Edinburgh Monarchs 32: Glasgow Tigers 25:
Newcastle Diamonds 31: Berwick Bandits 7
Premier League Fours Northern Group Qualifier 1st Leg
Lothian Arena, Armadale
Friday, 18th June 1999
Edinburgh took a narrow lead forward to the second leg of the Northern Fours after edging out Newcastle and Glasgow in an untidy if hard fought match at Armadale. The track was slick and rather greasy after some rain hit the area. Many riders experienced difficulties in an encounter littered with falls, exclusions and dubious refereeing decisions.
There were two changes to the publicized teams. Stewart McDonald picked up a minor injury and was replaced at reserve for Monarchs by Blair Scott. Glasgow brought in new signing Les Collins in place of Sean Courtney who dropped to reserve, replacing Brian Turner.
Edinburgh had the red helmets, Glasgow were in blue, Newcastle in white, and Berwick in yellow and black.
Heat 1: Robert Eriksson, James Grieves, Mick Powell, David Meldrum [57.6]
Eriksson made a great start from gate 1 and Grieves cutting across from gate 3 was unable to get in front despite trying everything.
(2-1-3-0)
Heat 2: Jesper Olsen, Scott Lamb [58.2]
Ross Brady gated and was chased by Emiliano Sanchez. Brady lifted on the back straight and Sanchez edged ahead on the third bend before they tangled on the fourth bend and both fell. The referee Will Hunter couldn’t decide who to blame and excluded both! Despite protests, the heat was re-run with two riders. After an early tussle Olsen got his nose in front and won easily from Scott Lamb.
(2-1-6-2)
Heat 3: David Walsh, Les Collins, Kevin Little [Awarded]
Madsen led from Walsh with Little looking very uncomfortable attempting (unsuccesfully) to keep ahead of Collins. Madsen came to grief on the fourth bend while attempting to get back in front and the race was stopped and awarded.
(3-3-9-2)
Heat 4: Peter Carr, Paul Gould, Will Beveridge, Alan Mogridge [58.6]
Peter Carr won with ease but Paul Gould won a tight battle with Beveridge to take second and keep Newcastle well clear.
(6-4-11-2)
Heat 5: James Grieves, Emiliano Sanchez, Alan Mogridge [59.1]
Walsh was first away from gate 1 while Grieves came the long way from gate 4 and appeared to be in a position to pass on the back straight. Walsh swerved into the path of Grieves pushing him into the fence and was deservedly excluded. Grieves won the re-run with ease.
(9-6-11-3)
Heat 6: Mick Powell, Paul Gould, Ross Brady [60.3]
Ross Brady made a fair start but looked rather uncomfortable after his heat 2 fall and lost position easily and was passed by Powell and Gould. Madsen fell at the back and retired.
(10-9-13-3)
Heat 7: Kevin Little, Robert Eriksson, Will Beveridge, Scott Lamb [59.5]
Kevin Little made a magnificent start from gate 4 and was never challenged. There was an interesting three-way battle for second place. Scott Lamb appeared to have passed Eriksson at one stage but was eventually passed by Beveridge.
(13-10-15-3)
Heat 8: Les Collins, Jesper Olsen, Peter Carr, David Meldrum [58.8]
Peter Carr made a start and appeared to be away only for Meldrum to tangle with Olsen coming out of the start and the heat was stopped. Carr missed the start in the re-run and Collins swept ahead with Olsen right behind. Carr found Olsen rather too difficult to get past and Collins held on to huge cheers from the Glasgow faithful.
(14-13-17-3)
Heat 9: James Grieves, Les Collins, Scott Lamb, Paul Gould [59.1]
Grieves won again while Les Collins passed Scott Lamb and Paul Gould trailed. The point gained by Lamb was Berwick’s first point of the evening not gifted.
(17-15-17-4)
Heat 10: David Walsh, Ross Brady, Will Beveridge, David Meldrum [59.1]
Brady made a great start sweeping all around the outside and picking up enough speed to pass Meldrum and Beveridge on the back straight but failed to get past Walsh.
(19-16-20-4)
Heat 11: Jesper Olsen, Kevin Little, Mick Powell, Alan Mogridge [59.3]
A tight battle between Olsen and Little was won by the Dane. Mick Powell spluttered along half a lap behind with Mogridge in even more trouble further back.
(21-17-23-4)
Heat 12: Peter Carr, Emiliano Sanchez, Claus Kristensen [58.9]
Berwick put in Klaus Kristensen who had won both reserve races for the injured Madsen. Eriksson was first away but Peter Carr ‘dive bombed’ inside Eriksson on the third bend and was not challenged. Eriksson dropped out on the home straight leaving Sanchez to take second place and put Edinburgh in the lead for the first time.
(24-19-23-5)
Heat 13: Robert Eriksson, Alan Mogridge, Les Collins, Ross Brady [58.9]
Robert Eriksson resumed his winning habit from Mogridge. Ross Brady looked unhappy and was passed by Les Collins and unable to get back on terms.
(24-20-26-7)
Heat 14: James Grieves, Will Beveridge, Jesper Olsen, Claus Kristensen [58.8]
Kristensen again came in for Madsen. Grieves gated and after a brief challenge from Beveridge competed his third straight win. Jesper Olsen had a tough time getting past Kristensen and was never able to get near Beveridge.
(27-22-27-7)
Heat 15: Kevin Little, Emiliano Sanchez, Paul Gould, David Meldrum [59.1]
Kevin Little gated and won, without problems, from Sanchez. Meldrum passed Gould but was repassed.
(30-24-28-7)
Heat 16: David Walsh, Peter Carr, Sean Courtney [59.4]
Peter Carr made the gate but Scott Lamb fell on the second bend and was slow clearing away his bike and the race was stopped with Lamb excluded. In the second attempt Mick Powell was excluded for tape touching and replaced by Courtney. In the re-run, the tapes were held for an eternity. You could almost smell the clutches burning out! David Walsh made the start this time and held on to win from Carr and Courtney.
(32-25-31-7)
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
||||
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Peter Carr |
3 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
|
9 |
|
Kevin Little |
1 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
|
|
9 |
|
Ross Brady |
X |
1 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
|
James Grieves |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
11 |
|
Blair Scott |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
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|
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|
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|
Glasgow Tigers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mick Powell |
1 |
3 |
1 |
T |
|
|
5 |
|
Emiliano Sanchez |
X |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
6 |
|
Will Beveridge |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
5 |
|
Les Collins |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
8 |
|
Sean Courtney |
1 |
|
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|
1 |
|
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|
|
|
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|
Newcastle Diamonds |
|
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|
||||
|
David Walsh |
3 |
X |
3 |
3 |
|
|
9 |
|
Paul Gould |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
|
Jesper Olsen |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
9 |
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
2 |
R |
3 |
|
|
8 |
|
Derrol Keats |
- |
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- |
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Berwick Bandits |
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||||
|
Scott Lamb |
2 |
0 |
1 |
X |
|
|
3 |
|
David Meldrum |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
0 |
|
Tom Madsen |
X |
F |
|
|
0 |
||
|
Alan Mogridge |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
3 |
|
Claus Kristensen |
1 |
0 |
|
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|
1 |
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Apart from James Grieves, the Monarchs riders were rather inconsistent and looked a bit jaded. Ross Brady looked a bit shaky after his fall and never really got his gating up to standard. Monarchs won seven races and had only two non-scoring rides.
Les Collins was the pick of the Glasgow team with Mick Powell looking out of sorts. Sanchez did well on his first Armadale visit. Glasgow stayed in contention, despite providing only two race winners by picking up places from the minor points.
The Newcastle riders all did well with seven race winners between them and once more demonstrated their liking for the Armadale track. Gould can be pleased with his score of five.
Berwick were truly abysmal. Of the seven points picked up four were gifted by exclusions and engine failures. Berwick riders failed to score in ten out of the sixteen heats.
Man of the match: James Grieves.
Most exciting rider: Les Collins.
Next meeting: Berwick Fours, Shielfield Park, Saturday, 19th June.
John Lowe