Edinburgh Monarchs 47: Hull Vikings 43
Premier National Trophy
Lothian Arena, Armadale
Friday 26th May 2000
Edinburgh won a very tight match against Hull at Armadale after a last heat decider.
While Hull took the lead after heat 2 and held it through till heat 13, and went into the final heat level, there was little doubt that Monarchs would win. The dominance of Peter Carr and Robert Eriksson was always likely to give them a decisive edge in heat 13 and 15. Monarchs took a 5-1 in the last heat to take the bonus point as well.
Hull stayed in the match thanks to the performance of their reserves who outscored the makeshift Monarchs pairing by a massive ten paid thirteen as against one point.. Monarchs won nine heats and probably deserved their narrow win.
The track was offered very little on the wider line, especially early on. This probably stemmed from the ever-uncertain weather with rain threatening but staying away. The trick was to gate and stay on the white line. This suited many of the Hull riders but not Paul Thorp.
Edinburgh were without both reserves, David McAllan who was injured at Berwick last week and Christian Henry who crashed at St. Austell. Jon Swales and Derek Sneddon stood in. Hull again had former rider Ray Morton guesting for the injured Garry Stead. Former Newcastle reserve Jamie Smith came in at number 6 in place of Wesley Waite who was dropped.
Peter Carr had a rare win of the toss and after deliberating with Robert Eriksson opted for gate position A with Monarchs off 1 and 3 in heat 1.
Heat 1: Robert Eriksson, Paul Thorp, René Aas, Blair Scott [57.4]
Robert Eriksson gated ahead of the Hull pair. Paul Thorp went too wide on the second bend and lost a lot of ground. Blair Scott chased Aas and seemed to have forced his way past into second place off the fourth bend. However Blair couldn't sustain it around the first and second bends as Aas stuck to the white line. Blair was slowed up by the Estonian allowing Thorp to close up and take third place. The Hull pair then team rode to tie the heat.
(3-3) (3-3)
Heat 2: Mike Smith, Jamie Smith, Derek Sneddon, Jon Swales [58.7]
The Hull pair gated but Jon Swales passed Jamie Smith on the back straight. By then, Mike Smith was well away. Jon Swales seemed to be toiling and his bike developed problems causing him to slow right down and gift a 5-1 to the visitors
(1-5) (4-8)
Heat 3: Kevin Little, Lee Dicken, Ross Brady, Mike Smith [58.6]
Paul Smith was excluded when his bike developed problems on the start line. His namesake Mike came in to replace him. Kevin Little gated from Dicken. Ross Brady tried to get past Dicken but found the outside line unresponsive and soon was under pressure from Mike Smith. Mike Smith seemed to have taken third bend on the last lap but Brady came back to pass off the last bend.
(4-2) (8-10)
Heat 4: Peter Carr, Ray Morton, Jamie Smith [58.1]
Hull made a reserve change bringing in Jamie Smith for Mike Smith. Derek Sneddon suffered an engine failure and stopped. Carr won after shaking off the early attentions of Ray Morton.
(3-3) (11-13)
Heat 5: René Aas, Kevin Little, Paul Thorp, Ross Brady [58.9]
Aas gated ahead of Little and Brady with Thorp at the back once more. Brady had a go around the outside but again lost ground and was passed by Thorp. Meanwhile Aas held on the beat Little and extend the Hull lead.
(2-4) (13-17)
Heat 6: Ray Morton, Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott, Jamie Smith [58.1]
Robert Eriksson missed the start and Ray Morton established a lead that was never really challenged. Blair Scott took third to tie the heat.
(3-3) (16-20)
Heat 7: Peter Carr, Lee Dicken, Paul Smith, Jon Swales [58.7]
A routine win for Peter Carr ahead of Lee Dicken and Paul Smith.
(3-3) (19-23)
Heat 8: Blair Scott, Mike Smith, René Aas, Derek Sneddon [59.2]
Blair Scott made a great start from the outside trap to cut off Mike Smith on the back straight and won without difficulty. Derek Sneddon had a decent ride and pushed Aas all the way.
(3-3) (22-26)
Heat 9: Ray Morton, Kevin Little, Ross Brady, Jamie Smith [58.2]
Ray Morton gated but Kevin Little forced his way inside Morton on the back straight. Ray Morton came back to pass Kevin Little off the fourth bend.
(3-3) (25-29)
Heat 10: Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott, Lee Dicken, Paul Smith [58.1]
Eriksson and Scott gated to secure a 5-1 and level the scores.
(5-1) (30-30)
Heat 11: Peter Carr, Paul Thorp, René Aas, Jon Swales [57.8]
Another predictable tied heat with Carr never in danger and Swales at the back.
(3-3) (33-33)
Heat 12: Paul Smith, Ross Brady, Jamie Smith, Jon Swales [59.2]
Ross Brady made his first start but Paul Smith was on a better line through the second bend and went ahead. Ross made no impression. Reserve replacement Jon Swales missed out again to Jamie Smith as Hull took the lead once more
(2-4) (35-37)
Heat 13: Robert Eriksson, Peter Carr, Ray Morton, Paul Thorp [57.3]
Eriksson made the start from gate 2 while Carr was slower away but produced a superb second bend turn to take second place. The Monarchs' pairing pulled further and further ahead.
(5-1) (40-38)
Heat 14: Lee Dicken, Kevin Little, Mike Smith, Jon Swales [59.2]
Dicken gated from Little with Swales holding third place. Little tried to pass Dicken but never quite managed it. Meanwhile Mike Smith chased Jon Swales all the way and while everyone was watching Little attempt to pass Dicken, he snatched a decision on the line.
(2-4) (42-42)
Heat 15: Peter Carr, Robert Eriksson, Ray Morton, Lee Dicken [58.3]
Eriksson made another start from the outside gate. Carr again missed the start but produced a breathtaking second bend to pass both Hull riders. Lee Dicken looked so bemused he spun. He stayed down hoping for a red light but nothing was forthcoming so he did the decent thing and restarted. Peter Carr won from Robert Eriksson who seemed concerned about the noise his engine was making.
(5-1) (47-43)
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2* |
|
|
13+1 |
|
Blair Scott |
0 |
1* |
3 |
2* |
|
|
|
6+2 |
|
Ross Brady |
1 |
0 |
1* |
2 |
|
|
4+2 |
|
|
Kevin Little |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
|
9 |
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2* |
3 |
|
|
14+1 |
|
Jon Swales |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
0 |
|
Derek Sneddon |
1 |
E |
0 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hull Vikings |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Paul Thorp |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
5 |
|
|
René Aas |
1* |
3 |
1* |
1* |
|
|
|
6+3 |
|
Paul Smith |
M |
1* |
0 |
3 |
|
|
|
4+1 |
|
Lee Dicken |
2 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
8 |
|
Ray Morton |
2 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
10 |
|
Jamie Smith |
2* |
1* |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
4+1 |
|
Mike Smith |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
|
6 |
Monarchs were never going to have it easy with their stand-in reserve pairing. Peter Carr was never threatened and Robert Eriksson only dropped one point in heat 6 after he was outgated by Ray Morton. Ross Brady was out of touch and never really got his gating going. Kevin Little had problems with his bike which he had straightened out from last week's crash. He reported that it was riding strangely although his engine seemed fine.
Blair Scott put in a typical performance with two dodgy rides followed by two great ones. Just as he seemed to have come to terms with the track by heat 10, he had completed his last ride! At least next week at reserve he will be able to have extra rides. Neither of the Monarchs reserves made any impact although they were not off the pace. It just never happened for either of them. In retrospect they were always going to be up against it with the strength-in-depth Hull side with no weaknesses at the bottom end. Hopefully things will be different for Monarchs next week with Blair Scott at reserve and with Christian Henry possibly back.
Ray Morton was the pick of the visitors. Paul Thorp struggled on the track with some slow starts but the remainder of the team got amongst the points. Jamie Smith was impressive on his Hull debut although maybe more would have been expected from Mike Smith given his current form.
Next meeting: v Arena Essex, Premier League, Purfleet on Saturday 27th May 2000
John Lowe