Berwick Bandits 38: Edinburgh Century Mortgages Monarchs 52
Scottish Triangle Team Championships
Shielfield Park, Berwick
Saturday 4th June 1999
Edinburgh won the first match in the revived Scottish Team Championships. The result was comfortable in the end after a tight opening spell. Monarchs led by 2 points after heat 10 but pulled away with five straight heat advantages.
Berwick were supposed to have included the 18 year-old Finn Kaka Nieminen but he received his National Service call up papers unexpectedly early. The line-up remained as previous for this match with rider replacement operating for Wesley Waite at number 2. The new averages saw David Meldrum move up to heat leader with Tom Madsen dropping to second string. Alan Mogridge was expected to be drafted in at heat leader for the match at Exeter on Monday. Edinburgh were unchanged.
The track had suffered from very heavy rain in the Berwick area and the staff did well to get the match on.
Gate position A was in used with Edinburgh off 2 and 4 for the first heat.
Heat 1: Scott Lamb, Dean Felton, Stewart McDonald [69.6]
Lamb gated from trap 1 and pulled away from Grieves. Rider replacement Dean Felton held third place from McDonald. This advantage was converted to a maximum when Grieves pulled out after two laps with engine problems.
(5-1) (5-1)
Heat 2: Blair Scott, Dean Felton, David McAllan [70.5]
Blair Scott and David McAllan were first away but Dean Felton showed determination and when McAllan got into trouble on the third bend banking he came through for second.
(2-4) (7-5)
Heat 3: Kevin Little, Tom Madsen, Claus Kristensen, Ross Brady [68.9]
Kevin Little outgated the two Danes but Ross Brady was stuck at the back.
(3-3) (10-8)
Heat 4: Peter Carr, David Meldrum, Dean Felton, Blair Scott [69.7]
No problems for Peter Carr but Blair Scott was beaten for third by the impressive Dean Felton to preserve the Bandit’s lead.
(3-3) (13-11)
Heat 5: James Grieves, Claus Kristensen, Stewart McDonald, Tom Madsen [70.1]
Monarchs levelled with Grieves winning and McDonald taking third after Tom Madsen fell and started on the second bend.
(2-4) (15-15)
Heat 6: Scott Lamb, Peter Carr, Dean Felton, David McAllan [68.1]
Scott Lamb preserved his maximum with a good win over Peter Carr and rider replacement Felton took third to restore the Berwick advantage.
(4-2) (19-17)
Heat 7: Kevin Little, David Meldrum, Ross Brady, Phil Pickering [69.1]
Monarchs drew level once more as Little won from Meldrum and Brady in the fastest time of the night.
(2-4) (21-21)
Heat 8: Stewart McDonald, Blair Scott, Dean Felton [69.8]
Tom Madsen came in as rider replacement. Stewart McDonald made fast starts with Madsen unable to get past Felton and eventually retired. Blair Scott nearly lost it on the last lap but recovered.
(1-5) (20-26)
Heat 9: Claus Kristensen, Peter Carr, Tom Madsen, David McAllan [69.3]
(4-2) (26-28)
Heat 10: Scott Lamb, Ross Brady, Kevin Little, Phil Pickering [69.2]
This heat brought together the two unbeaten riders in Kevin Little and Scott Lamb. Brady and Little appeared to have made the start but Scott Lamb blasted around the outside from gate 4 and passed both on the back straight of the first lap. Rider replacement Phil Pickering made no impact and was way behind.
(3-3) (29-31)
Heat 11: James Grieves, David Meldrum, Stewart McDonald, Phil Pickering [69.6]
Grieves made the start ahead of Meldrum and to the astonishment of the crowd Pickering made a good start and held off Stewart McDonald. Meldrum chased after Grieves and narrowly failed in a surge to the line while McDonald managed to edge past Pickering coming off the last bend.
(2-4) (31-35)
Heat 12: Kevin Little, Claus Kristensen, Blair Scott, Dean Felton [68.7]
Monarchs made a reserve change bringing in Blair Scott for David McAllan. Kevin Little proved unstoppable but Blair Scott trailed. Scott chased Felton and eventually passed in on the back straight but could make little impact on Kristensen.
(2-4) (33-39)
Heat 13: Peter Carr, Scott Lamb, James Grieves, David Meldrum [68.0]
Scott Lamb appeared to have done enough to maintain his maximum until Peter Carr surged around the outside of him on the back straight of the first lap.
(2-4) (35-43)
Heat 14: Blair Scott, Ross Brady, Claus Kristensen, Tom Madsen [70.3]
Berwick brought in Claus Kristensen as a tactical substitute for Pickering. The change was nullified by Scott and Brady who took an easy maximum.
(1-5) (36-48)
Heat 15: Kevin Little, Scott Lamb, Peter Carr, Claus Kristensen [68.4]
Monarchs took the favourable outside gate positions and Kevin Little took full advantage to win from Scott Lamb and Peter Carr.
(2-4) (38-52)
|
Berwick Bandits |
|
|
|
||||
|
Scott Lamb |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
13 |
|
|
Wesley Waite |
Rider replacement |
|
|
(3+1) |
|||
|
Claus Kristensen |
1* |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
9+1 |
|
Tom Madsen |
2 |
0 |
R |
1 |
0 |
|
3 |
|
David Meldrum |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
6 |
|
Phil Pickering |
R |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
0 |
|
Dean Felton |
2* |
2 |
1* |
1 |
1 |
0 |
7+2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
||||
|
James Grieves |
R |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
7 |
|
|
Stewart McDonald |
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
6 |
|
Kevin Little |
3 |
3 |
1* |
3 |
3 |
|
13+1 |
|
Ross Brady |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2* |
|
|
5+1 |
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
|
11 |
|
David McAllan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Blair Scott |
3 |
0 |
2* |
1 |
3 |
|
9+1 |
Kevin Little was the best of the Monarchs’ heat leaders on his former home track. While Peter Carr and James Grieves were not at their best, they were only troubled by Scott Lamb apart from Carr’s defeat by Kristensen.
Edinburgh’s second strings were solid enough and had good support from Blair Scott. This strength brought about the two critical 5-1 advantages in heats 8 and 14.
Scott Lamb was the only Berwick rider who was competitive throughout. David Meldrum found the step up to heat leader a difficult one. Dean Felton started off very well but faded as the match progressed.
Man of the match: Kevin Little.
Most exciting rider: Blair Scott.
Next meeting: v Swindon, Premier League, Blunsden on Thursday 10th June 1999
John Lowe