Arena Essex 48: Edinburgh Monarchs 42
Premier League Cup: First round First leg
Arena Essex Raceway, Purfleet
Friday 9th June 2000
Arena Essex saw their injury jinx strike once more when new signing crashed out of his second ride and was taken to hospital with suspected pelvic injuries. After this blow the Arena side put up a battling performance to take a win on the night against the fast gating Monarchs side. Barrie Evans produced a sensational performance from reserve to ensure the Hammers took a slender lead to Armadale for the return leg.
The Edinburgh riders tended to be sharper from the gate but the home riders were often able to pass.
This match followed a similar pattern to the League encounter two weeks earlier up to the last couple of heats. This time the home side managed to hold their six-point lead through to the end.
Both teams were at full strength. Arena Essex took gates 1 and 3 in the opening heat.
Heat 1: Colin White, Robert Eriksson, Will Beveridge
Colin White made a fast gate to beat Robert Eriksson. Gary Corbett retired early on after shedding a chain.
(3-3) (3-3)
Heat 2: Blair Scott, Barrie Evans, Christian Henry, Jon Underwood
Jon Underwood made the start from the unfavourable outside gate but was balked by his partner Evans. Blair Scott won from Evans with Christian Henry third to give Monarchs an early lead.
(2-4) (5-7)
Heat 3: Jan Pedersen, Kevin Little, Matt Read
Arena fought back with Jan Pedersen winning from Kevin Little and Matt Read after Ross Brady retired.
(4-2) (9-9)
Heat 4: Savalas Clouting, Peter Carr, Christian Henry, Jon Underwood
New signing Savalas Clouting gained a notable win over Peter Carr who was trying to get past all the way. Christian Henry took third ahead of Underwood to tie the heat.
(3-3) (12-12)
Heat 5: Robert Eriksson, Jan Pedersen, Matt Read, Will Beveridge
Robert Eriksson resumed his winning ways heading Pedersen and Read for another tied heat. Will Beveridge suffered a failure and was nearly two-minuted while a fresh bike was provided.
(3-3) (15-15)
Heat 6: Colin White, Peter Carr, Gary Corbett, Blair Scott
The home side went ahead with a heat win by Colin White over Peter Carr with Gary Corbett third.
(4-2) (19-17)
Heat 7: Kevin Little, Barrie Evans, Ross Brady, Jon Underwood
Disaster struck for Arena after a second bend incident. Kevin Little, under pressure from Evans moved wide and Clouting was forced into the fence. All four were invited back but Clouting was unable to ride as he was taken away in the ambulance. Jon Underwood joined his fellow reserve in the re-run. Barrie Evans did well to split the Monarchs pair.
(2-4) (21-21)
Heat 8: Gary Corbett, Will Beveridge, Christian Henry, Barrie Evans
Henry and Beveridge made the start but Corbett produced a great second bend to go around the pair of them.
(3-3) (24-24)
Heat 9: Peter Carr, Jan Pedersen, Matt Read
This heat was re-run after Blair Scott fell while leading following a clash with Pedersen and was excluded. Carr made no mistake in the re-run to head Pedersen and Read.
(3-3) (27-27)
Heat 10: Gary Corbett, Colin White, Ross Brady, Kevin Little
Ross Brady and Kevin Little were first away but Corbett swept past on the first bend and was eventually joined by White to break the deadlock.
(5-1) (32-28)
Heat 11: Robert Eriksson, Barrie Evans, Will Beveridge, Jon Underwood
Monarchs hit back to reduce the deficit to two points. Clouting was replaced by Underwood once more. Robert Eriksson won from Evans and Beveridge.
(2-4) (34-32)
Heat 12: Matt Read, Barrie Evans, Kevin Little, Blair Scott
Read made the start from the inside gate ahead of Little and Scott. Barrie Evans blasted between the two Monarchs to join his partner for a heat maximum.
(5-1) (39-33)
Heat 13: Robert Eriksson, Peter Carr, Colin White, Jon Underwood
Underwood replaced Clouting for the crunch heat. Eriksson and Carr continued their heat 13 winning ways with superb team riding to keep White in third place.
(1-5) (40-38)
Heat 14: Barrie Evans, Jan Pedersen, Ross Brady, Christian Henry
Barrie Evans made the start and made room on the first bend for Pedersen to come through for a home 5-1 to restore a six-point lead.
(5-1) (45-39)
Heat 15: Robert Eriksson, Colin White, Jan Pedersen, Peter Carr
The home team won the toss to take the favourable inside gates. Colin White edged ahead from the tapes. Eriksson sensing that he was going to be taken wide dropped back slightly and cut inside to take the lead. Peter Carr could make no impression from gate 4.
(3-3) (48-42)
|
Arena Essex |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Colin White |
3 |
3 |
2* |
1 |
2 |
|
|
11+1 |
|
Gary Corbett |
R |
1 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
Matt Read |
1 |
1* |
1* |
3 |
|
|
6+2 |
|
|
Jan Pedersen |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2* |
1* |
|
|
10+2 |
|
Savalas Clouting |
3 |
N |
|
|
3 |
|||
|
Barrie Evans |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
2* |
3 |
|
11+1 |
|
Jon Underwood |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
14 |
|
|
Will Beveridge |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1* |
|
|
|
4+1 |
|
Kevin Little |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
Ross Brady |
R |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
Peter Carr |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2* |
0 |
|
|
9+1 |
|
Blair Scott |
3 |
0 |
X |
0 |
|
|
3 |
|
|
Christian Henry |
1 |
1* |
1* |
0 |
|
|
|
3+2 |
Robert Eriksson produced another great performance at Arena Essex dropping only one point. Carr also produced a double figure paid score. Kevin Little started brightly but faded in his last two rides. Ross Brady had a meeting to forget on probably his least favourite track only beating Jon Underwood of the home riders. Will Beveridge had more problems with his Jawa engine recently refurbished at a cost of £1,100. An engine failure, just before his second ride, forced him too use borrowed equipment from then on. Given the circumstances, his score was certainly acceptable. Christian Henry did what was expected of him and took points off both the hoe reserves. Blair Scott had little go right for him after winning heat one.
Arena Essex benefited from a return to form by Colin White and the presence of Jan Pedersen at second string and able to go out in heat 14. However their real star was reserve Barrie Evans. Corbett and Read both did well. Only Jon Underwood failed to deliver for the home side and his days must be numbered. Arena must be pondering what would have happened but for the injury to Clouting.
It is probable that the scoreline could still have been contained since Monarchs would have been able to use Eriksson and Carr as tactical substitutes had Clouting picked up more points.
Thanks to Mike Hunter and Graham Faiz for heat comments.
Man of the match: Barrie Evans
Next meeting: v Arena Essex, Premier League Cup, Armadale on Saturday 10th June 2000
John Lowe