Swindon Robins 49: Edinburgh Century Mortgages Monarchs 41
Premier League
Abbey Stadium, Blunsden
Thursday 10th June 1999
Edinburgh missed out at Swindon after hitting problems in the last two heats. Monarch had fought back from an early deficit and appeared on course for at least a draw until they conceded controversial 5-1s in the last two heats.
The early heats were characterized by dull processional racing but things improved as Monarchs came to terms with the track and came into the meeting with Ross Brady leading the charge.
Both teams lost a rider during the meeting with Steve Bishop withdrawing after two races and David McAllan after three.
Glenn Cunningham won the toss. Gate position A was used with Edinburgh off gates 2 and 4 in heat 1.
Heat 1: Glenn Cunningham, James Grieves, Oliver Allen, Stewart McDonald [66.4]
Grieves appeared to edge ahead from the tapes but Cunningham squeezed past. McDonald fell and restarted.
(4-2) (4-2)
Heat 2: Seemond Stephens, David McAllan, Blair Scott [68.2]
Stephens and Marsh went ahead from the start and appeared set for a 5-1 until Marsh fell on the last bend.
(3-3) (7-5)
Heat 3: Ross Brady, Neil Collins, Kevin Little [67.3]
Steve Bishop fell and appeared to hurt his shoulder. He was excluded from the re-run. Ross Brady and Kevin Little gated but Neil Collins came back to pass Little.
(2-4) (9-9)
Heat 4: Steve Masters, Peter Carr, Krister Marsh, Blair Scott [67.4]
Masters gated from Carr and was backed up by Marsh to restore Swindon’s lead.
(4-2) (13-11)
Heat 5: Neil Collins, James Grieves, Stewart McDonald [68.1]
Collins led from Grieves and Masters. McDonald passed Masters who later retired.
(3-3) (16-14)
Heat 6: Glenn Cunningham, Peter Carr, Oliver Allen, Blair Scott [66.8]
David McAllan was excluded on two minutes and replaced by Blair Scott. Carr made a fair start but Cunningham had the heat under control by the end of the first lap as Allen took third ahead of reserve replacement Blair Scott to double the home lead.
(4-2) (20-16)
Heat 7: Steve Masters, Kevin Little, Ross Brady, Seemond Stephens [67.9]
Masters gated but Ross Brady had a go around the outside on the first lap before Little took over the chase.
(3-3) (23-19)
Heat 8: Oliver Allen, Krister Marsh, Stewart McDonald, David McAllan [68.6]
Swindon took a commanding lead after an easy maximum for Allen and Marsh over McDonald and reserve replacement McAllan.
(5-1) (28-20)
Heat 9: Peter Carr, Ross Brady, Neil Collins, Seemond Stephens [67.5]
Ross Brady came in as a tactical substitute for McAllan and Seemond Stephens came in for the injured Steve Bishop. Carr started well and was followed by Ross Brady who had a fine ride to hold off Collins. Seemond Stephens was first out of the gate but was last by the end of the first lap.
(1-5) (29-25)
Heat 10: Ross Brady, Kevin Little, Glenn Cunningham, Oliver Allen [68.0]
Brady did it again with another win. Kevin Little had a superb ride protecting Brady’s back and blocking Glenn Cunningham for four laps. This levelled the scores.
(1-5) (30-30)
Heat 11: Steve Masters, James Grieves, Seemond Stephens, Stewart McDonald [68.7]
Masters clocked up his third straight win, this time over Grieves while Stephens pipped McDonald on the line after a race long struggle.
(4-2) (34-32)
Heat 12: Neil Collins, Kevin Little, Krister Marsh, David McAllan [69.6]
Neil Collins won from Kevin Little. Krister Marsh passed David McAllan who fell trying to regain first place on the last lap.
(4-2) (38-34)
Heat 13: Peter Carr, James Grieves, Glenn Cunningham, Steve Masters [68.5]
A spirited 5-1 for Carr and Grieves over Cunningham and Masters brought Monarchs back level.
(1-5) (39-39)
Heat 14: Seemond Stephens, Krister Marsh, Blair Scott [70.1]
Swindon put in Krister Marsh for Steve Bishop. Ross Brady who was hot favourite was excluded for tape touching. Monarchs claimed that Stephens moved forward first but their protests were on no avail. With Blair Scott in the heat and David McAllan injured, no replacement was available. While Blair Scott did his best he was unable to hold on to second place and Swindon went ahead.
(5-1) (44-40)
Heat 15: Neil Collins, Glenn Cunningham, Ross Brady [68.4]
Monarchs went with Carr and Brady in the nominated heat, needing a 5-1 over Cunningham and Collins to secure a draw. This seemed to be on after the two Edinburgh riders surged ahead from the start only to be hauled back because Collins had moved and it was judged an unsatisfactory start. In the re-run the home riders made the start and Carr soon pulled out with an engine failure and that was that.
(5-1) (49-41)
|
Swindon Robins |
|
|
|
||||
|
Glenn Cunningham |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2* |
|
10+1 |
|
Oliver Allen |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
5 |
|
Neil Collins |
2 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
|
12 |
|
Steve Bishop |
X |
R |
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Steve Masters |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
9 |
|
Seemond Stephens |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
|
7 |
|
Krister Marsh |
F |
1 |
2* |
1 |
2* |
|
6+2 |
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
||||
|
James Grieves |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2* |
|
|
8+1 |
|
Stewart McDonald |
0 |
1* |
1 |
0 |
|
|
2+1 |
|
Kevin Little |
1 |
2 |
2* |
2 |
|
|
7+1 |
|
Ross Brady |
3 |
1* |
2* |
3 |
T |
1 |
10+2 |
|
Peter Carr |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
R |
|
10 |
|
David McAllan |
2 |
M |
0 |
F |
|
|
2 |
|
Blair Scott |
1* |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
2+1 |
James Grieves looked unhappy on the big Swindon track and, while he disposed of the Swindon lower orders, did not threaten the home heat leaders until heat 13. Carr improved as the meeting went on but suffered an engine failure in the last heat decider. Kevin Little had a good meeting.
Ross Brady was the start for Monarchs in possible his best meeting to date. He attacked the Blunsden track with verve and was denied a bigger score by the tape exclusion in heat 14 and the dubious restart in heat 15.
David McAllan scored his first away Premier League points of the season and was never off the pace until he was injured in his third ride. Neither Blair Scott nor Stewart McDonald had a good day collecting only gifts.
Glenn Cunningham looks a shadow of the rider of 1997 and 1998 despite scoring well. Steve Masters looked unbeatable early on but faded in his fourth ride. Neil Collins was the pick of the home heat leaders with a fine display. The rest of the Swindon team were solid and generally got the better of their Edinburgh counterparts Ross Brady excepted.
Monarchs will feel pleased with their performance on a track they didn’t expect to do well yet might also feel frustrated that it was a match that slipped away.
Man of the match: Neil Collins
Most exciting rider: Ross Brady
Next meeting: v Reading, Premier League, Armadale on Friday 11th June 1999
John Lowe