Newport Wasps 54:
Edinburgh Century Mortgages Monarchs 38Premier League
Queensway Meadow, Newport
Sunday 1st August 1999
Edinburgh had a torrid time at Newport but did enough to collect the aggregate bonus match point. One week after fourteen of the premier league’s top riders threatened a walkout because of the condition of the track; the track was no better. The track was bumpy and had several potholes. It also became very dusty early on and required watering.
The hero for Monarchs was Peter Carr who had ducked the Pairs last week because of an ankle injury and launched a ferocious attack on the Newport track earlier in the week. Carr took 14 points from 5 rides and was beaten only by Craig Watson. Support from James Grieves, Kevin Little and the lower orders ensured that Monarchs took the bonus point by a margin of 7 points.
Edinburgh were at full strength with Ross Brady returning after illness. Newport used Michael Coles as guest at number 3.
Newport won the toss and opted for gate position A off 1 and 3 for the first heat.
Heat 1: Craig Watson, Andrew Appleton, James Grieves, Stewart McDonald [60.9]
Craig Watson gated ahead of Grieves and Appleton but Grieves slowed right down slipping to last. He recovered to pass McDonald but couldn’t get neat Appleton.
(5-1) (5-1)
Heat 2: Chris Neath, Bobby Eldridge, Blair Scott, James Birkinshaw [63.4]
Bobby Eldridge started well but fell without assistance on the exit to the second bend and caused the heat to be stopped. He was back in the rerun after a typical ‘home’ decision by referee Ebdon. Neath was away in the rerun and joined by Eldridge who held on to second place despite wobbling alarmingly twice on the spot where he fell earlier.
(5-1) (10-2)
Heat 3: Scott Pegler, Kevin Little, Michael Coles [62.9]
Little and Pegler gated ahead of Coles. Ross Brady fell at the back and retired. The lead was swapped several times between Little and Pegler with the home man winning through.
(4-2) (14-4)
Heat 4: Peter Carr, Frank Smart, Chris Neath, Blair Scott [61.7]
Peter Carr blasted away from gate 4 and was never challenged.
(3-3) (17-7)
Heat 5: Michael Coles, Stewart McDonald, Scott Pegler, James Grieves [63.5]
Coles gated from Grieves with McDonald third. Grieves miserable afternoon continued when he stopped and then restarted at the back. McDonald rode a tidy race to keep Pegler out.
(4-2) (21-9)
Heat 6: Craig Watson, Peter Carr, Andrew Appleton, James Birkinshaw [61.2]
Watson outgated Carr to win with Appleton third. This put Newport fourteen points up.
(4-2) (25-11)
Heat 7: Kevin Little, Frank Smart, Bobby Eldridge [62.2]
Little was first away ahead of Eldridge and Smart. Eldridge pressed Little very hard until he nearly fell off on the exit to the first bend allowing Brady through to third place. Monarchs seemed sure to take a heat advantage until Brady fell on the last bend.
(3-3) (28-14)
Heat 8: Andrew Appleton, James Grieves, Kevin Little, Chris Neath [61.7]
Edinburgh put in Kevin Little as a tactical substitute and James Grieves as a golden double to replace McDonald and Scott. Appleton gated and Little had his work cut out to hold out against Neath and help to bring Grieves through. It took Grieves a couple of laps to pass Neath before being allowed to pass Little but was never going to catch Appleton.
(3-5) (31-19)
Heat 9: Peter Carr, Michael Coles, James Birkinshaw [64.5]
After a lengthy delay while the track was watered, Carr gated but Pegler took a nasty fall on the dodgy track and was excluded. Carr again gated to win from Coles with Birkinshaw third to cut the margin to ten points.
(2-4) (33-23)
Heat 10: Craig Watson, Andrew Appleton, Kevin Little [63.7]
Little and Brady gated but Watson barged his way through to the front and Brady fell on the fourth bend as Appleton challenged. In the rerun with Brady excluded, Watson and Appleton gated to bring Newport back into contention for the bonus point.
(5-1) (38-24)
Heat 11: James Grieves, Bobby Eldridge, Stewart McDonald [64.7]
Frank Smart’s poor afternoon continued when he retired immediately after being passed by Grieves. This gave a point to McDonald who was rewarded for restarting after falling on the first bend.
(2-4) (40-28)
Heat 12: Chris Neath, Michael Coles, Kevin Little, Stewart McDonald [63.3]
McDonald came in as a tactical substitute for Birkinshaw but could do nothing to stop Neath and Coles sweeping to a maximum.
(5-1) (45-29)
Heat 13: Peter Carr, Craig Watson, James Grieves, Frank Smart [61.4]
Carr gated to continue his domination and beat Watson. James Grieves took third ahead of Frank Smart toiling on Chris Neath’s bike. This brought Monarchs to the brink of collecting the bonus point.
(2-4) (47-33)
Heat 14: Peter Carr, Chris Neath, Blair Scott, Bobby Eldridge [62.8]
Carr came in for Brady as a tactical substitute while Neath came in for the injured Pegler. Chris Neath gated from Peter Carr and Blair Scott blasted around Eldridge on the first band. Carr wasted little time in diving under Neath on the fourth bend to clinch the bonus.
(2-4) (49-37)
Heat 15: Craig Watson, Andrew Appleton, James Grieves [63.0]
This was a ‘dead’ heat with the match long gone and the bonus point assured. Carr sat out the heat and Little joined Grieves. Appleton came in for Newport alongside Watson with Coles and Smart not eligible. Appleton and Watson stormed to a rather hollow maximum.
(5-1) (54-38)
|
Newport Wasps |
|
|
|
||||
|
Craig Watson |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
|
14 |
|
Andrew Appleton |
2* |
1 |
3 |
2* |
2* |
|
10+3 |
|
Michael Coles |
1 |
3 |
2 |
2* |
|
|
8+1 |
|
Scot Pegler |
3 |
1 |
X |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Frank Smart |
2 |
2 |
R |
0 |
|
|
4 |
|
Bobby Eldridge |
2* |
1* |
2 |
0 |
|
|
5+2 |
|
Chris Neath |
3 |
1* |
0 |
3 |
2 |
|
9+1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
||||
|
James Grieves |
1 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
|
Stewart McDonald |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
|
Kevin Little |
2 |
3 |
1* |
1 |
1 |
R |
8+1 |
|
Ross Brady |
F |
F |
X |
|
|
0 |
|
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
14 |
|
James Birkinshaw |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Blair Scott |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
Peter Carr has obviously hit a rich vein of form and only dropped one point despite riding on his least favourite track. Stewart McDonald improved somewhat on his dismal show last month, as did Blair Scott.
Had Grieves shown his form of one week ago and had Brady matched his efforts in the Cup match, then Monarchs might have been in with a shout. In the event Grieves struggled to make starts and found passing harder than last week. Brady also failed to make starts and was clearly nowhere near to full fitness and fell in each race.
Watson and Appleton were the pick of the home riders although Neath was also good value. Coles was acceptable as a third heat leader but Smart had a nightmare. Eldridge looked wobbly throughout.
Monarchs still have one more visit to Queensway Meadow and two should they clash in the Young Shield playoffs. Monarchs will no doubt hope that the track will be in better condition the next time around. Hopefully, there will be less dust around in September and this will remove the need for watering. Maybe the potholes will be removed with the publicity generated by a high profile national final, maybe not. Don’t hold your breath!
Man of the match: Peter Carr
Most exciting rider: Peter Carr
Next meeting: v Reading, Premier League, Smallmead on Monday 2nd August 1999
John Lowe