So near at Plymouth

REPORT Saturday 17th May 2025, 10:04pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Stellar Monarchs could and probably should have tasted victory on the road at Plymouth tonight, but having been 8 points up after heat 8, we gradually saw our advantage eaten away and went down 46-44 in what was certainly a thrilling match for the Gladiators' fans.

Team manager John Campbell was certainly disappointed but did see some progress towards the kind of solidity he is looking for in the team this season. "A greatly improved performance compared to many we've given this season but it was pretty much in our hands and we threw it away. It's very hard if you miss the start at Plymouth. But it was a battling performance and disappointing that we couldn't carry it through to the finish.

"The most positive things were that Kye Thomson was very, very good and Jonatan Grahn who was down and out after last night, was a completely changed man tonight."

Monarchs' problem was race winners and they only took three of these. The match winner really was a reserve but for once it wasn't Monarchs' victor Palovaara who wasn't getting out of the start. It was former Monarch Lasse Fredriksen riding at reserve for Plymouth (where he rarely had the chance to ride when a Monarch) who took four victories

After losing a 4-2 in heat 4 to drop behind, Monarchs grabbed a 5-1 in heat 5 through Sedgmen and Thomson after Joe Thompson fell, then another from an excellent ride by Castagna and Grahn against a strong looking Barker-Fredriksen pair.

Kye Thomson was even better in heat 8, passing Fredriksen round the outside to win with Palovaara in third, making it 20-28 in favour of the visitors.

We limited the damage of the tac sub in heat 9 to a 2-4, but that was a race result which recurred too often over the second half of the match. Our gating rather deserted us over the final seven heats and in no fewer than five of them, we lost a 4-2 which left us on just 44.

Kye Thomson did lead the final heat which we went in to at 42-42, but he was taken by Ben Barker who sent the home fans wild.

All of the Monarchs had good moments and that includes guest number 7 Sonny Springer who got a good third in heat 2 and also was on the pace when given a heat 13 ride.

Full Result Details