Edinburgh Ziebart Monarchs 52 : Stoke Signal Radio Potters 38

Edinburgh eventually overcame some spirited resistance from the Stoke heat leaders to take three points at Armadale. The track was feeling the effects of last week's meeting on the muddy surface and recent poor weather. The made life difficult for the ground staff. The surface was OK but produced several falls.

The crowd was up on last week and while the weather had been very sunny, it became quite cold as the evening went on. Both teams were at full strength. Stoke won the toss and opted for gate position B.

Heat 1: Neil Collins, Robert Larsen, Peter Carr [57.6]

Collins was first away and was pursued strongly by Larsen who managed to squeeze past on the outside on the fourth bend. Unfortunately Mark Burrows characteristically went into the second bend fence and caused the heat to be halted and himself excluded. Neil Collins gated once more and held off Carr for three laps before Larsen took up the chase as Carr slowed down.

(3-3) (3-3)

Heat 2: Blair Scott, Barry Campbell, Dean Felton, Rob Clarence [59.8]

Scott and Campbell won from the tapes with Dean Felton in touch throughout and Clarence looking rather unsteady at the back

(5-1) (8-4)

Heat 3: Martin Dixon, Kevin Little, Paul Gould [59.5]

Dixon and Pickering edged ahead at the gate but Little and Gould swept past Pickering who retired subsequently when last.

(3-3) (11-7)

Heat 4: Kenny McKinna, Richard Juul, Barry Campbell [58.4]

McKinna won from the tapes from Juul while Campbell had to come from the back against Clarence. Clarence fell and remounted but eventually retired.

(4-2) (15-9)

Heat 5: Neil Collins, Kevin Little, Paul Gould, Mark Burrows [58.6]

Neil Collins won again from Little. Gould passed Burrows for third place.

(3-3) (18-12)

Heat 6: Peter Carr, Richard Juul, Dean Felton, Robert Larsen [58.2]

Peter Carr and Robert Larsen were holding a 4-2 position when Larsen fell at the second bend and remounted in last place.

3-3) (21-15)

Heat 7: Kenny McKinna, Martin Dixon, Blair Scott [58.6]

Pickering hit the second bend fencing very hard and was excluded from the re-run. He sustained injuries that stopped him taking his last two scheduled rides. Kenny McKinna gated once more in the re-start and behind him there was a cracking race for second between Dixon and Scott. Scott managed to edge past Dixon twice but was pegged back both times.

(4-2) (25-17)

Heat 8: Neil Collins, Robert Larsen, Barry Campbell [58.6]

Stoke put in Neil Collins as a tactical substitute for Clarence and kept his 100% record. To do this he had to beat off a great challenge by Larsen who twice appeared to have passed the Stoke No 1. Mark Burrows fell when in last place.

(3-3) (28-20)

Heat 9: Richard Juul, Paul Gould, Martin Dixon [58.9]

Stoke put in Martin Dixon as a tactical substitute for Felton. Kevin Little fell when second and was excluded. In the re-run Gould gated and while Juul was able to pass, he held off Dixon who eventually fell but restarted to take a point.

(2-4) (30-24)

Heat 10: Martin Dixon, Peter Carr, Dean Felton [Awarded]

Stoke put in Dean Felton as a reserve replacement for the injured Pickering. Larsen made the gate followed by Dixon and Carr. On the third lap Carr finally managed to force himself under Dixon only for 'Mad Dog' to make a real charge inside Carr and Larsen on the first/second bend. Dixon appeared to nudge Larsen into the second bend fence. The referee excluded Larsen and awarded the race to Dixon much to the annoyance of the first bend spectators, the Monarchs management and particularly Larsen.

(2-4) (32-28)

Heat 11: Kenny McKinna, Neil Collins, Blair Scott, Mark Burrows [58.3]

Kenny McKinna kept his own maximum going while depriving Neil Collins of his. Blair Scott took third to restore Edinburgh's aggregate lead.

(4-2) (36-30)

Heat 12: Kevin Little, Martin Dixon, Dean Felton. Barry Campbell [59.2]

Kevin Little beat Martin Dixon from the tapes for his first win of the meeting. Barry Campbell took three laps to pass Dean Felton and then allowed himself to be passed on the line.

(3-3) (39-33)

Heat 13: Kenny McKinna, Peter Carr, Neil Collins, Richard Juul [58.5]

McKinna and Carr won the meeting for Edinburgh with a maximum in the heat leaders' race.

(5-1) (44-34)

Heat 14: Richard Juul, Blair Scott, Paul Gould [59.5]

Richard Juul came in as a tactical substitute for Pickering and won from Scott and Gould. Clarence fell at the first bend while trailing.

(3-3) (47-37)

Heat 15: Peter Carr, Kenny McKinna, Neil Collins, Richard Juul [58.7]

This heat, a virtual re-run of heat 13, produced a similar result.

(5-1) (52-38)

Kenny McKinna never looked threatened as he picked up a paid maximum. After an edgy start Peter Carr came through with two good rides. Kevin Little was unlucky with a fall in heat 9.

Robert Larsen was very unlucky to finish with only 4 points especially given his controversial exclusion in heat 10. He gated well and was aggressive throughout. Paul Gould produced no spectacular passes this week but scored solidly.

Barry Campbell was struggling from the gate but rode quite well apart from a poor finish in heat 12. Blair Scott did all that could be asked of him and was unlucky to lose out after a great race with Martin Dixon.

All the Stoke heat leaders performed well on a track that all have excelled on in 1997 but lacked support from the lower orders apart from Dean Felton. Mark Burrows was spectacular but fell twice. Paul Pickering never got going before his injury in heat 7. Rob Clarence was rather unsteady.

Man of the match: Kenny McKinna for a paid maximum

Next match: v Berwick Bandits at Shielfield Park, Saturday 2^nd May 1998

John Lowe