Edinburgh Monarchs 46: Hull Vikings 44
Premier League
Lothian Arena, Armadale
Friday 11th August 2000
Edinburgh were given a very hard time by the rampant Hull team before finally winning in a dramatic last heat decider.
As in their previous visit, Hull took an early lead with four heat advantages in the first five heats. Monarchs gradually clawed their way back into the match and had built up a modest lead of four points by heat 10. Hull came back cutting the margin to two points and edging ahead after a heat fourteen 5-1.
As has happened on more than one occasion this year, Eriksson and Carr came to the rescue with a final heat maximum to keep the points. It was a tremendously entertaining meeting in which all fourteen riders played their part. Edinburgh with eight heat winners just about deserved their win.
The match was not without controversy. René Aas fell after a brush with Peter Carr when leading heat 3 and was excluded. Also Paul Smith may be considered lucky to be invited back into heat 12 after falling at the second bend.
Both teams were at full strength. The weather was overcast and the track was just about perfect.
Peter Carr managed to win the toss and opted for gate position B with Monarchs off 2 and 4 in heat 1.
Heat 1: Paul Thorp, Robert Eriksson, Mike Smith, Blair Scott [56.7]
Paul Thorp took full advantage of the inside gate to lead Eriksson. Thorp held on to win in a very fast time equaling the season's best by Peter Carr. With Mike Smith heading Blair Scott, Hull took an early lead.
(2-4) (2-4)
Heat 2: René Aas, Christian Henry, Jamie Smith [59.0]
Will Beveridge made a fair start but could do nothing about an outside sweep from gate 4 by René Aas. Christian Henry spent a couple of laps attempting to pass Jamie Smith. Henry was holding the outside line with Smith on the inside. Just as Henry consolidated third place and appeared to have earned Monarchs a drawn heat when Will Beveridge retired to gift Hull another advantage.
(2-4) (4-8)
Heat 3: Peter Carr, Ross Brady, Paul Smith [Awarded]
Lee Dicken hit problems at the start line and was excluded under two minutes. René Aas made another start taking advantage of hesitancy by Ross Brady on the second bend to blast ahead. Peter Carr and Ross Brady were in hot pursuit on the inside and outside respectively. Carr seemed to have squeezed through a couple of times but somehow Aas managed to hold on. Carr finally passed off the second bend of lap three and seemed to cut hard across Aas. The Estonian stayed on but eventually lost it and fell. Aas was excluded and the race was awarded.
(5-1) (9-9)
Heat 4: Garry Stead, Kevin Little, René Aas, Christian Henry [57.9]
Garry Stead and René Aas made good starts, Kevin Little soon passed Aas but couldn't get on terms with Stead. Christian Henry had a real go at Aas and appeared to have go his nose in front off the last bend but was just beaten to the line.
(2-4) (11-13)
Heat 5: Paul Thorp, Peter Carr, Mike Smith, Ross Brady [57.7]
This heat provided two races in one with Peter Carr battling all the way with the flying Paul Thorp as Ross Brady slugged it out with Mike Smith. There were numerous passes and repassed as both went to the wire. Hull picked up two tight decisions to extend their lead to four points.
(2-4) (13-17)
Heat 6: Robert Eriksson, Garry Stead, Blair Scott, Jamie Smith [57.8]
Robert Eriksson blasted ahead from the tapes with Blair Scott tucked in behind. Garry Stead tracked Scott eventually getting past.
(4-2) (17-19)
Heat 7: Lee Dicken, Will Beveridge, Kevin Little, Paul Smith [59.9]
Will Beveridge gated but was soon passed by Lee Dicken. Kevin Little came from the back to pass Paul Smith.
(3-3) (20-22)
Heat 8: Blair Scott, René Aas, Christian Henry, Mike Smith [58.8]
René Aas gated but Blair Scott brushed him aside for an easy win. Christian Henry had an excellent ride to first see off Mike Smith and then to chase Aas.
(4-2) (24-24)
Heat 9: Peter Carr, Garry Stead, Ross Brady, Jamie Smith [57.2]
Peter Carr resumed his winning ways after passing Garry Stead on the back straight of the first lap. Ross Brady took third to put Monarchs ahead for the first time.
(4-2) (28-26)
Heat 10: Robert Eriksson, Paul Smith, Blair Scott, Lee Dicken [58.7]
Eriksson and Scott gated but Blair was passed by Paul Smith late on.
(4-2) (32-28)
Heat 11: René Aas, Kevin Little, Paul Thorp [Awarded]
René Aas, in as a reserve replacement for Mike Smith, gated from Beveridge and Little with the unbeaten Thorp stuck at the back. Little took over the chase of Aas while Thorp eventually passed Beveridge. Little seemed to be making no impression on Aas and was denied a another chance when Beveridge fell on lap three causing the race to be stopped and awarded.
(2-4) (34-32)
Heat 12: Peter Carr, Paul Smith, René Aas [58.2]
René Aas again came in as a reserve replacement this time for Jamie Smith. Aas made another start but Paul Smith hit the second bend fence bring down Henry. All four were invited back for the rerun. The Hull pair were first away but Carr did a big cutback to lead. Christian Henry chased the Hull pair with no success eventually falling on the last bend
(3-3) (37-35)
Heat 13: Robert Eriksson, Garry Stead, Paul Thorp, Kevin Little [58.3]
Eriksson and Little made fair starts but both went wide on the second bend. Stead and Thorp cut in tight. Little was stuck at the back but Eriksson had enough speed on the outside line to just cut off the Hull pair at the third bend. It finished in the same order to enable Monarchs to retain their narrow lead.
(3-3) (40-38)
Heat 14: René Aas, Lee Dicken, Ross Brady, Will Beveridge [59.5]
The Hull pair gated once more. Ross Brady passed Lee Dicken but René Aas was out of sight. Worse still for Monarchs, Lee Dicken came back and pipped Brady on the line to put Hull two points ahead.
(1-5) (41-43)
Heat 15: Robert Eriksson, Peter Carr, Paul Thorp, Garry Stead [57.7]
Eriksson and Carr both produced great starts from gates 3 and 1 and hit the front out of the second bend. They were never challenged and secured great win against the league favourites.
(5-1) (46-44)
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
14 |
|
Blair Scott |
0 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2* |
|
|
13+1 |
|
Ross Brady |
2* |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
4+1 |
|
Kevin Little |
2 |
1* |
2 |
0 |
|
|
|
5+1 |
|
Will Beveridge |
R |
2 |
X |
0 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Christian Henry |
2 |
0 |
1 |
F |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hull Vikings |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Paul Thorp |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1* |
1 |
|
|
9+1 |
|
Mike Smith |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Paul Smith |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
Lee Dicken |
M |
3 |
0 |
2* |
|
|
|
5+1 |
|
Garry Stead |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
9 |
|
Jamie Smith |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
René Aas |
3 |
X |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
13+1 |
With Hull as the form team of the Premier League, particularly away from home, Monarchs needed to be on top form to win convincingly. With Kevin Little and Ross Brady toiling and Christian Henry and Will Beveridge always likely to struggle against the strong Hull bottom end, it was going to depend on Carr, Eriksson, and Scott.
Eriksson started with a defeat but was immaculate thereafter. Carr looked a bit sluggish in his first two or three rides but came through when it mattered. Blair Scott also started badly but made three starts. He will be disappointed to have been passed in heats 6 and 10. He did produce a good win in heat 8.
Christian Henry rode quite well despite not making a start. He did reasonably well considering he was directly up against arguably the best number 7 in the Premier League. Will Beveridge rode with a bit more confidence but was unlucky to stop when second in heat 2.
Paul Thorp started like he was going to go through the card but faded. Garry Stead on duty in a League match for the first time did reasonably well but could get nowhere near Carr or Eriksson. The rest of the Hull team produced modest scores apart from René Aas who had by far his best Armadale meeting with a paid score of 14 that could easily have been 17 had he got the decision in heat 3.
Man of the match: René Aas
Most exciting rider: Peter Carr
Next meeting: v Isle of Wight, Premier League, Armadale on Friday 18th August 2000
John Lowe