Edinburgh Century Mortgages Monarchs 63: Isle of Wight Islanders 27
Premier League
Lothian Arena, Armadale
Friday 6th August 1999
Edinburgh confounded the critics with a improbably large win over third place Isle of Wight to secure the bonus point. Needing a 29 point win to take the bonus point Monarchs won by 36 points and had the bonus point sewn up by the end of heat 14. The victory was marred by a bad looking injury to Stewart McDonald who smashed into the first bend fence in heat 6. Stewart was taken to hospital with possible pelvic and wrist injuries. Stewart’s remaining two rides were taken by James Birkinshaw and Blair Scott.
Edinburgh were on course right from the start with four maximums in the first five heats. All Monarchs with the exception of James Birkinshaw and Stewart McDonald were paid for double figures. Peter Carr secured yet another full maximum while Blair Scott carded a career best paid 17.
The crowd was somewhat down on that of the last few weeks on a cool overcast night. The track was in good condition and produced plenty of passing as well as several falls.
Monarchs were at full strength with the Islanders using Phil Morris in place of the injured Phillipe Bergé.
Wayne Carter won the toss for the Isle of Wight and opted for gate position B off 1 and 3 for the first heat.
Heat 1: James Grieves, Neville Tatum, Stewart McDonald, Wayne Carter [58.8]
Neville Tatum made the gate from trap 1 as McDonald cut in from gate 4. Grieves made ground on the first bend but trailed Tatum. After taking his time for a couple of laps and trying for an outside pass, Grieves got inside Tatum on the home straight and passed on the first bend.
(4-2) (4-2)
Heat 2: Blair Scott, James Birkinshaw, Glen Phillips, Tommy Palmer [61.0]
Tommy Palmer was first away but Birkinshaw challenged him into the first bend. Palmer appeared to be nudged into the fence and collecting Blair Scott. All four were invited back for the rerun. This was delayed for some time while Blair Scott received treatment. Birkinshaw gated in the rerun. Blair Scott missed the start but cut inside and managed to push Tommy Palmer wide on the second bend before chasing and passing Glen Phillips to join Birkinshaw in front.
(5-1) (9-3)
Heat 3: Ross Brady, Kevin Little, Danny Bird, Scott Swain [59.8]
Little and Brady made good starts to edge ahead of Scott Swain but amazingly Danny Bird swept to the front by the exit to the second bend. Ross Brady passed Bird on the inside while Little took him on the outside.
(5-1) (14-4)
Heat 4: Peter Carr, Blair Scott, Glen Phillips [Awarded]
Carr was ahead from the start. Phil Morris spun on the second bend of the last lap causing the heat to be stopped and awarded.
(5-1) (19-5)
Heat 5: Ross Brady, Kevin Little, Neville Tatum, Wayne Carter [59.4]
Kevin Little and Ross Brady won from the gate this time.
(5-1) (24-6)
Heat 6: James Grieves, Tommy Palmer, Phil Morris [60.3]
James Grieves and Stewart McDonald made good starts. Phil Morris fell and restarted as Palmer edged past McDonald. McDonald tried his best to get back into second place but lost it going into the first bend and crashed heavily. After another lengthy delay while Stewart was taken into the ambulance the heat was rerun with three riders. Grieves again won without difficulty.
(3-3) (27-9)
Heat 7: Peter Carr, Scott Swain, Danny Bird, James Birkinshaw [58.4]
Peter Carr won without trouble but Swain and Bird kept Birkinshaw at the back for a second successive tied heat.
(3-3) (30-12)
Heat 8: Neville Tatum, Blair Scott, James Birkinshaw [61.5]
The Isle of Wight brought in Neville Tatum as a tactical substitution for Wayne Carter and put in Tommy Palmer as a reserve change for Phillips. Monarchs brought in James Birkinshaw for the injured Stewart McDonald. Tatum blasted ahead to secure the Islanders first race win but Scott and Birkinshaw took advantage of a slip by Palmer to secure second and third place. Palmer spun and retired on the second band of the last lap.
(3-3) (33-15)
Heat 9: Kevin Little, Scott Swain, Ross Brady, Phil Morris [58.8]
Scott Swain came in as a tactical substitute for Palmer.
This heat looked set for another 5-1 until Ross made a slip on second bend allowing Scott Swain to nip past.(4-2) (37-17)
Heat 10: James Grieves, Scott Swain, Blair Scott [60.5]
Blair Scott replaced McDonald in this heat. Danny Bird hit the third bend fence and was excluded. There was another lengthy delay while the fence was repaired. In the rerun, Scott Swain put in a charge near the end and came close to passing Grieves on the line.
(4-2) (41-19)
Heat 11: Peter Carr, Blair Scott, Neville Tatum, Wayne Carter [59.0]
Blair Scott came in again, this time to replace Birkinshaw and helped Peter Carr to yet another maximum. Wayne Carter fell and remounted at the back.
(5-1) (46-20)
Heat 12: Scott Swain, Kevin Little, Blair Scott, Tommy Palmer [59.7]
Glen Phillips was brought in for Palmer to use up his third ride. Scott Swain, looking better with each ride, swept past Kevin Little going through the second bend and held on to win ahead of Little and Brady.
(3-3) (49-23)
Heat 13: Peter Carr, James Grieves, Neville Tatum [Awarded]
Tommy Palmer came in as a reserve replacement for Morris. Carr and Grieves secured an easy 5-1. The race was stopped and awarded when Palmer fell on the last lap. This put Monarchs just ahead in the race for the bonus point.
(5-1) (54-24)
Heat 14: Blair Scott, Ross Brady, Wayne Carter, Phil Morris [61.0]
The Islanders management played their last card with a double tactical substitution replacing Bird and Phillips with Phil Morris and Wayne Carter. Monarchs replaced Birkinshaw with Blair Scott in for the fifth time in seven heats. Scott gated while Brady had to come from the back to pass Carter and secured the bonus point.
(5-1) (59-25)
Heat 15: Peter Carr, Scott Swain, James Grieves, Neville Tatum [59.6]
Peter Carr powered to his full maximum while James Grieves missed the start and was unable to get past Scott Swain.
(4-2) (63-27)
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|||||
|
James Grieves |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2* |
1 |
|
12+1 |
|
|
Stewart McDonald |
1 |
X |
N |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Kevin Little |
2* |
2* |
3 |
2 |
|
|
9+2 |
|
|
Ross Brady |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2* |
|
|
9+1 |
|
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
15 |
|
|
James Birkinshaw |
2* |
0 |
1* |
|
|
|
3+2 |
|
|
Blair Scott |
3 |
2* |
2 |
1 |
2* |
1* |
3 |
13+4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Isle of Wight Islanders |
|
|
|
|||||
|
Neville Tatum |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
7 |
|
Wayne Carter |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
Scott Swain |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
|
11 |
|
Danny Bird |
1 |
1* |
X |
|
|
|
2+1 |
|
|
Phil Morris |
X |
1* |
0 |
0 |
1+1 |
|||
|
Tommy Palmer |
0 |
2 |
R |
X |
|
|
2 |
|
|
Glen Phillips |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
2 |
||
This was a solid team performance by the whole Edinburgh team to cover for the absence of Stewart McDonald over the second half of the meeting. Edinburgh riders won 13 out of 15 heats and only failed to score twice. Once was when McDonald was excluded in heat 6 and once when James Birkinshaw trailed in heat 7. Blair Scott shrugged off a nasty looking fall in heat 2, to record his best ever Premier League score. Peter Carr returned his seventh straight Armadale maximum without really having to break sweat. James Grieves showed signs of a return to his best form as did Ross Brady and Kevin Little.
Of the Islanders team only Scott Swain was really competitive although Neville Tatum started well before tailing off. Phil Morris seemed to have machine problems and also fell a couple of times. None of the visiting lower orders ever got going. The Islanders badly missed their best Armadale performer Philippe Bergé who is still out with a broken wrist.
Man of the match: Blair Scott
Most exciting rider: Ross Brady
Next meeting: v Newcastle, Premier League, Armadale on Friday 13th August 1999
John Lowe