Hull Vikings 43: Edinburgh Monarchs 47
Premier National Trophy
New Craven Park, Hull
Wednesday 13th September 2000
Edinburgh Finally picked up a win at Hull that they had threatened for so many years when Peter Carr and Robert Eriksson took a 4-2 advantage in the last heat decider.
Edinburgh took an early lead through at heat 2 maximum by Christian Henry and Will Beveridge. Peter Carr and Ross Brady doubled this lead in heat 3. Hull came back to level the scores with three successive heat advantages helped by a Garry Stead tactical substitution. Monarchs took the lead once more through Carr and Brady in heat 7. This narrow lead was held until heat 13 after five tied heats. Hull then moved ahead with a heat 13 maximum and looked likely to take the points. However Will Beveridge in as a reserve replacement and Ross Brady hit back with a 5-1 in heat 14 to set up the last heat decider.
While it was tough on Hull to lose their 100% home record when they are challenging for the title, Monarchs certainly deserved the win. They rode as a team and scored points all the way down the line.
Edinburgh were at full strength after Peter Carr declared himself fit to ride after his fall on Sunday at Owlerton. Hull were without reserve Mike Smith and drafted in former Newcastle rider Darren Pearson.
Heat 1: Robert Eriksson, Paul Thorp, Lee Dicken, Blair Scott [67.9]
Robert Eriksson provided another heat 1 win as he beat Paul Thorp and Lee Dicken.
(3-3) (3-3)
Heat 2: Christian Henry, Will Beveridge, Jamie Smith, Darren Pearson [70.3]
The Monarchs reserves took a 5-1 ahead of Jamie Smith and Darren Pearson. This provided revenge for Christian Henry after the loss of the Bronze Helmet to Jamie Smith at Ashfield last Sunday.
(1-5) (4-8)
Heat 3: Peter Carr, Ross Brady, René Aas, Paul Smith [68.8]
Carr and Brady doubled Monarchs' lead with another maximum.
(1-5) (5-13)
Heat 4: Garry Stead, Kevin Little, Jamie Smith, Christian Henry [68.0]
Hull took a heat advantage to reduce the arrears through Garry Stead and Jamie Smith.
(4-2) (9-15)
Heat 5: Garry Stead, Robert Eriksson, René Aas, Blair Scott [67.8]
Garry Stead came in as a tactical substitute for Paul Smith and won his second in a row ahead of Robert Eriksson. This cut Monarchs' lead to two points.
(4-2) (13-17)
Heat 6: Paul Thorp, Lee Dicken, Kevin Little, Will Beveridge [68.7]
Paul Thorp and Lee Dicken took a maximum to square the match.
(5-1) (18-18)
Heat 7: Peter Carr, Garry Stead, Ross Brady, Darren Pearson [67.9]
Peter Carr beat Garry Stead and Ross Brady took third to edge Monarchs back into the lead.
(2-4) (20-22)
Heat 8: Lee Dicken, Blair Scott, Christian Henry, Jamie Smith [69.1]
Lee Dicken won the heat for Hull but Blair Scott and Christian Henry took the minor placings to keep Monarchs ahead.
(3-3) (23-25)
Heat 9: Paul Smith, Will Beveridge, Kevin Little, René Aas [67.8]
Paul Smith won this one but Beveridge and Little beat Aas to tie the heat.
(3-3) (26-28)
Heat 10: Paul Thorp, Peter Carr, Ross Brady [68.2]
Lee Dicken was excluded. Peter Carr dropped his first point of the match when beaten by Paul Thorp.
(3-3) (29-31)
Heat 11: Garry Stead, Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott, Darren Pearson [67.7]
Garry Stead maintained his impressive form with another win, this time over Robert Eriksson. Blair Scott took third to keep Edinburgh ahead.
(3-3) (32-34)
Heat 12: Peter Carr, Jamie Smith, Paul Smith, Christian Henry [69.2]
This was yet another tied heat won by Peter Carr ahead of Jamie Smith and Paul Smith.
(3-3) (35-37)
Heat 13: Paul Thorp, Garry Stead, Robert Eriksson, Kevin Little [68.3]
Hull took the lead for the first time when Paul Thorp and Garry Stead took a 5-1 over Robert Eriksson.
(5-1) (40-38)
Heat 14: Will Beveridge, Ross Brady, René Aas, Jamie Smith [70.8]
Both teams made reserve changes. Will Beveridge and Jamie Smith came in for Christian Henry and Darren Pearson respectively. The change paid off big time for Edinburgh as Beveridge won from Ross Brady to restore Monarchs' lead.
(1-5) (41-43)
Heat 15: Peter Carr, Garry Stead, Robert Eriksson, Paul Thorp,
Monarchs needed only a 3-3 to win the meeting. They went one better and increased the lead trough a Carr/Eriksson 4-2.
(2-4) (43-47)
|
Hull Vikings |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Paul Thorp |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
11 |
|
Lee Dicken |
1* |
2* |
3 |
X |
|
|
|
6+1 |
|
Paul Smith |
0 |
3 |
1* |
|
|
|
|
4+1 |
|
René Aas |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
Garry Stead |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2* |
2 |
|
15+1 |
|
Darren Pearson |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Jamie Smith |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
9 |
|
Blair Scott |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1* |
|
|
|
3+1 |
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
14 |
|
Ross Brady |
2* |
1 |
1* |
2* |
|
|
|
6+3 |
|
Kevin Little |
2 |
1 |
1* |
0 |
|
|
|
4+1 |
|
Will Beveridge |
2* |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
|
|
7+1 |
|
Christian Henry |
3 |
0 |
1* |
|
|
|
|
4+1 |
Monarchs showed in defeating the Premier League title favourites what they can do when all the team perform to near their potential. Peter Carr put on a great show after especially after being doubtful for the meeting. Will Beveridge produced his best score in Monarchs' colours. Ross Brady also had a good meeting. Robert Eriksson failed to reach double figures for the first time in months but was only beaten by Garry Stead and Paul Thorp. Christian Henry, Kevin Little, and Blair Scott weighed in with valuable points.
Garry Stead was in a class of his own on the Hull side. He was beaten only twice, both by Carr, in six heats. Good support came from Lee Dicken and Paul Thorp. Hull missed the injured Mike Smith. Their strategy all season has relied on one high scoring reserve with Paul Smith, Mike Smith, and René Aas all fulfilling the rôle over this season. Monarchs' reserves outscored their Hull counterparts by 11 points to 3. That was the basis of Edinburgh's victory.
Next meeting: v Stoke, Premier League, Armadale on Friday 15th September 2000
John Lowe