Premier League Northern Group Qualifier

Lothian Arena, Armadale

Saturday, 25^th April 1998.

Edinburgh consolidated their lead in the Northern Group of the Premier League Cup with a win and a bonus point against Sheffield. The match was very flat with little challenge presented by the visitors on a soggy track that made passing near to impossible. Most attempts at outside passing resulted in falls.

The weather had been dry in Edinburgh throughout the afternoon but a persistent and sometime heavy drizzle started an hour and a half before the scheduled start. This continued with little respite for the next couple of hours although things did clear up from time to time only for more bad weather to come over. This along with the change in race night contributed to the rather low crowd

Both teams were at full strength with André Compton, Blair Scott, and Barry Campbell coming through the British Under-21 Final at Arena Essex the night before.

The match started with no parade with gate position B in use and Sheffield off 1 and 3 in the first heat.

Heat 1: Peter Carr, Carl Stonehewer, André Compton, and Robert Larsen [58.7]

Stonehewer had the drop on Carr from the gate but went wide on the fourth bend allowing Carr to blast through on the inside. Larsen also got into trouble wide in the mud and was way behind Compton after a fair start.

(3-3) (3-3)

Heat 2: Blair Scott, Barry Campbell, René Aas [61.1]

Derrol Keats was excluded for tape touching. Blair Scott made a good start and while René Aas attempted an outside charge he was unable to make any progress and allowed Campbell through the inside on the back straight.

(5-1) (8-4)

Heat 3: Kevin Little, Paul Gould, Tommy Palmer, Steve Knott [60.3]

Little gated from trap 4 ahead of Palmer and Gould. Gould managed to pass Palmer on the home straight of the first lap and held on despite a late charge by Palmer.

(5-1) (13-5)

Heat 4: Kenny McKinna, René Aas, Barry Campbell [61.2]

Kenny swept ahead from the start with Campbell trailing the Sheffield pairing. Barry Campbell and Scott Smith both fell but Barry remounted for a point while Scud retired.

(4-2) (17-7)

Heat 5: Carl Stonehewer, Kevin Little, Paul Gould, André Compton [60.3]

Stonehewer had a good start from the outside gate and swept outside Little for a win.

(3-3) (20-10)

Heat 6: Peter Carr, Robert Larsen, Scott Smith, Derrol Keats [60.2]

A very fast start for Larsen from gate 2 was matched by an outside sweep from Carr and another Monarchs maximum followed.

(5-1) (25-11)

Heat 7: Kenny McKinna, Tommy Palmer, Blair Scott, Steve Knott [61.6]

McKinna was first away on the inside but was surprisingly challenged by Steve Knott who tried an outside pass on the third bend and predictably fell.

(4-2) (29-13)

Heat 8: René Aas, Robert Larsen, André Compton [63.1]

Barry Campbell made a great start and seemed to have the measure of Aas when Larsen spun on the first bend. As he appeared to be on the point of restarting, Compton also fell hitting the second bend boards. The referee invited all four back for the re- run. This time Aas made the gate and Campbell fell and retired.

(2-4) (31-17)

Heat 9: Kevin Little, Paul Gould, Scott Smith, Carl Stonehewer [61.4]

Sheffield put Stonehewer in as a tactical substitute for Keats. Kevin Little had the edge from the gate and Stonehewer fell while attempting an outside pass on the third bend.

(5-1) (36-18)

Heat 10: Robert Larsen, Tommy Palmer, Peter Carr [63.2]

Larsen led from the gate and Carr brushed past Knott who then fell. The race was stopped and surprisingly Knott was excluded. Larsen again gated in the re-run and Carr fell while attempting to pass Palmer on the outside of the third bend. Carr remounte d for third place and Larsen stayed in front.

(4-2) (40-20)

Heat 11: Kenny McKinna, Carl Stonehewer, André Compton [62.5]

Kenny McKinna gated while Blair Scott was boxed in at the back. Scott fell and retired while trying to get on terms.

(3-3) (43-23)

Heat 12: Kevin Little, Tommy Palmer, Barry Campbell [63.1]

Sheffield replaced Keats with reserve replacement René Aas. Little gated once more but was challenged by Aas on the fourth bend of the first lap. They collided and both fell. Little and Aas squared up and eyeballed each other as the referee excl uded the Estonian. They eventually shook hands and went off. Little won the re-run from Palmer as Campbell fell once more but remounted for the point.

(4-2) (47-25)

Heat 13: Peter Carr, Kenny McKinna, Carl Stonehewer, Derrol Keats [62.1]

Interesting change by the wily Sheffield manager, replacing Scud Smith with Derrol Keats. Carr went ahead from the gate with Stonehewer and McKinna following. McKinna eventually got past and joined Carr for an easy maximum.

(52-26)

Heat 14: René Aas, Tommy Palmer, Blair Scott [63.5]

With Keats having been put into Heat 13 and taken his third ride, this allowed Sheffield to retain René Aas and throw in Tommy Palmer as a tactical substitute for Knott. This paid off as the Sheffield pair gated for a maximum. Paul Gould fell an d retired while Blair Scott nearly came to a halt before recovering to finish.

(1-5) (53-31)

Heat 15: Peter Carr, Kevin Little, René Aas, Tommy Palmer [62.6]

Kenny McKinna was initially announced for the blue helmet although this was changed to Kevin Little. Stonehewer lined up for the start but went back to the pits. Before he came back, he was excluded under 2 minutes and replaced by Aas. At one stage fiv e riders lined up at the tapes. Carr and Little swept ahead for an easy win over Aas and Palmer who fell and remounted.

(5-1) (58-32)

Total dominance was displayed by the Edinburgh heat leaders with Carl Stonehewer only able to get the better of Kevin Little on one occasion. Tommy Palmer also took advantage of a Peter Carr fall. The new pairings worked out quite we ll. Kevin Little and Paul Gould picking up two 5-1 and one 3-3 (behind Stonehewer). Carr and Larsen achieved one 5-1, one 4-2 (with Carr falling) and one 3-3.

Neither Blair Scott nor Barry Campbell looked at the best, perhaps a hangover from the Under-21 Final. Barry managed a paid win in his first race and then fell in three subsequent races, remounting twice for gift points.

Carl Stonehewer was a disappointment especially after his recent 18 point maximum at Shawfield. The conditions certainly did not suit his style. Tommy Palmer was steady although seldom threatening the home heat leaders. Scud Smith finds Armadale a bit of a handful at the best of times and was totally off the pace. Steve Knott looked aggressive but was unable to stay on his bike long enough to be a problem to the home team. Compton and Keats made little impact. René Aas did look more at home with the conditions favouring fast starters and was worth his double figure score.

Man of the match: Kevin Little for his best show for Monarchs to date.

Most exciting rider: Peter Carr

Next match: v Stoke Potters at Armadale, Friday 1^st May 1998
 
 

John Lowe
 
 

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