Excellent Win At Brum

REPORT Wednesday 17th May 2023, 9:40pm

by Graham Muncie

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Stellar Monarchs showed their mettle at Birmingham on Wednesday evening with a powerful display running out 18 point victors to record their first league win of the season.

Much had been made of a lack of heat winners in matches so far this year and that blight was righted with 11 of the 15 races seeing a Monarch cross the line first leaving manager John Campbell to enthuse

"Very pleased with the excellent display. There was good scoring throughout showing what we can do.

'Rory was a great guest and Craig lead the team brilliantly.

'We now look forward to pushing on from this performance."

Campbell's men were never headed and took a lead they wouldn't relinquish in heat three as Paco Castagna took the win with Kye Thomson slotting into third.

Further heat advantages in heats four and five, the former with a tenacious ride by the impressive Jacob Hook to steal third on the line meant the home men were in tactical territory and they duly pulled the trigger in the seventh race.

Top home man Nick Morris joining Justin Sedgmen for a maximum and the lead was cut to four.

Any fear this would lead a capitulation were quickly put to bed albeit with a bit of good fortune as Morris ground to a halt when looking well placed in heat 10, this to take nothing whatsoever away from Thompson and Castagna who recorded a heat maximum the hard way both passing remaining home man Alfie Bowtell.

With an eight point lead and unbeaten to this stage Craig Cook due out in three of the last five races confidence in the Monarchs camp was high and this would prove to be well founded as they stretched their advantage in heats 11, 12 and 14.

The only bright spot for the home men during this run a heat 13 win for Morris in undoubtedly the heat of the night.

This would be the only blip on the copy book for Cook as he duly finished an excellent night for himself and the team taking the win in the last race.

So, a big bounce back win for the Armadale men who will hope that is the ship righted with the league campaign now well underway.

Bitmingham 36: Morris 13, Bowtell 7+1, Wright 4+1, Sedgmen 6, Thompson 2, Pearson 4+1

Stellar Monarchs 54: Schlein 8+2, Fredriksen 7+1, Thomson 7, Castagna 10+1, Cook 14, Bickley 0, Hook 8+2

Full Result Details