Exeter Falcons 59: Edinburgh Monarchs 31
Premier League
County Ground, Exeter
Monday 31st July 2000
Edinburgh produced a creditable performance in becoming only the second team to break 30 points at the County Ground in the Premier League this year. Exeter have scored 70 points four times this season and only Swindon have prevented them scoring 60 in the Premier League. Monarchs score of 31 points beat that scored by big track sides such as Sheffield (30 points), Workington (30 points), Hull (28 points), Isle of Wight (28 points). The scores recorded by small track sides at Exeter are even more depressing with Newport taking 22 points, Glasgow 16 points and Arena Essex 21 points in the League and a record low of 15 points in the Premier National Trophy.
Monarchs picked up a few gift points following double tape exclusion and a retirement for Michael Coles. However Edinburgh had several misfortunes themselves, notably Ross Brady having a recently tuned big track engine that would go.
Edinburgh were at full strength while Exeter operated rider replacement for the injured Seemond Stephens. Roger Lobb continued despite testing positive for drugs pending the results from a second sample.
Heat 1: Robert Eriksson, Graeme Gordon, Mark Simmons, Blair Scott [67.7]
Simmons had problems with his bike on the parade and used Michael Coles's bike. Robert Eriksson made the start and won without any real threat.
(3-3) (3-3)
Heat 2: Bobby Eldridge, Chris Harris, Will Beveridge, Christian Henry [67.0]
Beveridge made a fair start and held second place for some time until Harris passed him off the last bend.
(5-1) (8-4)
Heat 3: Mark Simmons, Roger Lobb, Peter Carr, Ross Brady [67.1]
Peter Carr lifted at the start. This enabled Simmons in as rider replacement for Stephens and Lobb to get a stranglehold on the heat. Ross Brady struggled with a slow engine.
(5-1) (13-5)
Heat 4: Michael Coles, Bobby Eldridge, Kevin Little, Christian Henry [67.1]
Coles and Eldridge won this one from the gate.
(5-1) (18-6)
Heat 5: Graeme Gordon, Robert Eriksson, Roger Lobb, Blair Scott [67.3]
Graeme Gordon came in as rider replacement. Roger Lobb chased Eriksson but went too wide on the exit to the fourth bend on lap three dropping back.
(4-2) (22-8)
Heat 6: Mark Simmons, Graeme Gordon, Kevin Little, Will Beveridge [66.7]
Simmons and Gordon had a real flyer to deny Kevin Little.
(5-1) (27-9)
Heat 7: Michael Coles, Chris Harris, Peter Carr, Ross Brady [66.9]
Michael Coles was ahead of a tight battle for second place between Peter Carr and Chris Harris They were side by side going down the back straight until Harris went past on the outside of bends three and four.
(5-1) (32-10)
Heat 8: Robert Eriksson, Graeme Gordon, Blair Scott [67.8]
Tactical substitute time with Robert Eriksson replacing Christian Henry. Eriksson gated and Eldridge tried to pass on the outside of bend three but slid off and was excluded. In the rerun, Gordon tried the same thing but shut off at bend three and had to settle for second place.
(2-4) (34-14)
Heat 9: Roger Lobb, Bobby Eldridge, Kevin Little [68.3]
Chris Harris came in as rider replacement and fell on the first bend while Will Beveridge was very harshly excluded and after being given nowhere to go by Roger Lobb on his inside. Unlike many visitors to the County Ground, Will refused to yield. Harris was injured and unable to continue, so Eldridge came in and partnered Lobb to another maximum.
(5-1) (39-15)
Heat 10: Mark Simmons, Graeme Gordon, Peter Carr [68.3]
Another home maximum for Simmons and Gordon with Peter Carr unable to pass after missing the start yet again. Ross Brady pulled up on the third lap with mechanical problems.
(5-1) (44-16)
Heat 11: Robert Eriksson, Bobby Eldridge, Christian Henry [68.4]
Christian Henry replaced Blair Scott as a reserve replacement to leave things open for a tactical substitution in heat 14. Michael Coles was obviously worried by the fast starts that Eriksson was producing and went through the tapes after they were held. With Bobby Eldridge already in as a reserve replacement for Chris Harris, the only option was to take a 15 metre penalty. On the restart Coles was again penalized for moving and was excluded. Henry ploughed into Eldridge after the red lights were already on but recovered to make the rerun. Eriksson won his third heat ahead of Eldridge.
(2-4) (46-20)
Heat 12: Roger Lobb, Peter Carr, Will Beveridge, Bobby Eldridge [68.2]
Roger Lobb, in as rider replacement for Stephens, won this heat ahead of Carr and Beveridge. Eldridge was unable to challenge Beveridge.
(3-3) (49-23)
Heat 13: Mark Simmons, Robert Eriksson, Kevin Little [68.6]
Michael Coles was leading until he shed a chain on his third lap wrecking his engine.
(3-3) (52-26)
Heat 14: Roger Lobb, Ross Brady, Peter Carr, Bobby Eldridge [69.3]
Peter Carr replaced Christian Henry as a tactical substitute and Eldridge replaced Harris as a reserve change. Roger Lobb won from Ross Brady who has switched to his small track engine.
(3-3) (55-29)
Heat 15: Mark Simmons, Peter Carr, Roger Lobb [67.5]
Eriksson was expected to join Carr in the nominated heat but he had blown his engine after finishing second in heat 13, so Kevin Little came out instead. Little retired when last on the second lap but Carr split the home riders and ensured that Monarchs at least have a target to aim at for the bonus point.
(3-3) (59-31)
|
Exeter Falcons |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Mark Simmons |
1* |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
16+1 |
|
Graeme Gordon |
2 |
3 |
2* |
2 |
2* |
|
|
11+2 |
|
Seemond Stephens |
Rider replacement |
|
|
(11+1) |
||||
|
Roger Lobb |
2* |
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
13+1 |
|
Michael Coles |
3 |
3 |
T |
E |
|
|
|
6 |
|
Chris Harris |
2* |
2* |
N |
|
|
|
|
4+2 |
|
Bobby Eldridge |
3 |
2* |
X |
2* |
2 |
0 |
0 |
9+2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
|
|
13 |
|
Blair Scott |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Peter Carr |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1* |
2 |
|
8+1 |
|
Ross Brady |
0 |
0 |
R |
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Kevin Little |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1* |
R |
|
|
4+1 |
|
Will Beveridge |
1 |
0 |
X |
1* |
|
|
|
2+1 |
|
Christian Henry |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
Robert Eriksson approached the meeting in an upbeat mood and declared he didn't mind the County Ground. He was the only Monarch to seriously challenge the home riders. Peter Carr wasn't able to make starts and his inside line style is not really suited to passing on the County Ground. Kevin Little failed to beat a home rider but picked up a few points.
Ross Brady, who was near unbeatable at the County Ground last year, struggled on a freshly tuned motor that would not go. He eventually switched to his Armadale motor for his last ride with some improvement; Blair Scott and Christian Henry made little impression. Will Beveridge was unjustly excluded and did at least manage to beat a home rider.
Apart from a few points dropped by Cole and by a tiring Eldridge towards the end, the home riders showed their usual domination of the track. Rider replacement yielded a paid maximum for Seemond Stephens! Monarchs did manage to hang on in there a keep the margin to 28 points.
Man of the match: Mark Simmons
Next meeting: v Isle of Wight, Premier League, Smallbrook on Tuesday 1st August 2000
John Lowe
Thanks to Mike Hunter, Tina Blackmore, and Paul Wiktoro for heat comments