Premier League
Lothian Arena, Armadale
Friday 11th June 1999
Edinburgh won a hard match against a committed and fighting Reading outfit. The match was rather scrappy with a number of engine failures and falls. Both teams lost a rider, Jarno Kosonen was injured in his first ride and took no further part in the meeting and Kevin Little was also injured in heat 9 and withdrew.
The track was slick and seemed tricky in places. The Reading riders obviously felt at home on the surface. With Phil Morris, Paul Clews, and even Justin Elkins looking surefooted and Dave Mullet and Petri Kokko making rapid starts, Edinburgh were given a hard time. The racing improved dramatically towards the end. And there was controversy. It wouldn’t have been an Edinburgh-Reading match without disputed decision or two!
Edinburgh were without David McAllan who sustained an injury at Swindon the night before and Jon Swales deputized. Reading were at full strength with former Monarchs’ heat leader, Jarno Kosonen at reserve.
Kevin Little lost yet another toss! Gate position B was used with Edinburgh off gates 2 and 4 in heat 1.
Heat 1: Dave Mullett, James Grieves, Justin Elkins, Stewart McDonald [58.4]
Mullett made a great start with Elkins also quick out of the trap. James Grieves soon passed Elkins and set off after Mullett. McDonald tried to pass Elkins but made a slip on the third bend and nearly fell allowing Elkins to pull away. Meanwhile, Mullett was looking rather uncomfortable on the second bend but he tenacious held his line to win.
(2-4) (2-4)
Heat 2: Blair Scott, Jon Swales [59.9]
A tight first bend ended with Scott and Kosonen tangling and falling. Blair walked away after a minute or so but Jarno was taken away in the ambulance and withdrew from the meeting. In the re-run with three riders, Colvin suffered a failure at the start leaving the Monarchs’ reserves to collect a maximum.
(5-0) (7-4)
Heat 3: Kevin Little, Phil Morris, Paul Clews [58.8]
Little and Brady gated pursued by Morris. Brady looked rather tentative and fell shortly after Morris passed him.
(3-3) (10-7)
Heat 4: Peter Carr, Petri Kokko, Blair Scott, Shane Colvin [58.3]
Kokko made an electric start with Carr and Scott following. Kokko drifted wide on the second bend and Carr surged inside him. Blair Scott took third ahead of reserve replacement Colvin.
(4-2) (14-9)
Heat 5: Dave Mullett, Kevin Little, Justin Elkins [58.2]
Mullet made another start and headed Little and Brady. Elkins appeared to have stopped but restarted as Ross Brady fell and took third place.
(2-4) (16-13)
Heat 6: James Grieves, Petri Kokko, Stewart McDonald, Shane Colvin [59.0]
Kokko again made the start but Grieves eased past him. McDonald tried to get on terms but took third.
(4-2) (20-15)
Heat 7: Peter Carr, Paul Clews, Phil Morris, Jon Swales [58.1]
Peter Carr was first away as Paul Clews had a go at him on the outside before Carr pulled away. Morris took third ahead of Jon Swales.
(3-3) (23-18)
Heat 8: Justin Elkins, Stewart McDonald, Blair Scott, Shane Colvin [60.1]
Justin Elkins managed to pass Blair Scott on the first lap and kept going this time. Stewart McDonald took up the chase but couldn’t get past on the slick track. Scott finished third well ahead of reserve replacement Colvin.
(3-3) (26-21)
Heat 9: Ross Brady, Petri Kokko, Shane Colvin [59.3]
Kokko was ahead of Brady and Little with Colvin trailing when Kevin came a cropper on the back straight. He hit the fence with force and was taken away in the ambulance. He pulled out of the meeting but appeared relatively unhurt. With Kokko approaching his final lap when the race was stopped an awarded 4-2 to Reading seemed on the cards but referee Paul Ackroyd ordered a re-run with Little excluded. Ross Brady took full advantage and gated to win after a great battle with Kokko. The Finn appeared to have got past on the inside line on the last lap but Brady came back around the outside off the last bend to win.
(3-3) (29-24)
Heat 10: James Grieves, Phil Morris, Paul Clews [59.3]
This looked like a 5-1 to Monarchs for most of the race with Grieves way ahead and McDonald holding off Phil Morris. The duel was interesting in that Morris on the inside line appeared to edge past the wide riding McDonald on the back straight several times, but McDonald using the dirt out wide hit the third bend ahead. Then on the last lap, Morris appeared to nudge McDonald into the fence. McDonald was furious but the Reading camp argued that it was a standard racing incident.
(3-3) (32-27)
Heat 11: Peter Carr, Dave Mullett, Blair Scott, Justin Elkins [58.3]
Monarchs made a reserve change putting Blair Scott in for Jon Swales. This paid off as Peter Carr beat Mullett and Scott passed Elkins to take third place. Elkins then appeared to stop but restarted again.
(4-2) (36-29)
Heat 12: Petri Kokko, Phil Morris, Blair Scott, Jon Swales [59.7]
With Kevin Little out and replaced by Jon Swales, the previous heat win for Monarchs allowed Reading to replace Kosonen with tactical substitute Petri Kokko. The Reading heat leaders proved too strong for the two Edinburgh reserves.
(1-5) (37-34)
Heat 13: James Grieves, Peter Carr, Dave Mullett, Petri Kokko [58.4]
James Grieves gated and was never threatened but Peter Carr had to battle from the back and took Mullett with a sweet manoeuvre to restore Monarchs’ seven-point lead. Tactically this helped Reading allowing them to use tactical substitute(s) or even a golden double in heat 14.
(5-1) (42-35)
Heat 14: Dave Mullett, Blair Scott, Paul Clews, Ross Brady [59.5]
Reading opted against a golden double, possible because of concern about giving Ross Brady a 15 metre start and maybe they were unwilling to lose the inside gates. They brought Dave Mullett in for Kosonen, Edinburgh having replaced Jon Swales with Blair Scott. Predictably Mullett won with Blair Scott second and Ross Brady stuck at the back. This virtually guaranteed Monarchs a win.
(2-4) (44-39)
Heat 15: Peter Carr, James Grieves, Dave Mullett, Petri Kokko [58.0]
Mullett made the start but Peter Carr, who was third, cut inside from the second band and beat Mullett to the third bend. Grieves followed and swept past Mullett for another 5-1 advantage.
(5-1) (49-40)
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
||||
|
James Grieves |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2* |
|
13+1 |
|
Stewart McDonald |
0 |
1 |
2 |
F |
|
|
3 |
|
Kevin Little |
3 |
2 |
X |
|
|
5 |
|
|
Ross Brady |
F |
R |
3 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2* |
3 |
|
14+1 |
|
Jon Swales |
2* |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
2+1 |
|
Blair Scott |
3 |
1 |
1* |
1 |
1 |
2 |
9+1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reading Racers |
|
|
|
||||
|
Dave Mullett |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
13 |
|
Justin Elkins |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
5 |
|
Phil Morris |
2 |
1* |
2 |
2* |
7+2 |
||
|
Paul Clews |
1* |
2 |
1* |
1 |
|
|
5+2 |
|
Petri Kokko |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
|
Shane Colvin |
E |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1* |
|
1+1 |
|
Jarno Kosonen |
N |
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
The Monarchs win was based on a solid show by Carr and Grieves. Carr was never threatened all night coming from behind twice to beat Mullett. Grieves lost heat 1 to Mullett but dominated thereafter. Kevin Little looked in good form until he crashed out of the meeting.
Stewart McDonald will argue that he should have got the decision in heat 10 but was not on top form. Ross Brady also looked uncomfortable apart from a marvellous win in heat 9.
Blair Scott also scored consistently having six rides and collecting points in all of them. Jon Swales looked OK and collected about the same score as McAllan might have expected.
Mullett was his usual self, gating well and riding a tight line. Kokko was OK if he gated but did little from behind. Phil Morris looks the most improved rider in the Premier League and is obviously full of confidence at the moment.
Clews and Elkins (when he could keep his bike going) were also solid. Shane Colvin was way off the pace and only picked up a gift point.
Man of the match: Peter Carr for another paid maximum
Most exciting rider: Peter Carr for his passing
Next meeting: v Berwick, Glasgow and Newcastle, Premier League Fours, Armadale on Friday 18th June 1999
John Lowe