Depleted Monarchs Go Down At Poole

REPORT Wednesday 5th August 2026, 10:31pm

by Graham Muncie

  Edinburgh Monarchs

It is a battered and bruised Edinburgh Monarchs that head north after going down by 14 after a long laborious night at Poole.

The Monarchs had no answer to the Pirates top two Richard Lawson and Zach Cook throughout but with Mitch Cluff putting in his finest performance so far for the Monarchs the end result leaves a target to aim for when the teams meet again at Armadale next week.

Cluff commenting, 'Seeing Jordy then Kye go down wasn't good and we just had to keep pushing on, it was a tough night and we just need to look at winning the return and going for the bonus.

'It was one of my better performances at Poole and I was happy, gate four got me twice but apart from that I was happy. '

As mentioned by Cluff first concerns go to reserve partner Jordy Loftus who crashed out in heat two.

Having made the start Loftus spun on the first corner leaving Pirates Kyle Newman nowhere to go but into the stricken Monarch, a long pause before Loftus groggily walked back to the pits initially complaining of leg pain but with concussion now confirmed that will mean a mandatory spell on the sidelines. Newman able to continue but obviously feeling the effects also.

Heat 13 would then see Thomson crash out also as he and partner Dan Thompson would tangle while chasing the home pair, Kye needing helped back into the pits with leg and hip concerns that the Monarchs will await further news on in the morning.

Inbetween this it was a match that the home men were never headed in and generally controlled throughout after racing to three heat maximums in the first six races.

However with the slick dusty conditions making passing very difficult there was always the chance of a surprise heat result if the Monarchs hit the first corner in front and the heads never went down in the away pits.

The gap was still 12 when the Monarchs would send in Dan Thompson as a tactical substitute, Dan suffering a frustrating night overall making his best start of the night and with partner Thomson tucking in behind the gap was down to eight.

Poole would hit back in heat eleven with Zach Cook who raced to a flawless 15 point max and produced the ride of the night to round Justin Sedgmen in heat seven being joined by Sam Hagon for another home maximum.

With Cook and also unbeaten Richard Lawson due out together in heat 13 and no doubt 15 also at this stage it looked like the scoreline might get away from the Monarchs but Cluff would have other ideas as he would take the checkered flag in heat 12 with Sedgmen in third and again in the penultimate race this time with teammate Paco Castagna behind him in second.

Cook and Lawson would finish their unbeaten nights in the last so a final tally of 52-38 that sends the home men to the top of the table.

The Monarchs will now limp home looking to regroup with a visit of Glasgow looming on Friday night.

Poole 52 : Lawson 11+4, Cairns 7+1, Kerr 8+1, Rushen 4, Cook 15, Hagon 3+2, Newman 4

Edinburgh 38 : Thompson 8, Grahn 0, Sedgmen 6+1, Castagna 6+3, Thomson 4+3, Cluff 14, Loftus 0

Full Result Details