Premier National Trophy
Brough Park, Newcastle
Sunday 18th April 1999
Monarchs put up stiff resistance to the all-conquering Newcastle side, taking the match to a last heat decider. In the end, Monarchs were left to rue early engine failures for James Grieves and Peter Carr and a fall by Ross Brady in heat 8.
The match winner for Newcastle turned out to be guest André Compton who followed his maximum at Berwick the previous night with a paid 13 from 5 rides. The use of a guest probably helped Newcastle as did the rider replacement facility for Keats giving Compton an extra ride in what turned out to be a critical heat 14.
With Compton in for the still absent David Walsh, Newcastle used rider replacement to cover the injured Derrol Keats with David Pye at number 8. Monarchs were at full strength.
Gate position A was used with Newcastle off gates 1 and 3 in heat 1.
Heat 1: Robert Eriksson, Paul Gould, Blair Scott [65.2]
Eriksson was first away and Grieves was in the process of passing Gould for second place on the back straight of the first lap when he stopped with ignition problems.
(5-1) (5-1)
Heat 2: Ross Brady, Anthony Barlow, David McAllan [68.1]
Brady gated from Barlow and McAllan as Jones lifted at the start. Jones set off after McAllan but tried too hard and fell.
(2-4) (7-5)
Heat 3: Kevin Little, André Compton, Stewart McDonald, Paul Gould [66.9]
Kevin Little gated from rider replacement Compton. Gould fell and remounted after appearing to have won a scrap with McDonald.
(2-4) (9-9)
Heat 4: Jesper Olsen, Peter Carr, Steven Jones [65.4]
Ross Brady made the start while Carr was left trailing.
Olsen soon passed Brady as Carr passed Jones. Brady fell while team riding with Carr and chased by Jones.(4-2) (13-11)
Heat 5: James Grieves, Steven Jones, André Compton, Blair Scott [66.4]
Grieves, on his spare bike, made a start for once and held off rider replacement Steven Jones and guest André Compton. Blair Scott was left at the back.
(3-3) (16-14)
Heat 6: Robert Eriksson, Paul Gould, David McAllan [65.7]
Carr made another poor start but passed Paul Gould and was chasing Robert Eriksson when he suffered an engine failure on the last bend gifting yet another 5-1 for Eriksson and Gould.
(5-1) (21-15)
Heat 7: Jesper Olsen, Stewart McDonald, Kevin Little, Anthony Barlow [66.4]
Jesper Olsen put in a great first turn establishing himself and was never challenged leaving McDonald and Little to keep ahead of Barlow.
(3-3) (24-18)
Heat 8: James Grieves, Steven Jones, Paul Gould [66.1]
James Grieves was brought in as a tactical substitute. Grieves made the start from Gould with Brady in contention. Brady took the wrong line into the second bend cutting across Jones’s line and was hit hard. After staying down for some time, Brady walked away but was excluded as the primary cause. Grieves won the re-run without difficulty.
(3-3) (27-21)
Heat 9: André Compton, Peter Carr, Steven Jones, David McAllan [65.4]
Peter Carr came out on James Grieves’s bike. Steven Jones again took the rider replacement outing. Carr did make the start but seemed to lack speed on the straight and was easily overhauled by Compton.
(4-2) (31-23)
Heat 10: Robert Eriksson, Kevin Little, Paul Gould, Stewart McDonald [66.9]
Kevin Little finally managed to split the Eriksson/Gould partnership but Monarchs slipped to 10 points adrift.
(4-2) (35-25)
Heat 11: James Grieves, Jesper Olsen, Blair Scott, Anthony Barlow [65.9]
Grieves had his third successive win inflicting the first defeat on Olsen after a hard battle.
Meanwhile Blair Scott seemed to have ensured third place until a determined Anthony Barlow forced his way past on the last lap. Blair fought back and re-passed on the last bend.(2-4) (37-29)
Heat 12: André Compton, Peter Carr, Kevin Little [65.7]
Peter Carr was brought in as a tactical substitute this time on Ross Brady’s bike. Steven Jones was trailing when he did a spectacular wheely coming out of the back straight and amazingly walked away. Carr and Little could do nothing about André Compton.
(3-3) (40-32)
Heat 13:Peter Carr, Jesper Olsen, James Grieves, Robert Eriksson [65.7]
Peter Carr was obviously getting the hang of riding the Brady equipment and gated from Grieves.
Olsen managed to get past Grieves. This result suited Monarchs with the lead now cut to six with a tactical substitution still on for heat 14.(2-4) (42-36)
Heat 14: André Compton, Kevin Little, Stewart McDonald, Anthony Barlow [66.7]
Newcastle were able to use André Compton as rider replacement as Monarchs sprung a Golden Double with Kevin Little in for Ross Brady and handicapped by 15 metres. Little rapidly caught Barlow and passed him on the first lap. He was allowed to pass McDonald on the back straight on the second lap but made no real impression on Compton. If only it had been Keats in, things might have been different!
(3-3+2) (45-41)
Heat 15: Jesper Olsen, Peter Carr, James Grieves [65.3]
Monarchs used Grieves and Carr from gates 1 and 3 against Eriksson and Olsen. The two Newcastle riders made the start but Eriksson stopped. Olsen won without trouble. Newcastle remained in a position where a fall or and engine failure would cost them the match.
(3-3) (48-44)
|
Newcastle Diamonds |
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
E |
|
9 |
|
Paul Gould |
2* |
0 |
2* |
1* |
1 |
|
6+3 |
|
André Compton |
2 |
1* |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
12+1 |
|
Derrol Keats |
Rider replacement |
|
(6) |
||||
|
Jesper Olsen |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
|
13 |
|
Anthony Barlow |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Steven Jones |
F |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
X |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
||||
|
James Grieves |
E |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1* |
11+1 |
|
Blair Scott |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Kevin Little |
3 |
1* |
2 |
1* |
2+2 |
|
9+2+2 |
|
Stewart McDonald |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1* |
|
|
4+1 |
|
Peter Carr |
2 |
E |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
11 |
|
David McAllan |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Ross Brady |
3 |
F |
X |
3 |
|||
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James Grieves stopped with ignition failure on his first outing but did well on his spare bike thereafter.
Kevin Little was consistent as ever with (paid) second places throughout and win over Compton. Carr struggled on borrowed equipment before coming good in heat 13.Stewart McDonald was steady but never looked like winning a race. Blair Scott had a poor night in comparison with his recent form.
David McAllan picked up a couple of gift points and may have been expecting to do better on his former track. Ross Brady started well with a win but two falls ended his evening.
Robert Eriksson started with three wins before running last in heat 13 and stopping in the last heat. Jesper Olsen was top scorer only beaten by Grieves and Carr. Compton really performed as a guest and effectively won the match in heat 14.
Gould was a consistent point scorer; a fall in his second ride cost him a double figure paid points haul. Jones was very fast but erratic falling twice. Barlow was never off the pace.
Monarchs left too much to do after early engine failures and falls but acquitted themselves well against an in-form Newcastle team.
Man of the match: André Compton
Most exciting rider: Steven Jones
Next meeting: v Berwick, Premier National Trophy, Shielfield on Saturday 24th April 1999
John Lowe