Newport Wasps 55:
Edinburgh Century Mortgages Monarchs 35Premier National Trophy
Queensway Meadow, Newport
Sunday 19th September 1999
Edinburgh lost out to Newport after being overwhelmed in the last three heats of the second leg of Premier National Trophy final. Monarchs looked as if they would lose by a big margin as Newport took a 14-point lead by heat 7 to level the tie on aggregate, but fought back using tactical substitutions. Successive maximums by Monarchs in heats 8 and 9 restored Monarchs lead that was held until Newport picked up a 5-1 in heat 13. Newport followed this with another maximum in heat 14 leaving Edinburg requiring a last heat 5-1 to tie the final and force a replay. This was never likely to be on against the unbeaten pair of Craig Watson and Anders Henriksson who wrapped things up with a 4-2.
It was a gallant effort by the depleted Monarchs side who really needed to carry a bigger lead from the home leg to have taken the Trophy. The absence of Frank Smart in the second leg was more than compensated by Monarchs being without a number 2 and a number 6 for both legs.
The heavy rain nearly wiped out the meeting although great efforts produced a reasonable surface. It was essentially a gaters’ paradise with very little passing and much of that down to riders losing position. Newport were generally much sharper out of the gate.
Edinburgh were still missing Justin Elkins and Brian Turner. They used rider replacement for Elkins and Gary Phelps stood in for Turner. Newport were without Frank Smart and used rider replacement.
Kevin Little won the toss and opted for gate position B with Edinburgh off 1 and 3 for the first heat.
Heat 1: Craig Watson, James Grieves, Gary Phelps, Chris Neath [61.1]
James Grieves was first away from gate 1 but Watson chased and passed him at the start of the last lap. Rider replacement Gary Phelps beat Neath away and somehow held on to third place.
(3-3) (3-3)
Heat 2: Andrew Appleton, Bobby Eldridge, Gary Phelps [63.5]
Appleton gated ahead of Phelps with Blair Scott stopping soon after the start. Eldridge eventually passed the uncertain looking Phelps.
(5-1) (8-4)
Heat 3: Chris Neath, Kevin Little, Bjorn Gustafsson, Ross Brady [62.4]
This heat was won from the gate by rider replacement Chris Neath from Kevin Little.
(4-2) (12-6)
Heat 4: Anders Henriksson, Andrew Appleton, Peter Carr, Blair Scott [62.8]
Peter Carr was rolling at the start and moved back as the tapes went up and was last away. He cut under Appleton to join Blair Scott and attempted to team ride Blair around for a shared heat. This failed disastrously as Appleton swept past the uncomfortable looking Scott and with Carr hanging back looking for Scott, he was passed as well!
(5-1) (17-7)
Heat 5: James Grieves [62.2]
Grieves secured a heat win ahead of Gustafsson and rider replacement Appleton but Blair Scott, also in as rider replacement was stuck at the back so the heat was tied.
(3-3) (20-10)
Heat 6: Craig Watson, Chris Neath, Peter Carr, Gary Phelps [62.7]
Carr again missed the start and Newport collected another maximum to tie the final on aggregate.
(5-1) (25-11)
Heat 7: Anders Henriksson, Ross Brady, Kevin Little, Bobby Eldridge [62.7]
Henriksson gated from Little with Brady making a charge from the back. He took over from Little and had a real go at Henriksson but failed to pass.
(3-3) (28-14)
Heat 8: Ross Brady, James Grieves, Andrew Appleton, Chris Neath [62.3]
Monarchs made a double tactical substitution with Brady in for rider replacement and Grieves in for Scott. This worked to perfection as they outgated Appleton and Neath for an easy 5-1 to restore Edinburgh’s lead.
(1-5) (29-19)
Heat 9: Kevin Little, Peter Carr, Bjorn Gustafsson, Bobby Eldridge [61.2]
Kevin Little came in as a tactical substitute for Phelps against the weakest of the Newport pairings. This produced the reward of another maximum to put Edinburgh eight points up on aggregate.
(1-5) (30-24)
Heat 10: Craig Watson, Chris Neath, Kevin Little, Ross Brady [62.8]
Ross Brady hit trouble while attempting to mix things with Watson and Neath and slipped to last. Little could do nothing and the lead was cut to four points.
(5-1) (35-25)
Heat 11: Anders Henriksson, James Grieves, Ross Brady, Andrew Appleton [61.7]
Ross Brady came in as rider replacement while Appleton replaced Eldridge. Henriksson edged out Grieves in a hard second bend to win while Brady clung on desperately ahead of Appleton.
(3-3) (38-28)
Heat 12: Bjorn Gustafsson, Peter Carr, Blair Scott, Andrew Appleton [62.0]
Monarchs played their last tactical card with Carr replacing Phelps to join Little against Gustafsson and Appleton. Disaster struck when Little suffered engine problems just before the start and was two minuted. Blair Scott came in and managed to beat Appleton for third but Gustafsson won from Carr.
(3-3) (41-31)
Heat 13: Anders Henriksson, Craig Watson, James Grieves, Peter Carr [61.4]
The crunch heat went Newport’s way as Henriksson and Watson gated to win with ease. This levelled the aggregate scoreline.
(5-1) (46-32)
Heat 14: Andrew Appleton, Bjorn Gustafsson, Ross Brady Blair Scott [63.5]
Newport used Gustafsson as rider replacement for Frank Smart. Edinburgh had no tactical options left and went with Scott alongside Brady. The Newport pair gated to put the home team four points up.
(5-1) (51-33)
Heat 15: Craig Watson, James Grieves, Anders Henriksson, Kevin Little [61.1]
Grieves and Little faced up to the two unbeaten Newport riders in a last heat decider from gates 1 and 3. Although Grieves made a fair start he could do no better than split the Newport pair and deny Henriksson his maximum.
(4-2) (55-35)
|
Newport Wasps |
|
|
|
||||
|
Craig Watson |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2* |
3 |
|
14+1 |
|
Chris Neath |
0 |
3 |
2* |
1 |
2* |
|
8+2 |
|
Bjorn Gustafsson |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
2* |
|
9+1 |
|
Frank Smart |
Rider replacement |
|
|
(6+2) |
|||
|
Anders Henriksson |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
4 |
|
Bobby Eldridge |
2* |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
2+1 |
|
Andrew Appleton |
3 |
2* |
1* |
0 |
0 |
3 |
9+2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
||||
|
James Grieves |
2 |
3 |
2* |
2 |
1 |
2 |
12+1 |
|
Justin Elkins |
Rider replacement |
|
|
(5+1) |
|||
|
Kevin Little |
2 |
1* |
3 |
1 |
M |
0 |
7+1 |
|
Ross Brady |
0 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1* |
1 |
7+1 |
|
Peter Carr |
1 |
1 |
2* |
2 |
0 |
6+1 |
|
|
Gary Phelps |
1* |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
2+1 |
|
Blair Scott |
R |
0 |
0 |
1* |
0 |
|
1+1 |
The Monarchs team did well in adverse conditions and most scored just about the points expected of them. The exception was Peter Carr who only scored six plus one points from five rides as compared to 14 points from five rides on his last visit.
Grieves, Little and Brady were the best of the Monarchs side. Brady was always worth watching for his around the boards riding. It’s a wonder that he got around sometimes. He possibly deserved more points that he collected. Gary Phelps did well under the circumstances and at least got out the start quickly. Blair Scott had a poor meeting although he scored a gutsy point when called upon to replace Little.
Watson and Henriksson dominated the meeting and provided the foundation of the Newport win. Support was provided intermittently by Appleton and Neath with Gustafsson coming in to things near the end.
The absence of Brian Turner obviously had an impact on the match. On past performances, he may have picked up points at Newport and certainly might have helped Monarchs to pick up a bigger and more defendable lead. Arguably this had a bigger affect than the absence of Frank Smart, who is inconsistent at home, in the second leg.
Man of the match: Craig Watson
Most exciting rider: Ross Brady
Next meeting: v Reading, Premier League, Smallmead on Monday 20th September 1999
John Lowe