Hull Vikings 46: Edinburgh Monarchs 44
Premier National Trophy
New Craven Park, Hull
Wednesday 17th May 2000
Edinburgh suffered another last heat setback at Hull losing out after Peter Carr and Robert Eriksson failed to get the required 5-1 to draw the match.
With Carr and Eriksson providing the spearhead with double figure scores, the Edinburgh riders scored consistently across the board with Ross Brady securing six points and all other being paid for five points.
Edinburgh failed to use tactical substitutes when this would have been possible in heats 10, 11, and 12. It appears that Carr and Eriksson were being saved for a double tactical substitution in heat 14. As things happened Brady and Eriksson scored a 5-1 in heat 13 reducing the gap to just two points.
The track was very heavy and the racing line was even narrower than usual. There was passing but much was down to mistakes being made.
Edinburgh were still without David McAllan and Jon Swales stood in. Hull had former rider Ray Morton guesting for the injured Gary Stead.
Heat 1: Paul Thorp, Robert Eriksson, Mike Smith [69.2]
Robert Eriksson and Kevin Little were on a 5-1 until Kevin spun around and fell collecting Eriksson and Thorp. Kevin was excluded. Hull secured a heat advantage in the rerun after Thorp gated and Eriksson pushed Mike Smith wide and off the narrow racing line.
(4-2) (4-2)
Heat 2: Paul Smith, Jon Swales, Christian Henry [70.5]
Paul Smith won this heat by a huge margin with the two Monarchs filling the minor positions and Wesley Waite failing to finish.
(3-3) (7-5)
Heat 3: Blair Scott, Peter Carr, Lee Dicken, René Aas [69.0]
Monarchs came back with a 5-1 over Lee Dicken to take the lead. Blair Scott gated and was followed by Lee Dicken and Peter Carr. The positions remained until the third bend of lap 2 when Peter Carr slipped inside Dicken through a gap that didn't seem to be there.
(1-5) (8-10)
Heat 4: Ray Morton, Ross Brady, Christian Henry, Wesley Waite [69.0]
Ross Brady gated but guest Ray Morton brushed him aside on the first lap to win. Wesley Waite was toiling at the back once more.
(3-3) (11-13)
Heat 5: Robert Eriksson, Lee Dicken, Kevin Little, René Aas [70.2]
Robert Eriksson and Kevin Little secured a 4-2 against Lee Dicken and René Aas. Dicken gated but was soon passed by Eriksson. Aas nearly flipped at the start and was last away.
(2-4) (13-17)
Heat 6: Jon Swales, Paul Thorp, Mike Smith [70.6]
Jon Swales and Ross Brady led until Brady slipped to last before retiring with machine problems. Jon Swales managed to hang on to beat Paul Thorp.
(3-3) (16-20)
Heat 7: Ray Morton, Paul Smith, Peter Carr, Blair Scott [69.5]
The two Vikings gated and Carr was unable to get past despite trying everything and Morton and Smith team rode.
(5-1) (21-21)
Heat 8: Paul Smith, Kevin Little, Mike Smith, Jon Swales [69.8]
Paul Smith came in as a reserve change for Wesley Waite while Jon Swales replaced Christian Henry. The Hull riders gated but Kevin Little passed Mike Smith on the back straight.
(4-2) (25-23)
Heat 9: Lee Dicken, René Aas, Ross Brady, Jon Swales [69.4]
Dicken and Aas gated to win a 5-1 and extend the Hull lead.
(5-1) (30-24)
Heat 10: Paul Thorp, Peter Carr, Mike Smith, Blair Scott [70.2]
Peter Carr gated but made a slip on the second bend and slipped to third. He came back to slip inside Mike Smith to edge it on the line.
(4-2) (34-26)
Heat 11: Ray Morton, Robert Eriksson, Kevin Little, Paul Smith [68.6]
Eriksson gated but Morton passed on the second lap. Little kept Paul Smith at the back.
(3-3) (37-29)
Heat 12: Peter Carr, Lee Dicken, Christian Henry [74.1]
The rain started to fall again making the track a mudbath. Surprisingly, Edinburgh fail to use a tactical substitute and brought in Christian Henry for Jon Swales as a reserve change. Apparently, Eriksson was being held back to come in heat 14. Peter Carr gated with Wesley Waite and Lee Dicken chasing. Wesley fell and was excluded.
(2-4) (39-33)
Heat 13: Ross Brady, Robert Eriksson, Paul Thorp, Ray Morton [73.0]
Robert Eriksson gated ahead of Morton and Brady with Thorp at the back. Morton tried the outside line but was passed by Brady. Eriksson and Brady then team rode to keep Morton at the back.
(1-5) (40-38)
Heat 14: Paul Smith, Blair Scott, René Aas, Christian Henry [73.3]
Monarchs' tactics of not using Carr and Eriksson as tactical substitutes earlier backfired due to the unexpected 5-1 in heat 13. Paul Smith gated once more to head Blair Scott and René Ass kept Henry at the back and stretch the Hull lead.
(4-2) (44-40)
Heat 15: Peter Carr, Paul Thorp, Robert Eriksson
Peter Carr and Robert Eriksson were first out of the gate but Eriksson was passed by both Hull riders before the second bend. Ray Morton fell on the second bend of lap two. Robert Eriksson was unable to pass Paul Thorp to secure a draw for Monarchs.
(3-3) (46-44)
|
Hull Vikings |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Paul Thorp |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
11 |
|
Mike Smith |
1 |
1* |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
4+1 |
|
Lee Dicken |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
|
|
8 |
|
|
René Aas |
0 |
0 |
2* |
1 |
|
|
|
3+1 |
|
Ray Morton |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
F |
|
|
9 |
|
Paul Smith |
3 |
2* |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
|
11+1 |
|
Wesley Waite |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2* |
1 |
|
|
10+1 |
|
Kevin Little |
X |
1 |
2 |
1* |
|
|
|
4+1 |
|
Peter Carr |
2* |
1 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
11+1 |
|
Blair Scott |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
Ross Brady |
R |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
Jon Swales |
1* |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
4+1 |
|
Christian Henry |
2 |
1* |
0 |
1 |
|
|
4+1 |
|
For once all of the Monarchs' team got amongst the points with all bar Kevin Little and Christian Henry winning heats. Unfortunately they failed to win enough heats. Carr only dropped three points. Eriksson was only beaten by Thorp (twice) and Morton. There was little to choose between the rest of the team .
Ray Morton started like a train winning his first three heats but failing to score thereafter. Paul Smith was top scorer in his last meeting at reserve before moving up to heat leader. He won three heats, all 'soft' ones (heats 2, 8, and 14).
Thanks to Mike Hunter and Adam Jennison for heat comments.
Next meeting: v Sheffield, Premier National Trophy, Owlerton on Thursday 18th May 2000
John Lowe