With To Be Done

REPORT Friday 17th April 2026, 10:16pm

by Monarchs PR

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Edinburgh Monarchs will have it all to do in the second leg of their KO Cup quarter final after going down by 12 points at Redcar on Friday night.

The result leaving Monarchs captain Paco Castagna who contributed paid ten points on the night to say, "It was a tough night, the track was difficult at the start.

"It was the same for both teams and both teams struggled to get used to it and it is a shame as before the meeting I felt we could have won but Redcar got used to the track quicker than us so fair play to them.

"Me personally I was happy with how I scored, I have been struggling a little with the starts so far this season but that was improved tonight so hopefully I can take that into next week and the rest of the season.

"I still feel like we can pull it back at home, we are strong at home and we have a couple of guys that had a bit of an off night but that happens it is a team sport and we win and lose as a team and as a team I still think we can beat Redcar next week and go through."

With uneven track conditions to start not helped by a setting sun affecting vision gating was at a premium in the early heats and things started well for the Monarchs as Jonatan Grahn made the jump in the first heat, with partner Dan Thompson in third the Monarchs had a lead.

This would disappear in the second heat as the home reserves hit the front ahead of a Monarchs pair who would not beat an opposing number all evening and from then on the home side were never headed.

The scores would remain tight through heat seven though with Grahn again taking the checkered flag in heat five and Kye Thomson who enjoyed perhaps his finest away night in a Monarchs race-suit doing the same in the next race also.

The home men would turn the screw in the next few heats with a maximum from Ace Pijper and Bears rider of the night Jody Scott in heat eight, a further advantage in heat ten and then race of the night to that point from Scott in heat 12 as he went from last to second to join teammate Jordan Jenkins for another home 5-1 extended the lead.

This meant the gap was 12 and the fear from the Monarchs faithful on the terraces was this might start to get away from them in the last few heats.

As it was the final three races would all be shared, the highlight of these coming at the death as Thomson saved his best for last with a powerful ride to steam under home man Jake Allen taking his third win of the evening on the way to a paid 13 point haul.

A tough task awaits for the Monarchs now with a big deficit to make up in next Friday's second leg if semi final progression is to be secured.

Redcar Bears 51: Klindt 4+1, Pijper 8, Jenkins 7, Edwards 8+3, Allen 11, Mulford 3, Scott 10+4

Edinburgh Monarchs 39 : Thompson 5, Grahn 8+1, Sedgmen 4, Castagna 9+1, Thomson 12+1, Cluff 0, Loftus 1

Full Result Details