link after his promotion to the main body of the team.

The downside to this lead was it allowed the home men the use of a tactical ride and they used this immediately and to good effect bringing in top scorer Richard Lawson in the very next heat and recording a maximum of their own.

The home men then levelled the score in the 8th race when Ellis Perks got the better of Ricky Wells, Wells being perhaps the Monarchs only disappointment on the night. The Lions would then take their first lead of the night after heat 10 when 7 time British champ Scott Nicholls rode a very clever first lap to block Josh Pickering's outside run thus allowing Perks to pick up 2nd as well.

Disaster looked to have struck in the penultimate race, with the Monarchs trailing by 4 at this point a heat advantage was required to maintain any chance of victory. As it was the worst possible result was to come as first Lawson bit the dust on the first corner. The Auchterarder man was at fault so he was disqualified from the re-run. In that second attempt Monarchs sole participant Connor Coles ground to a halt gifting the home men a 5-0 advantage.

This meant that only a 5-1 for the Monarchs would do in the last race to secure a point, Masters again was imperious from the start and this time Pickering would not be denied as he joined his compatriot at the front. 4 faultless laps later and it was a well deserved point for the Armadale men and a much need boost to the camp as they look to get themselves back into playoff contention.

Full Result Details